NAD+ and Addiction Recovery — An Emerging Area of Research

One of the more intriguing emerging applications for NAD+ therapy is its potential role in supporting addiction recovery and reducing cravings — an area that has gained significant clinical interest despite still being in relatively early stages of formal research.

A review published in Antioxidants by researchers at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing at UNSW Sydney examined the question of whether NAD+ may play a role in sobriety and satiety, exploring the biological mechanisms through which NAD+ depletion may contribute to addictive behaviour and how replenishment might support recovery.

The theoretical basis is grounded in neuroscience. Substance use depletes NAD+ levels significantly, impairing mitochondrial function and disrupting the brain’s reward and energy regulation pathways. Restoring NAD+ levels may support the neurochemical environment needed for recovery — reducing withdrawal symptoms, improving mental clarity and supporting the cellular repair processes that chronic substance use damages.

It is important to note that this remains an area of active investigation. The current evidence is largely mechanistic and observational rather than from large randomised controlled trials. However, the biological rationale is sound and clinical interest is growing rapidly.

This is an area we will continue to monitor as the research develops.

Source: Braidy et al., Antioxidants, 2020. UNSW Sydney.
Read the full review here