This study evaluated the effects of NAD+ injections in patients with heart failure.
“NAD+ was shown to be beneficial for the improvement of cardiac function in HF patients.”
Key Points
- A measure of heart function (LVEF) improved in both groups over 90 days
- NAD+ injections in HF patients for 7-10 days improved heart function at the 90 day follow up
- NAD+ was effective in patients with strong, not reduced heart function
Human Trial Evaluates NAD+ IV Infusion for Heart Failure
Sixty participants with heart failure were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Patients were randomly assigned to either the NAD+ group or the placebo group. Both groups received standard treatment for heart failure and daily IV infusions of their respective treatment:
- NAD+ group: 50mg NAD+ solution
- Placebo group: Normal saline
The intervention period lasted 7–10 days, and participants were followed up for three months.
Outcomes
- Primary endpoint: Absolute improvement of LVEF ≥ 5%
- Secondary endpoints: GLS and MV parameters
*For more detailed definitions of the heart function markers used for the study endpoints, please refer to the Glossary provided at the end
HF Recovery Progressed in Both Groups
After three months, both groups saw an improvement in LVEF, a measure of how effectively the heart’s main pumping chamber pushes out blood with each beat.
The size of the heart’s main chambers, the left atrium and left ventricle, remained constant throughout the study.
NAD+ Improved Markers of Heart Function After 3 Months
After 3 months, 15 participants from each group had echocardiograms to measure the heart muscle flexibility (GLS) and how much energy the heart used to pump blood (MW).
The NAD+ group patients experienced improved heart function, as seen in:
- ↑ LVEF: better blood-pumping efficiency
- ↑ GWI and GWE: more efficient heart performance with less effort
- ↓ GWW: heart wasting less energy
“In NAD+ group, LVEF, GWI and GWE were extremely increased after 3 months of follow-up compared with baseline”
NAD+ Was Only Effective in Healthy Hearts
However, further analysis showed that NAD+ was only beneficial in participants with good heart function (LVEF > 40%). These participants showed improvements in GWI, GWW, and GWE after 3 months.
No differences were seen in the placebo group or in participants in the NAD+ group with reduced heart function (LVEF < 40%).
Conclusion
This study showed NAD+ injections were effective for improving heart function in HF patients after 3 month follow up.
“Supplementation of NAD+ was beneficial to the improvement of cardiac function in HF patients.”
A sub-analysis showed NAD+ injections were effective in patients with stronger hearts.
Glossary
Heart Function Measured:
- Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS): How well the heart muscle stretched and squeezed
- Myocardial Work (MW): How much energy the heart used to pump blood
GLS and MW information used to derive heart function parameters:
- Global work index (GWI): Total energy used by the heart muscle in one beat. Lower GWI means better efficiency.
- Global constructive work (GCW): “Good” work, energy used for actual pumping.
- Global waste work (GWW): “Wasted” work, energy used for unnecessary stretching and contracting. Lower GWW means better efficiency.
- Global work efficiency (GWE): Efficiency score measuring how well the heart uses its energy (GCW / (GCW + GWW)). Higher GWE means better efficiency.