No evidence for cognitive improvement from oral nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) in dementia
Abstract
Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is advertised as an over-the-counter product or dietary supplement to treat Alzheimer's disease. We performed a 3-month open-label study with oral 10 mg/day NADH with 25 patients with mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer, vascular, and fronto-temporal types in addition to their current cholinomimetic drug medication. In 19 patients who completed the study, we found no evidence for any cognitive effect as defined by established psychometric tests. We conclude that NADH is unlikely to achieve cognitive improvements in an extent reported earlier, and present theoretical arguments against an effectiveness of this compound in dementia disorders.
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An open-label study in 17 AD patients reported that NADH ingestion at a total of 10 mg/day for 8-12 weeks improved cognitive effects.
“an open-label study in 17 AD patients (33–84 years, mean age 67.7) reported that NADH ingestion (twice a day with a total 10 mg/day) for 8–12 weeks improved cognitive effects”
From NAD+ in Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders (2019) · cites this paper as Rainer et al., 2000
A follow-up clinical study with a similar design found no cognitive improvements in AD patients.
“a follow-up clinical study with similar design did not result in any cognitive improvements”
From NAD+ in Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders (2019) · cites this paper as Rainer et al., 2000
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- Authors
- Rainer, M., Kraxberger, E., Haushofer, M., Mucke, H. A. M., & Jellinger, K. A.
- Affiliations
- Donauspital (AT)
- Ludwig Boltzmann für Klinische Neurobiologie (AT)
- Venue
- Journal of Neural Transmission
- Published
- 2000-12-20
- Volume
- 107
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1475-1481
- ISSN
- 0300-9564 (ISSN-L)
- 1435-1463
- OpenAlex
- W2093579804
- Cited by
- 46
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 0.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Journal of Neural Transmission (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neurological Disorders and Treatments
- Keywords
- NAD+, NADH, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive function, dietary supplements, cholinergic drugs, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, psychometric assessment
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Oral, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease, Cholinesterase Inhibitors, Cognition, Dementia, Drug Therapy, Combination, Female, Humans, Language, Male, Memory, Mental Status Schedule, Middle Aged, NAD, Orientation, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychological Tests, Dementia, Vascular, Treatment Failure
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