03 Jul 2019
You’ve already tried increasing your coffee intake, getting a few extra hours of sleep, watching what you eat but you still feel like you’re flat lining.
It’s a different ball game.
You might have heard the terms NAD+ and NADH tossed around in chemistry class back in high school. And unless you’ve dedicated your life to study the body and how we perform some of the incredible functions that we do, you might need a refresher.
Often times these two molecules get grouped together because they perform similar functions, however they are vastly different and both play a crucial role in cellular energy and ATP production.
What Is NAD+?
If this is your first time hearing of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+), rest assured, it is a coenzyme that helps our body convert nutrients into energy. NAD+ also works as a helper molecule for proteins to help regulate other biological functions and activities, maintains healthy sleep cycles, repair damaged DNA and helps to regulate our hunger hormones and appetite.
Sounds like a miracle coenzyme right? In a way, yes! We obtain NAD+ through consuming protein rich foods, during times of fasting (ie:intermittent fasting) or when we are in a state of ketosis. NAD+ is found in every single living cell in our body and is required for our fundamental biological processes to occur.
However, as we age, the ratio of NAD+ in our body decreases and the ratio of NADH increases, thus shifting the ratio of the coenzyme in a less than favourable direction. Aging isn’t the only reason for decreased NAD+ - excessive alcohol consumption can also decrease the ratio of NAD+/NADH in our cytoplasm.
What is NADH?
The major difference between the two molecules being NAD+ is the oxidized form and NADH being the reduced form. During the stages of energy production, our bodies sends these molecules, along with the nutrients we’ve consumed through a process known as glycolysis. This is the first stage of glucose degradation for the production of ATP. This process breaks glucose down into pyruvate and produces a small amount of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). The next step is undergoing the Krebs Cycle, in which 3 molecules of NADH are produced from NAD+ in addition to a small amount of CO2 and one molecule of NADH2. As irrelevant as this process sounds, it is extremely important in the creation of energy within our bodies as glycolysis and the Krebs Cycle are essentially precursors, or coenzymes for the Electron Transport Chain. The ETC is where the magic happens and the bulk of ATP is produced from the molecules of NADH produced in the Krebs cycle previously.
Tying Everything Together
The science behind how our body creates, converts and utilizes the energy that fuel our every move is enough to make anyone’s head spin. To make it easier on you, supplementing with NADH provides your body with the essential nutrients and building blocks it needs for you body to thrive. Pairing it with an antioxidant such as CoQ10 and you have yourself a super supplement!
CoQ10, also known as ubiquinol, is an active antioxidant made by our bodies and is another crucial player in the creation of cellular energy. See a running theme here? This antioxidant can improve exercise performance by decreasing oxidative stress in our cells and improve mitochondrial levels. Mitochondria, you’ve likely heard called the “powerhouse cell” before. That name couldn’t be more true. This organelle acts like a second digestive system that breaks down our nutrients and creates energy rich molecules for our cells during cellular respiration.
Fatigue Busting Suggestions
Whether your an athlete breaking a sweat in the gym, a busy mom or a desk worker - you should be feeding your cells with NADH and Ubiquinol. Pure Lab Vitamins has formulated the perfect synergistic blend of both to help supercharge your mitochondrial cells, increase your energy and support a healthy heart. Yes, a supplement can do all of that!
Start by supplementing with 1 capsule in the morning and early afternoon with your coffee or caffeine source to maximize energy levels.
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