NAD+: The Hidden Reason Performance Declines After Age 40

By the time you reach middle age, levels of NAD+ have fallen to half of what they were in your 20s and 30s. Let’s dig into the research on what NAD+ actually is and how this impacts your health and performance.

Evidence-Based

Written by: Jeff Gaudette
Fact checked by: Ben Murray, RDN | Natasha Roshack, AB

You’ve probably noticed it during your last few races.

The younger runners who used to struggle to keep up with you are now pulling ahead in the final miles.

Your recovery takes twice as long as it used to, and that spring in your step feels more like a trudge.

Here’s what most runners don’t realize: research shows that NAD+ levels decline significantly with aging, with a notable drop in the 40-49 years age group.

By the time you reach middle age, levels of NAD+ have fallen to half of what they were in your 20s and 30s.

And while that sounds scary, I am sure you’re asking yourself “what the heck is NAD+ and why does it matter?”

Well, that’s what we’re going to dive deep into in this article. You’ll learn…

  • Get into detail about what NAD+ actually is (without all the science jargon)
  • Show you the research on exactly how this affects your mitochondria, energy production, and recovery ability
  • Explain why some “older” runners seem immune to age-related decline (spoiler: they’re not genetically gifted)
  • Give you the specific protocol that elite masters athletes are using to reverse this cellular aging

What NAD+ Actually Is (Without the Science Jargon)

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is an essential coenzyme. And if you’re not familiar, coenzymes are like “helpers” that aid in various processes in the body.

In the case of NAD+, it helps other enzymes regulate important functions such as your metabolism, longevity, DNA repair, and the immune system.

NAD+ is also needed for cells to respond appropriately to metabolic stress and repair damage, both of which are needed for maintaining proper tissue function and health.

In essence, NAD+ like your cellular engine’s spark plug.

Just as a car needs spark plugs to ignite fuel, your muscles need NAD+ to convert food into the energy that powers your runs.

NAD+ is found in every cell in your body and is essential to the chemistry that keeps you up and running.

But unlike a car’s spark plugs that last for years, your cellular NAD+ is constantly being used up and needs continuous replenishment.

Aging and the decline of NAD+

Studies show that NAD+ levels peak during our early 20s and then begin a steady decline, with most people experiencing a 40-50% drop by age 50 [3].

A large-scale study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology found that the most significant decline in NAD+ levels occur between the ages of 40-49 years old, with about half the decline in NAD+ levels occurring during these years [1].

From this data, we can see that once NAD+ start to decline, it’s not gradual – it’s dramatic.

By age 50, most people’s NAD+ levels are half of what they were at age 20. The decline accelerates from there.

Why This Destroys Your Running Performance

Okay, so we know our NAD+ levels are declining, especially once we hit 40, but why is this important? Specifically, how does it impact running performance?

Research has shown that NAD+ participates in more than 50% of all physiological processes, including mitochondrial biogenesis, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, oxidative stress, DNA damage repair, stem cell rejuvenation, and inflammation [4].

That’s a mouthful of complicated process, so in more simple terms…

When NAD+ drops, your mitochondria, the powerhouses of your muscle cells and a critical component to our aerobic ability, literally can’t produce energy efficiently.

What does this mean specifically?

Reduced ATP Production

Mitochondria produce most of the ATP needed for cellular processes.

If they are inefficient, less ATP is generated, directly limiting the energy available for muscle contraction during prolonged activity.

Lower Stamina and Slower Recovery

Less available energy means your body can’t sustain effort for as long, leading to decreased endurance.

Recovery time also increases because the cells need more time to replenish energy stores.

Increased Lactate Buildup

Inefficient mitochondrial function leads to less lactate being oxidized and processed for energy.

This results in a buildup of lactate, which contributes to early fatigue and diminished exercise performance.

Muscle Weakness and Fatigue

The lack of sufficient energy and increased oxidative stress can lead to muscle weakness and general fatigue.

Decreased Mitochondrial Density

Over time, there is a natural decline in the number of mitochondria, especially in muscle tissue.

This reduction in “powerhouses” means less energy is available for movement, directly impacting strength and endurance.

When it’s all said and done, having less efficient mitochondria is like trying to run a high-performance engine on watered-down fuel.

As NAD+ continues declining:

  • Energy production drops further
  • Recovery time extends dramatically
  • Injury risk increases exponentially
  • Performance gaps widen at an accelerating rate

Studies of masters athletes show [7] performance declines linearly up to age 70, then accelerates dramatically, with the steepest declines observed in endurance events.

Combating NAD+ Decline: Training and Diet

So we now understand what NAD+ is and why it’s so critical to maintaining your performance as you age, especially since levels naturally decline as we age.

The question remains – what can we do about it?

Why Traditional Training Isn’t Enough

Unfortunately, there’s nothing I’ve come across in the literature that suggests there is anything you can do with your training to mitigate the decline of NAD+.

For sedentary people, increasing exercise and incorporating strength training can help stimulate mitochondrial activity, which can stimulate NAD+ production as the body generates energy.

A recent study from the Netherlands found that [8] NAD+ is one of the most depleted metabolites in the muscle of older adults, but routine exercise seemingly prevented the depletion of NAD+.

But, if you’re reading this article then it’s likely you’re already doing quite a bit of running and (hopefully) strength training. Increasing training volume or intensity beyond your normal progression to compensate for declining NAD+ levels is likely to backfire.

Training harder with compromised cellular machinery is like flooring the accelerator in a car with a failing engine. You’ll just burn out faster.

The good news here is that you are already ahead of the game compared to your non-running friends.

Why Diet Alone isn’t enough to maintain & restore NAD+ levels

The next question we always look at are what diet changes can we make to help boost NAD+ levels.

Sadly, the news here isn’t great either.

The human body doesn’t readily absorb NAD+ from food sources. Instead, it synthesizes NAD+ from precursors like niacin (vitamin B3) and nicotinamide riboside (NR) [9].

The problem is that while some foods contain niacin and riboside, the amounts are often minimal, making it difficult to achieve significant increases in NAD+ levels through diet alone.

The other challenge is that the body uses complex pathways to synthesize, utilize, and recycle NAD+. This basically means that even if you could eat large quantities of these precursors, the body can’t efficiently convert these precursors into NAD+ [10].

In short, diet can influence these pathways by providing necessary building blocks, but it’s not a direct solution for restoring NAD+ levels.

So, Is There a Way to Combat NAD+ Decline

Luckily, in recent years there’s been some groundbreaking research and development on supplements that can directly boost NAD+ levels.

In fact, research has shown that supplementing with NAD+ restores NAD+ levels and prevents age-related physical decline. Even better, supplementation has been shown in some studies to lead to direct improvements in endurance performance.

That’s why smart athletes are now targeting this cellular decline directly through NAD+ supplementation.

So, let’s take a brief look at some of the research in-depth…

Prevents age-associated genetic changes

A study in aging subjects demonstrated that supplementing orally with NAD+ prevented age-associated genetic changes and improved energy metabolism, physical activity, and insulin sensitivity [11].

Reduces Inflammation

A 2019 study in men with an average age of 75 showed that supplementing with up to 1g of NAD+ daily for 21 days increased NAD+ levels in skeletal muscle and reduced levels of inflammatory proteins in the body [12].

Enhances aerobic capacity

Recent clinical research shows [13] nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation enhances aerobic capacity in amateur runners in a randomized, double-blind study.

Improves ventilatory threshold

A landmark study found that [14] exercise training combined with NAD+ supplementation improves ventilatory threshold more than training alone, even among healthy young and middle-aged people.

This is just a small sample of the over 17 clinical studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of NAD+ supplementation on aging and performance.

How to Supplement

In terms of dose, clinical trials show doses of 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams daily for 4 to 12 weeks seem to be the most efficacious for athletes.

Research also suggests taking NAD+ at the beginning of your day because circadian research in animals suggests that NAD+ boosting compounds offer better support for metabolic health when taken in the morning.

The major issue with NAD+ supplementation is that it’s not very bioavailable (meaning your body can’t easily absorb and process it, even when you take it directly as a supplement).

That's Why We Created MAS NAD+

Traditionally, supplementing with NAD+ has been a challenge because NAD+ is a large molecule and therefore bioavailability is typically low.

This makes it difficult to absorb and actually be utilized by the body.

Our NAD+ is a groundbreaking formula and delivery system, which drastically increases absorption and effectiveness.

Our NAD+ supplement formula has been shown to be 71% more absorbable and deliver significantly greater increases in NAD+ levels compared to a lot of generic NAD+ supplements you’ll find on Amazon.

so why is MAS nad+ better?

Innovative Delivery

First, quality supplements can use what is called a liposomal delivery matrix.

This is a fancy way to say that special lipids are used when manufacturing the pill that help protect the encapsulated substances and enhance their absorption [13].

Numerous studies have shown that liposome-based delivery significantly enhances the absorption of NAD+.

The manufacturing process for this is more complicated and expensive, which is why you won’t often find it employed in cheaper NAD+ supplements.

Combined with Resveratrol

Second, research shows that NAD+ combined with resveratrol could increase the levels of NAD+ in the heart and muscle by about 1.6 times.

The combination works through a complementary cellular partnership centered around sirtuins – proteins often called “longevity genes.”

While resveratrol activates sirtuins, NAD+ precursors ensure sufficient substrate availability for optimal sirtuin function.

These studies also suggest that the combined use might enhance metabolic health and improve physical performance [14].

These Innovations Mean...

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Increase in absorption

We use a revolutionary liposomal delivery matrix, which are lipids that help protect the encapsulated substances and enhance their absorption.7

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Boost to NAD+ levels

Pure and micronised, ensuring you receive a top-quality product without impurities or cheap fillers
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Improved uptake & utilization

Combining NAD+ with resveratrol increases NAD+ levels in heart and skeletal muscle significantly more than NAD+ alone 8

Athletes Have Spoken. MAS NAD+ is #1

4.7 Average Score

Don’t take our word for it. Data from age trackers like Whoop, Tally and 5-star reviews from athletes say it all. 

Hailey
Hailey
Verified Customer
I was definitely skeptical that this would do anything. Kind of like those miracle pills for hair loss as you get older. But, too my surprise I think it’s actually working. Once I turned 50, keeping my weight down has become a lot harder which is why I figured I’d give this a shot. After a few weeks on MAS NAD+, I’ve noticed what I think is a shift in my metabolism as im getting back to my normal weight even without changing a lot with my diet. Excited to see if this maintains over the next month or 2
Rod
Rod
Verified Customer
I was provided an early sneak peak of this product in early February. About 10 days after starting NAD, I noticed my shoulders and elbows didn’t ache as much. By about 90%. In addition, I had a damaged nerve in my left leg due to a bulging disc that left it weak. the healing process was very slow, healing in small increments. That also felt almost completely healed. Wow. I can start my runs again without thinking about my left leg. I hope these improvements are here to stay.
Alexa
Alexa
Verified Customer
Post-training soreness used to linger longer than I’d like. Since starting MAS NAD+, my recovery times have improved noticeably. I wake up feeling less stiff and more ready for the next workout.
Brian
Brian
Verified Customer
At 55, I noticed my endurance during long runs and cycling sessions wasn’t what it used to be. After incorporating MAS NAD+ into my routine, I experienced a significant boost in stamina. I can now complete my usual routes without the early onset of fatigue. Hoping it continues.

Before & After

Results from Everlab longevity clinic

Before
After
Mark Crusero
Mark Crusero
Verified Customer
One of my running partners introduced me to biological age testing and after getting back my first result, I had a lot to work on. Among other changes, I tried NAD+ and it moved the needle better than anything I tried. Diet changes helped a bit more with my overall lipids and cholesterol but the nad made a huge difference with biological age and metabolic health. I know this is somewhat new stuff but I am a believer.

Timeline for Results

While all the results and benefits you get from NAD+ supplementation won’t be instantaneous, you should feel the difference within a few days.

Research participants typically report initial cognitive and physical improvements within hours to days of starting NAD+ restoration.

Moreover, according to the research, the benefits should compound. Based on clinical reports, you can expect:

  • Days 1-15: Enhanced energy, memory, and cognition
  • Days 15-60: Improved recovery and performance
  • Days 60-180: Significant reduction in biological aging markers

The Bottom Line

Our research and understanding of NAD+, how and why it declines, and the impact it has on our overall aging and performance is still in its infancy and there’s a lot still left to learn and uncover.

But, the initial evidence hints at one of the hidden factors behind age-related performance deterioration.

Luckily, unlike genetic limitations or irreversible wear-and-tear, this is completely addressable.

The runners who understand and target NAD+ decline now will be the ones still dominating their age groups in 10, 15, and 20 years. Your cellular clock is ticking, but you have the power to reset it.

References

Camacho-Pereira, J., et al. “CD38 dictates age-related NAD decline and mitochondrial dysfunction through a SIRT3-dependent mechanism.” Cell Metabolism, vol. 23, no. 6, 2016, pp. 1127-1139.

Fang, E.F., et al. “Mitochondrial dysfunction in cell senescence and aging.” Journal of Clinical Investigation, vol. 132, no. 13, 2022.

Ganse, B., et al. “Linear Decrease in Athletic Performance During the Human Life Span.” Frontiers in Physiology, vol. 9, 2018.

Gomes, A.P., et al. “Declining NAD+ induces a pseudohypoxic state disrupting nuclear-mitochondrial communication during aging.” Cell, vol. 155, no. 7, 2013, pp. 1624-1638.

Janssens, G.E., et al. “Healthy aging and muscle function are positively associated with NAD+ abundance in humans.” Nature Aging, vol. 2, 2022, pp. 254-263.

Liao, B., et al. “Nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation enhances aerobic capacity in amateur runners: a randomized, double-blind study.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, vol. 18, no. 54, 2021.

Strømland, Ø., et al. “Why NAD+ Declines during Aging: It’s Destroyed.” Cell Metabolism, vol. 23, no. 6, 2016, pp. 965-966.

Wang, J., et al. “Association of Human Whole Blood NAD+ Contents With Aging.” Frontiers in Endocrinology, vol. 13, 2022.

Yoshino, M., et al. “Nicotinamide mononucleotide increases muscle insulin sensitivity in prediabetic women.” Science, vol. 372, no. 6547, 2021, pp. 1224-1229.

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