I was thinking about using pure NAD topically instead of Niacinamide. The problem is NAD has a molecular weight of 663.4 daltons. More than 500 da is usually considered too big to be absorbed topically. Niacinamide is only 122 da.
The study below looked at the combination of NAD+, quercetin, and enoxolone applied to skin cells in vitro. They note that "no study has investigated the effects of NAD+ applied to skin cells. ... Supplementing the skin with NAD+, also by topical application, is not widely used in industries at present. Our research, investigating the benefits of NAD+ on the skin and enhancing our understanding of its pharmacological effects..." It sounds like they have some hope topical NAD+ could be absorbed.
Cells. 2024 Oct 30;13(21):1799.
Seongsu Kang, Jiwon Park, Zhihong Cheng, Sanghyun Ye, Seung-Hyun Jun, Nae-Gyu Kang
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is indispensable for the regulation of biological metabolism. Previous studies have revealed its role in aging and degenerative diseases, while crucially showing that supplementation with NAD+ or its precursors could ameliorate or reverse the progression of aging. Despite extensive evidence for the role and action of NAD+ in aging, its pharmacological activity on the skin, or even its mechanism, has not been elucidated. In this study, we established a novel approach to effectively utilize NAD+ for skin anti-aging by enhancing the pharmacological efficacy of exogenous NAD+ using a phytochemical complex consisting of quercetin, and enoxolone through inhibition of CD38. Through the comprehensive in vitro experiments based on human fibroblasts, we observed that exogenous NAD+ could exert protective effects against both extrinsic aging induced by ultraviolet light exposure and intrinsic aging. Additionally, we found that its effects were significantly boosted by quercetin and enoxolone. In this in-depth study, we demonstrated that these beneficial effects are mediated by improved sirtuin activation, autophagy, and mitochondrial functionality. Our approach is expected to verify the applicability of the topical application of NAD+ and offer more effective solutions for the unmet needs of patients and consumers who demand more effective anti-aging effects.
Keywords: CD38; anti-aging; enoxolone; nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+); quercetin; topical application.
PMID: 39513906
This is one of many figures in the study:
