Scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation have received a $3 million grant to explore avenues to improve heart health.
Dr. An Chao studies a coenzyme called NAD+ that is present in cells throughout our bodies. NAD+ was first discovered by scientists over a century ago. Compounds that boost NAD+ levels are sold as over-the-counter dietary supplements under a variety of trade names and are touted as potentially improving energy production, metabolism, and healthy aging.
According to market research reports, NAD+ boosters account for 14% of all dollars spent on anti-aging products. Global sales of NAD+ boosters are projected to reach $488 million in 2021 and $1.4 billion by 2030.
Clinical trials have shown that NAD+ supplements are generally safe, but Chao says tests have revealed mixed results when it comes to specific benefits, like athletic performance, sleep quality and heart health.
For example, in a 2023 study conducted in Japan, researchers looked at healthy middle-aged people to see if an NAD+ booster could help with age-related arteriosclerosis. However, the tests found no significant differences between those who took NAD+ for 12 weeks and those who took a placebo.
Chao’s research aims to determine whether NAD+ needs a “transporter” protein to move it to the right compartment of the cell, the mitochondria, to work efficiently in the heart.
“Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell,” Chao says. “Even if you put a lot of NAD+ into your body, if you don’t have a transporter to get it into the mitochondria, you might not get the full benefit. In older adults, this seems to be true throughout the body, but especially in the heart.”
Her new grant will fund initial research into the importance of that transport protein in optimizing NAD+ distribution in the heart. If her theory proves correct, the next step would be the development of new drugs to be used in conjunction with the NAD+ booster.
“There’s still a lot we don’t know about NAD+, which likely contributes to the conflicting results from supplementation,” said Benjamin Miller, PhD, chair of OMRF’s Aging and Metabolism Research Program. “Dr. Chao’s work focuses on sites in cells where NAD+ is low, which may be an important overlooked reason for the conflicting results. Her work may reveal targets for more consistent positive responses.”
The five-year grant, number 1R01AG081855-01A1, was awarded by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health. An earlier grant from the Oklahoma City-based Presbyterian Health Foundation funded Chao’s pilot research.
