Revolutionize Your Health Routine With New NAD+ Patches
It's 2025, and NAD+ is to wellness as pilates is to working out. NAD+ is a naturally occurring coenzyme in your body that's in charge of energy metabolism, DNA repair, and even stem cell rejuvenation. Celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and Gwyneth Paltrow swear by it, often hooking themselves up to NAD+ IVs. It's available in pill form and various elixirs as a supplement, but now, thanks to Barrière and their innovative vitamin patches, you'll be able to get it into your system via a cute little sticker.$17.98 at mybarriere.com
Since NAD+ has so many alleged benefits, including boosting metabolism and improving cognitive function, it sounds like something we should ideally all be able to get at any time. But to reap the benefits of NAD+, the most potent option is an IV drip, and it comes with red tape; it can cost anywhere between $300 to $2,000 for a typical 500 mg dose, and it is a slow process that takes anywhere from two to four hours. Speeding up an NAD+ IV can be painful (Joe Rogan described a quicker NAD+ infusion as 'excruciating' on his podcast), and regardless of how long it takes, any NAD+ drip can cause side effects like vomiting, nausea, dizziness, flushing, or redness. 'I am not a fan of IVs because I think they give you too much at once, and your body doesn't really know what to do with that high of a dose,' says Amanda Kahn, MD, a longevity doctor who recommends shots instead of IVs.
Shots can still be difficult to get, and they're as expensive as infusions, so many people are still on the hunt for other routes. Oral supplements have shown some promise, but there's limited data, according to a 2023 study in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. The study found that, overall, oral supplements that use NAD+ precursors have shown to be safe, well-tolerated, and may boost overall NAD+ levels in the body. But if you don't want to take another pill, a patch may be the best option.
'Barrière's NAD+ patch uses a transdermal delivery system to gently release NAD+ through the skin over time, allowing for consistent absorption directly into the bloodstream,' says Sogol Ash, MD and medical advisor to Barrière. 'It bypasses the digestive system and liver, which makes it ideal for people who want a non-invasive, on-the-go option to boost NAD+ levels without needing an IV or capsule.'
Barrière co-founder Cleo Davis-Urman says she wanted to make the patch as a more accessible option, using NR, a precursor to NAD+ that converts to the peptide once it's in your system. 'The goal of the patch is to replenish declining NAD levels so that your body starts to produce more on its own,' she says. 'It supports cellular energy production, metabolic health, healthy aging, muscle recovery, cognitive function, and more. I call it a fountain of youth.'
The patch also closely mimics the delivery system of an IV treatment, though it delivers far less at once. You'll apply two small patches, which have a total of 18 mg of NR, every other day. 'This follows the recommended treatment using IV therapies,' Davis-Urman says. 'It gives your body a day of rest in between, which is scientifically studied to be more beneficial.'
And thanks to its unique delivery method, Davis-Urman says the patch also doesn't come with the same unpleasant side effects as IVs or oral supplements. 'IVs can shock your system, while oral supplements can cause nausea as your body acclimates to the peptide. The slow transdermal delivery is letting your body, over eight to 12 hours, get a small and consistent dose,' Davis-Urman says.
As for how much NAD+ is actually getting in your system? The jury's still out, since there's no real way to measure it; you can't tell in a blood test like you would for something like vitamin D, though Ash says that tests are currently being developed. 'In the meantime, I test downstream effects through functional labs, including improvements in mitochondrial markers, inflammation, and shifts in biological age,' she says. 'But the most meaningful feedback often comes from how someone actually feels. Many people notice real improvements in energy, sleep quality, mental clarity, and recovery within just a few weeks of consistent patch use.'
Keep in mind that if you want the most benefit out of NAD+, an IV is still the best option, according to Alexander GolBerg, MD, DO, who calls it the 'Rolls-Royce' of ways to get NAD+ into your system. 'In the patch, they don't know how much is absorbed,' he cautions. Still, doctors agree that patches like Barrière's are low risk, so we're willing to stick some on to find out the benefits for ourselves.
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That being said, I've since come to terms with and even have learned to embrace my new hair. Don't get it twisted, though, I quickly booked a few extra laser hair removal sessions to get rid of the darker body hair once and for all. And if you're wondering how I was so caught off guard, consider that while we've recently seen strides towards better reproductive health protocols when it comes to the insertion of IUDs (thanks CDC!), there's still so much to be done. 'Research on female health conditions, is underfunded with insufficient data and too few female leaders,' says Somi Javaid, a board-certified OB/GYN and Founder of HerMD. "More education is necessary." On that front, I've been trying: Learning how to style and manage my curls has had its ups and downs, and after two years, I've finally hit my stride. Overall, this change has been a small price to pay in order to have control over my sexual health. 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