Unlocking Cellular Health With Science and Trust
Niagen Bioscience (NASDAQ: NAGE, formerly Chromadex) is a Los Angeles-based company dedicated to advancing the supplements industry using science-backed research into their component ingredients. At the helm is CEO Robert Fried, who says the company's mission is to pioneer NAD+ research and develop transformative NAD-boosting healthy-aging solutions with Niagen, their patented form of nicotinamide riboside (NR). Niagen is the cornerstone of the company's clinically proven product portfolio, Tru Niagen and Niagen IV and injections.
During this year's Cannes Lions, Fried sat down with LA Times Studios to discuss how the company is pioneering the NAD+ space and the science and quality backed benefits of its Niagen products.
'NAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a co-enzyme found in all living cells – plant and animal – and is involved in all important metabolic processes within the cell, but especially energy metabolism and DNA repair, which are key to supporting mitochondrial health and overall optimal health.' explained Fried. Mitochondria, the 'battery pack of the cell,' combines nutrients from the food you eat and oxygen with NAD+ to produce energy.
NAD+ also plays a crucial role in DNA recovery and cellular repair. 'All of these processes that exist within the cell where the cell repairs damage are NAD+ dependent,' Fried emphasized, illustrating how higher NAD+ levels facilitate rapid healing, contrasting youthful recovery with a slower healing process that occurs as we age. This is because NAD+ starts to decline naturally in our 30s, with research showing a dramatic drop of up to 65% by the time we reach age 70. Exposure to stressors like sedentary lifestyle, excess sun exposure, poor diet and environmental factors also impact NAD+ levels. Research shows that NAD+ decline is associated with a decline in overall health and vitality, contributing to the development of conditions and disease.
Fried is quick to address a significant industry misconception: 'NAD+ itself is not bioavailable. If you consume NAD+ orally or with an IV, it will not elevate NAD+ levels inside your cells.' He clarified that the NAD+ molecule is too large to penetrate cells, causing NAD+ supplements and IV to be ineffective. Intact NAD+ may even have the potential to cause acute immune inflammatory response, which may be responsible for the uncomfortable side effects associated with NAD+ IV and injections.
The solution, according to Fried, is 'to consume an NAD+ precursor molecule that easily gets into the cell and then converts into NAD+, and the best molecule for this is called nicotinamide riboside or NR.' Niagen is patented NR and precisely what Tru Niagen and pharmaceutical-grade Niagen IV and injections offer.
With a legacy spanning over 25 years, the company's recent rebranding from ChromaDex to Niagen Bioscience reflects its sharpened focus. 'We're no longer only a reference standards company but an NAD+ company dedicated to addressing one of life's most complex challenges - aging,' said Fried.
Niagen Bioscience differentiates itself by operating as an 'R&D lab that specializes in NAD+,' not simply a supplement distributor, he said. Its distinguished by state-of-the-art laboratories, rigorous scientific and quality protocols, and an external research program helping independent investigators and institutions worldwide uncover the potential of NAD+. 'There is no other company in the supplement space that comes close this level of R&D investment and scientific research,' Fried asserted. The company boasts 38 peer-reviewed, published human clinical studies on oral food-grade Niagen, of which about 95% are completely independent, with another 40 studies currently underway. This level of scientific rigor, he contends, is typically found only in biotech or pharmaceutical companies.
Products are tested at the manufacturing facility and then retested upon delivery. Fried notes their marketing: 'We are real. We are genuine. We let the science do the talking.' This approach, he believes, is key to building genuine trust.
Niagen Bioscience is exploring Niagen's broader therapeutic potential for its patented NR. Fried reveals extensive clinical studies on the benefits of its patented food-grade NR for specific age-related and orphan diseases (rare conditions characterized by rapid aging). Some of these studies have reached Phase II and III clinical trials.
A 52 week, 400-participant, Phase III double-blinded, controlled study on Parkinson's disease recently concluded, conducted with a world-renowned independent researcher. 'That is a level of scientific research ... that you don't see from supplement companies,' Fried emphasized.
Niagen Bioscience is also innovating beyond oral supplements. They've developed a pharmaceutical-grade version of nicotinamide riboside, now available as Niagen IV. exclusively at clinics across the U.S. Fried highlighted its advantages: 'If you do an injection or an IV, you're getting the benefits of Niagen directly to the bloodstream.' This results in faster absorption and avoids side effects often associated with direct NAD+ infusions.
Fried candidly addresses his concern about a lack of public trust in the dietary supplement industry, citing prevalent unsubstantiated claims, low-quality products, and marketing hype. 'It's my belief that if people genuinely trusted the companies that the industry at large would be so significant because we'd actually have preventative health value,' he states.
To combat this, Niagen Bioscience has proposed a 'Trust Alliance' – a coalition of industry players, government and non-profits to test products and ensure claims are met.
For Fried, the most meaningful aspect of his journey is receiving letters from individuals who experienced health benefits after taking Tru Niagen. Looking ahead, Niagen Bioscience aims to solidify its position as the 'gold standard in the NAD+ space,' continuing its scientific leadership.
'Our mission is to help every living being around the world age better. We think what could happen in the next five years is very exciting and special,' Fried concluded.
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