I didn’t start paying attention to NAD+ because I was obsessed with aging.
I started because I felt the shift.
The kind you notice in your late thirties or early forties — when your energy isn’t as steady, recovery takes a little longer, and your body starts asking for more care than it used to. Nothing dramatic. Just enough to make you pause and think, “Okay… something is changing.”
I was still busy, still capable, still doing all the things. But I wanted to understand what was happening beneath the surface — not just how to look better, but how to feel stronger, more resilient, more supported from the inside out.
That curiosity led me to NAD+ — a molecule quietly working in every cell, influencing how we create energy, repair damage, and move through the aging process. And what surprised me most wasn’t the science — it was how many natural, accessible ways there are to support it.
This isn’t about chasing youth.
It’s about supporting your body through this next chapter — with awareness, intention, and respect for everything it’s carried you through.
What Is NAD+ (and Why It Matters More Than You Think)?
Want to understand what NAD+ really is and how it works in your body? This post breaks it down in plain, everyday language.
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme found in every living cell. It plays a central role in turning food into energy, repairing DNA damage, regulating metabolism, and supporting cellular resilience.
The challenge? Research shows that NAD+ levels naturally decline with age, and that decline is associated with reduced cellular energy and slower recovery.
How to Boost NAD+ Naturally Through Lifestyle Choices
The good news is that while aging is inevitable, supporting NAD+ is possible — often through simple lifestyle choices:
1. Move Your Body Regularly
Exercise is one of the most effective ways to support NAD+ production. Physical activity activates enzymes involved in NAD+ synthesis and helps your mitochondria — the energy centers of your cells — work more efficiently.
This doesn’t require intense workouts or long training sessions. Gentle, consistent movement sends the signal your body needs. Walking, light strength training, cycling, pilates, or even short movement breaks throughout the day all count. The key is regularity, not pushing to exhaustion.
Aim for movement most days of the week, choosing activities that feel sustainable and enjoyable. When movement becomes a supportive habit rather than a stressor, it helps preserve NAD+ for energy production, recovery, and long-term cellular health.
2. Eat Foods That Support NAD+ Production
Your body can make NAD+ from certain nutrients, especially vitamin B3 (niacin) and tryptophan.
Foods that support NAD+ pathways include:
- Poultry and fish
- Dairy products
- Mushrooms
- Green peas
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Whole grains and legumes
A balanced, protein-rich diet gives your body the raw materials it needs to keep NAD+ levels steady.
3. Try Gentle Intermittent Fasting
Short, gentle fasting windows — often called time-restricted eating — can give your cells a break from constant digestion and allow internal repair processes to become more active. Research suggests that mild calorie restriction may stimulate enzymes involved in NAD+ recycling, supporting pathways linked to cellular repair and metabolic efficiency.
This doesn’t require skipping meals or pushing through hunger. A simple starting point is extending your overnight fast by a small amount — for example, finishing dinner earlier or delaying breakfast slightly so that you naturally create a 12–14 hour fasting window. For many people, this can be as simple as eating dinner by 7 p.m. and breakfast at 8 or 9 a.m.
During the fasting window, focus on hydration. Water, herbal teas, and black coffee (if tolerated) can help maintain energy without breaking the fast. Once you do eat, prioritize protein, fiber, and nutrient-dense foods to support stable blood sugar and reduce stress on the system.
The goal is consistency, not intensity. Gentle fasting should feel supportive and sustainable, not draining. Over time, these small shifts can help encourage NAD+ recycling and give your body more opportunities for repair — especially when paired with good sleep, movement, and stress management.
4. Consider NAD+ Precursors (and Thoughtful Supplementation)
Because NAD+ itself isn’t easily absorbed, research focuses on precursors — compounds the body converts into NAD+.
The most studied include:
- NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
- NR (nicotinamide riboside)
For some women, especially in their late 30s and 40s, supplementation can be one option to support NAD+ alongside lifestyle habits. If you’re exploring this route, quality, formulation, and transparency matter.
One example is Jovi Glow, a supplement designed to support NAD+ pathways as part of a broader inside-out wellness approach: As with any supplement, it’s best used as support, not a shortcut — and ideally alongside good sleep, movement, and nutrition.
Want to go deeper into the nutrients that support energy, skin, and aging from within? This article covers 5 powerful, research-backed ones every woman should know.
5. Prioritize Sleep (More Than You Think You Need)
NAD+ levels follow your body’s natural circadian rhythms, rising and falling in sync with sleep–wake cycles. When sleep is short, irregular, or frequently interrupted, these rhythms become disrupted, making cellular repair less efficient and increasing demand on NAD+ during the day.
Prioritizing sleep doesn’t just mean spending more time in bed — it means creating consistency. Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each day helps your internal clock regulate NAD+ metabolism more effectively. Morning light exposure, even for 10–15 minutes, helps anchor this rhythm and supports better energy and repair later on.
In the evening, limiting bright screens and stimulating activities gives your body the signal that it’s time to shift into recovery mode. Dimming lights, reducing late-night scrolling, and creating a simple wind-down routine can make a noticeable difference over time. When sleep is protected, NAD+ can do what it’s meant to do: support energy production, repair daily damage, and help your body adapt as it ages.
6. Manage Chronic Stress
Chronic stress doesn’t just affect how you feel — it creates a constant demand for repair inside the body. When stress is ongoing, inflammation rises and certain enzymes become more active, consuming NAD+ at a faster rate. Over time, this can leave fewer resources available for energy production, recovery, and cellular resilience.
The goal isn’t to eliminate stress completely, but to lower the baseline your body operates from. Small, regular practices can help signal safety to your nervous system and reduce unnecessary NAD+ drain. Deep breathing, even for a few minutes, can shift your body out of fight-or-flight mode. Short walks — especially outdoors — support circulation, regulate stress hormones, and encourage mental reset.
Creating boundaries around work and screens also matters more than we often realize. Stepping away from constant notifications, protecting your evenings, and allowing true rest gives your cells space to recover. Over time, these simple habits help preserve NAD+ by reducing the need for constant repair, supporting steadier energy and a greater sense of calm.
7. Reduce Excess Alcohol
When your body metabolizes alcohol, it relies heavily on NAD+, temporarily diverting it away from other essential tasks like energy production, cellular repair, and metabolic balance. Even moderate drinking can shift this balance for hours, leaving fewer resources available for recovery and resilience.
Reducing alcohol intake helps preserve NAD+ so it can support the processes that keep you feeling energized and clear-headed. This doesn’t have to mean eliminating alcohol entirely — simple changes like spacing out drinks, choosing alcohol-free days, or opting for lower-alcohol options can make a meaningful difference over time.
Think of it as giving your cells a break. By easing the metabolic load alcohol creates, you allow NAD+ to stay focused on what it does best: fueling energy, supporting repair, and helping your body adapt more efficiently.
8. Support Your Mitochondria
If you’ve also started noticing changes in your skin — like less firmness or hydration — this guide explains what collagen loss looks like and how to naturally support it.
Mitochondria — your cells’ power plants — rely heavily on NAD+. Exercise, adequate protein, and nutrient-dense foods all support mitochondrial health and efficiency.
9. Use Heat and Cold Exposure in Intervals (If It Feels Right)
Alternating between heat and cold creates a gentle stress–recovery cycle that boosts circulation and lymphatic flow while activating cellular adaptation pathways. These mild stressors can increase the activity of enzymes involved in NAD⁺ recycling and help support healthy NAD⁺ levels.
This doesn’t require a sauna. A simple option is alternating hot and cold shower streams: switch between warm and cool water every 20–30 seconds for 2–3 minutes, repeating the cycle two or three times. You can finish with warm or hot water if that feels more grounding for your body.
The key is moderation. Contrast sessions should leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed, not exhausted. When used gently and consistently, hot–cold intervals may support NAD⁺ metabolism, circulation, and cellular resilience—especially alongside good sleep, regular movement, and nourishing food.
10. Protect Your Skin From Excessive UV Exposure
UV radiation increases the amount of damage your skin cells need to repair. That repair process relies heavily on NAD+, meaning frequent or intense sun exposure can accelerate NAD+ consumption in skin cells and divert it away from other essential functions like energy production and cellular resilience.
In summer especially, timing matters. The sun is strongest when it’s highest in the sky — typically between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. During these hours, UV exposure is more intense and more likely to overwhelm the skin’s natural defense and repair systems. When possible, seek shade, plan outdoor activities earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon, and use physical barriers like hats, sunglasses, and lightweight clothing.
Daily sun protection is one of the simplest ways to reduce unnecessary cellular stress. If you’re using sunscreen, ingredient choice matters just as much as SPF. Look for broad-spectrum protection and avoid formulas with ingredients that raise safety concerns for long-term use, such as certain chemical UV filters that may disrupt hormones or generate oxidative stress when exposed to sunlight.
Many people prefer mineral sunscreens (with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide), which sit on the skin’s surface and reflect UV rays rather than absorbing them. These options are often better tolerated by sensitive skin and are less likely to interfere with cellular processes.
Sun protection isn’t about avoiding sunlight altogether — sunlight plays an important role in circadian rhythm and vitamin D balance. It’s about reducing excess exposure, especially during peak hours, so your body doesn’t have to constantly divert NAD+ toward repairing preventable damage.
Protecting your skin thoughtfully helps preserve NAD+ where it’s needed most — supporting energy, repair, and long-term cellular health.
A Gentle Reminder
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: your body isn’t failing you — it’s communicating with you.
The changes you may be noticing now aren’t a sign that something is wrong. They’re an invitation to listen more closely. To support your body differently than you did in your twenties. To stop pushing through exhaustion and start honoring your energy instead.
Supporting NAD+ is just one small piece of a much bigger picture — a picture that includes rest without guilt, nourishment without restriction, movement that feels good, and choices that come from care rather than fear.
Some days that might look like a long walk and an early night. Other days it might mean asking for help, saying no, or choosing support in forms that didn’t feel necessary before — including gentle, intentional supplementation if that feels aligned for you.
There’s no perfect formula. No checklist to complete. Just a relationship with your body that keeps evolving. You don’t need to chase youth. You don’t need to “fix” yourself.
You are allowed to move through this stage of life supported, informed, and deeply respected — by yourself first and foremost.
And if this chapter asks you to slow down, soften, and care a little more tenderly for yourself, that’s not weakness.
That’s wisdom.
Frequently Asked Questions About NAD+
What does NAD+ do in the body?
NAD+ helps your cells turn food into energy, repair daily damage, and stay resilient as you age. It plays a central role in metabolism, DNA repair, and overall cellular health.
How do I know if my NAD+ levels are low?
Low NAD+ may show up as ongoing fatigue, slower recovery, brain fog, or feeling less energized than you used to — especially in your 30s and 40s. These signs are subtle and often mistaken for “just aging.”
Can NAD+ be boosted naturally?
Yes. Regular exercise, quality sleep, stress management, nutrient-rich foods, and limiting alcohol all help support your body’s natural NAD+ production.
What’s better — NMN or NR?
Both NMN and NR are well-studied NAD+ precursors that your body converts into NAD+. Neither is clearly “better” overall — choosing comes down to personal response, supplement quality, and consistency.
Sources & Further Reading
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Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology – NAD+ metabolism and aging
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41580-020-00313-x - PubMed Central – NAD+ decline and cellular metabolism https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7442590/
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CLNQ – Natural ways to boost NAD+ levels
https://www.clnq.com/blog/10-ways-to-boost-nad-levels-naturally/ -
Restore Hyper Wellness – Lifestyle approaches to NAD+
https://www.restore.com/blog/natural-ways-to-boost-nad