I’m seeing an epidemic of autoimmune diseases in my practice. My patients come to me when doctor after doctor has ignored their symptoms or given up on them.
You see, the problem is that most doctors still don’t understand these diseases.
I’m talking about things like lupus… rheumatoid arthritis… fibromyalgia… chronic fatigue syndrome… inflammatory bowel disease… and multiple sclerosis (MS).
Of course, there are many more. About 80 conditions affecting organs throughout the body are known as autoimmune disorders. They affect around 50 million Americans.
These are all conditions where your immune system becomes overactive. It attacks your own body instead of diseases and foreign invaders. Right now, modern medicine has no cure…
Big Pharma’s drugs try to beat an out-of-control immune system into submission. They also use corticosteroids to try to reduce inflammation. And they have a long list of drugs to treat symptoms but never get to the real cause.
I don’t prescribe these dangerous drugs. They have terrible side effects like nausea, headaches, and weight gain. You could also face an increased risk of cancer and life-threatening infections.
Nature has a better solution. Exciting new research shows that a single molecule may reverse autoimmunity.
It’s called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD).
NAD is completely natural. It’s found in every living cell. It helps transfer the energy from the foods we eat to the mitochondria. There it gets converted to cellular energy.1
NAD is vital for every process in the human body. It affects metabolism, hormone regulation, and immune system function. It also helps with DNA repair.
Harvard researchers found that NAD can fine-tune an overactive immune system.2 The Harvard team tested NAD in mice with an autoimmune condition similar to MS. It causes nerve pain, muscle weakness, and sore, achy joints.
The mice that received NAD had a huge
shift in their autoimmune response. Their immune cells stopped attacking their nerves. Instead, they started protecting the nerves. In other words, NAD re-set the balance in their immune systems. But it did even more…The NAD repaired and healed nerves damaged by the disease. That’s unheard of in autoimmune conditions.
Other studies show that NAD eases and even reverses joint and muscle pain recurrence. It relieves other chronic conditions that affect nerve and brain cells.3 It also turns inflammatory immune cells off and on.4
This single molecule offers incredible hope for an end to the pain and heartache of autoimmune conditions.
I’ve been recommending NAD to my patients for years.
Long before it was proven to help autoimmune diseases, NAD was known for its anti-aging benefits. It is required to “turn off” genes that accelerate aging processes.
You have plenty of NAD when you’re young. But as you age, levels drop. As NAD levels decline, mitochondria function is impaired. And you start to see many of the physical signs of aging. Studies link decreases in NAD levels to:
➤ Brain degeneration
➤ Inflammation of blood vessels
➤ Fatty liver
➤ Increased belly fat
➤ Insulin resistance
➤ Fatigue and loss of muscle strength
Boost niacin levels naturally
Your body produces NAD from vitamin B3 (niacin). Vitamin B3 is active in more than 50 metabolic functions in your body. It aids digestion and helps eliminate toxins. It acts as a powerful antioxidant. It assists in producing sex hormones. And it is vital to energize and maintain healthy cells of all kinds.
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- Boost levels with food. Your best sources are grass-fed beef, organ meats, pastured eggs, chicken and turkey, and wild-caught salmon and tuna. You can also get niacin from peanuts, beets, leafy greens, nuts, peas, and beans.
- Supplement for better results. For the anti-aging and autoimmune benefits, you’ll have to supplement. Look for a supplement containing niacin, niacinamide, or nicotinamide. I recommend getting 750 to 2,000 mg a day.
- Build up slowly to tolerate the flush. When you start taking B3, you may get a reaction known as the “niacin flush.” It feels like a burning and prickly sensation over the face, neck, and chest. It’s harmless and usually lasts less than 20 minutes. The reaction wears off as you continue to use B3, so be patient. It may take a few weeks, but you’ll build a tolerance. Start with 250 mg every other day and slowly work up to a daily dose. Increase the amount gradually every month until you reach your target.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
References:
1. Gariani K, Menzies KJ, Ryu D, et al. “Eliciting the mitochondrial unfolded protein response via NAD repletion reverses fatty liver disease.” Hepatology. 2016;63(4):1190-204.
2. Tullius SG, Biefer HRC, Li S, et al. NAD protects against EAE by regulating CD4 T-cell differentiation. Nature Communications. 2014;5:5101. doi:10.1038/ncomms6101.
3. Martin A, Tegla CA, Cudrici CD, et al. “Role of SIRT1 in autoimmune demyelination and neurodegeneration.” Immunol Res. 2015 Mar;61(3):187-97.
4. Van Gool F, Gallí M, Gueydan C, et al. “Intracellular NAD levels regulate tumor necrosis factor protein synthesis in a sirtuin-dependent manner.” Nat Med. 2009 Feb;15(2):206-10.