What Age Does NAD+ Decline?

Georgina Glenn, Registered Nurse • June 27th 2025

More and more people are becoming aware of NAD+ and the important effects this incredible molecule has on energy, longevity and health.

NAD+ is an organic molecule found in all living cells and it is a vital part of processes involved in cellular energy and ageing. NAD+ levels naturally decline as you age and boosting your NAD+ can be a great way to improve your energy, focus, recovery and overall well-being.

But at what age does NAD+ decline start and what, if anything, can you do about it?

When Does NAD+ Start to Decline?

Unfortunately, it’s a scientifically established fact that NAD+ levels do start to decline as we age.

It can vary between individuals but in general NAD+ levels by age rise through childhood before peaking in early adulthood and starting to decline.

From infancy through early childhood (0-12 years): NAD+ levels will be naturally high and continue to increase, supporting cellular growth and development.
From adolescence to early adulthood (13-30 years): NAD+ levels continue to increase before reaching their natural lifetime peak in the early 20s. Levels will start to naturally decline from about 25 years.
Middle age (31-59 years): A sharper decline in NAD+ levels begins, with the most pronounced drop occurring between 40-49 years.
Senior age (60 years-plus): A continued gradual decline in NAD+ levels.

In general, the average person will see NAD+ levels decline by 40-50% by age 50, compared to their levels as a young adult. Other factors can also lead to a faster decline in NAD+ levels, including:

Poor sleep
Stress
Inflammation
Alcohol use
Chronic illness

How Lower NAD+ Affects the Body

Because NAD+ plays such an important role in cellular health and energy, depleted levels of the molecule can have a wide range of negative effects.

Some common signs that NAD+ levels may be in decline include:

Fatigue or reduced stamina: There can be many different causes of fatigue but constant tiredness, especially if you continue to feel tired while getting sleep, may be a sign of low NAD+ levels. Studies have also linked NAD+ levels with conditions like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Slower recovery from exercise or stress: NAD+ levels are linked to muscular and skeletal health, including the ability to successfully recover after exercise, illness or injury. Slower than usual recovery could be one of the signs of NAD+ deficiency.

Mental fog or forgetfulness: The brain is a hugely complex machine that requires lots of cellular energy and NAD+ is known to play a major part in brain health. NAD+ depletion could contribute to issues such as ‘brain fog’ and a faulty memory.

Poorer sleep quality: NAD+ is linked to the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle known as the circadian rhythm. Lower levels of NAD+ can lead to disrupted sleep as well as the mitochondrial recharging that takes place during healthy sleep.

Ageing skin and premature ageing: There’s no way to stop ageing in its tracks but there are ways to slow it down and fight the signs of premature ageing. Lines on the skin and other signs including joint pain and impaired memory may be related to depleted or reduced NAD+ levels.

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Can You Restore NAD+ Levels?

If you’re wondering how to restore NAD+ levels, the good news is that you can do so safely and easily in a number of ways. Adopting a healthy lifestyle with age-appropriate exercise, a balanced diet, and a consistent sleep routine can certainly help. A holistic healthy lifestyle will also be beneficial in many other ways, but while it may slow the rate of NAD+ decline as you get older, it won’t stop it entirely or produce a significant boost.

Taking supplements of what are known as NAD+ precursors, such as nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and nicotinamide riboside (NR), can give NAD+ levels a boost, but the most effective way of bolstering your NAD+ levels is through direct NAD+ therapy. This can be delivered orally, usually in the shape of tablets, or via IV NAD+ therapy.

NAD+ injection pens typically involve self-administered subcutaneous injections with an easy-to-use injection pen. As this bypasses the digestive system, the NAD+ enters directly into your bloodstream for a high-impact delivery with the highest rate of absorption.

NAD+ capsules offer slightly less optimal absorption but are specially designed to provide an extremely effective NAD+ boost with no needles required!

Supporting NAD+ Decline with Therapy

NAD + therapy is great for providing a one-off boost to NAD+ levels, but regular use can also help combat and slow the NAD+ decline that comes with age.

Alongside a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, regular NAD+ therapy could help you to:

Enhance mental clarity and stress response

Boost energy and focus

Improve cellular resilience

Support metabolism and healthy ageing

Replenish NAD+ with Advanced Therapy

Noticing signs of slowed recovery or mental fatigue? Do you feel constantly tired or have started to notice the signs of premature ageing? If healthy lifestyle options alone aren’t quite doing the trick, it might be worth considering the potential benefits of NAD+ therapy.

If you’re looking for NAD therapy for ageing UK options, our NAD+ Injection Pen and Liposomal NAD+ capsules offer two great ways to give your NAD+ a boost.