Obesity is linked to impaired metabolic health of fat cells that increases age-related disorders such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.
A published research demonstrated that therapy with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) boosts gene activity associated with improved fat cell metabolic performance. This work demonstrates for the first time that pretreatment of immature mouse fat cells with NMN increases gene activity for leptin and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), two proteins involved in appetite suppression and metabolic health, respectively. Additionally, NMN therapy decreases gene activity for proteins that lead to tissue scarring called collagens. These findings are encouraging and may pave the way for the use of NMN as a treatment option in obese patients to avoid age-related illnesses.
NMN Boosts NAD+ Metabolic Activity
Numerous studies have shown that obesity results in a decrease in cellular NAD+ levels and that technique that restored NAD+ through precursors such as NMN enhanced metabolic performance. (1) (2) (3)
NMN Increases Healthy Gene Activity.
The research found that by increasing NAD+ levels for 10 days, the metabolism of fat cells was increased by 25%. The NMN therapy boosted the gene activity of SIRT1 and PGC-1 in immature fat cells (genes known to be involved in metabolism), which governs the development of mitochondria, our cells’ powerhouses. NMN also enhanced gene activity for leptin, an “appetite suppressant” hormone. The impact of NMN on leptin gene boosting is dependent on SIRT1 activity, as shown by the SIRT1 deletion. NMN also reduced Col6A3 gene activity, a collagen protein component involved in adipose tissue scarring and inflammation.
These findings show that NMN supplementation enhances metabolism and lowers connective tissue formation in immature mice fat cells via increasing the activation of metabolism-related genes.
NMN-Related Gene Pathways Hint at Supplement’s Cellular Effects
The study’s findings help us understand how raising NAD+ levels enhances metabolism and may help avoid obesity-related disorders as we age. If these findings apply to human fat cell metabolism, they may help explain how NMN may assist obese people to avoid age-related illnesses. We may use these pathway-related facts to better understand metabolism in obesity and NMN’s actions in fat cells.
