How do NAD+ Patches Work?

NAD+ is an important coenzyme that is present in all living cells and participates in the most important reactions of cellular metabolism (1). A decrease in the level of NAD+ is associated with the acceleration of aging processes and, according to some data, may underlie a number of endocrine and neurodegenerative diseases (2). Supplementation with NAD+ allows you to replenish the intracellular reserves of this enzyme. In this article, we will discuss the use of NAD+ transdermal patches, which are considered the optimal form of NAD+ supplements. In particular, we will highlight the rules for their use, describing the benefits and disadvantages.

How do transdermal patches work?

Transdermal patches are a modern form of drug delivery, which not only provides the convenience of use but above all increases the effectiveness and safety of treatment. Longevity Collection NAD+ patches are designed for controlled delivery of a drug substance into the systemic circulation by passive diffusion through intact skin and are convenient in daily use and have little or no side effects. Each patch consists of several layers. The first layer - the drug reservoir matrix or membrane - is responsible for drug release control. The second layer is an outer adhesive layer, allowing sticking to the skin. The third and the outermost layer is a protective layer of the adhesive surface, which is removed before the application of the patch to the skin (3).

NAD+ from the matrix layer of the patch penetrates the skin through the process of iontophoresis. Iontophoresis is the process of transdermal, non-invasive, drug delivery by means of a tension gradient on the skin surface. Iontophoresis has been known and used for many years and is still one of the most effective methods of non-invasive drug administration.

NAD+ Patch Benefits

Transdermal drug delivery has a number of benefits, including:

·       increased bioavailability of NAD+ due to the elimination of losses associated with the first-pass effect (hepatic metabolism),

·       elimination of potential decomposition of the drug substance in the digestive tract,

·       reducing the risk of adverse reactions, painlessness, and convenience,

·       the ability to change the dose by varying the area of ​​the patch and the duration of use,

·       constant plasma levels of NAD+ as with intravenous injections,

·       the possibility of stopping treatment at any time,

·       elimination of interaction of the drug with food and other orally administered drugs,

·       easy for self-administration.

For patients with chronic diseases requiring constant repeated oral administration of drugs, suffering from dysphagia, and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the transdermal route of administration is the most optimal.

The lifespan of a single NAD+ patch is 7 hours. As long as you wear the patch, there is a constant level of NAD+ delivery to your blood. After this time, there is still some NAD+ in the patch, but it is no longer released at a constant rate, so you should change the patch. Longevity Collection patches are very durable because they are resistant to water and sweat. As a result, NAD+ is released at a constant rate and is effectively delivered right to the tissues (4).

Transdermal patches vs Intravenous injection

Intravenous injection is an effective method of NAD+ supplementation due to its high bioavailability (this means that the entire dose of the drug enters the bloodstream and there is no loss of the drug associated with its metabolism during the passage of the digestive tract). Average doses of NAD+ supplements, which patients receive for 1 injection, range from 500 to 2000 mg. According to medical professionals who perform intravenous injections and observe patients, receiving NAD+ supplements intravenously, most of them tolerate injections well and notice a pronounced effect - a surge of energy, increased efficiency, improved sleep quality, and increased mood - after just 2-3 procedures. This high efficiency is largely due to the quality of the drug, the proper selection of the optimal dose, taking into account the individuality of each patient, and high bioavailability when administered intravenously.

The NAD+ delivery using transdermal patches by means of iontophoresis allows you to preserve all the advantages of intravenous administration, namely, high bioavailability. Additionally, transdermal patches have a number of advantages over intravenous injections:

·       Non-invasiveness. The use of NAD+ patches is associated with greater comfort and is much better tolerated by the majority of patients. Unlike intravenous administration, no injection is required, which means that there is no pain at all! 

·       Safety. With intravenous administration, there is always a risk of infection or damage to the vessel with the development of local complications, which is excluded when using transdermal NAD+ patches.

·       Simplicity. No special skills or medical staff assistance are required. Anyone can use the patch, because it is very simple (more on this below).

How to apply NAD+ patches?

Each pack of Longevity Collection NAD+ patches contains 6 individually wrapped patches with instruction manual for the application. There are several simple rules when using NAD+ patches:

·       Patches should be applied daily to an area of skin without hair (e.g. shoulder or hip). We recommend using inner upper arm area.

·       Wash the skin area using clean water. Do not use soaps, lotions, oils, alcohol, or other products. they can irritate the skin or change its properties. Right before the application of the patch, clean the skin using alcohol prep pad from patch packet. The skin must be completely dry before application.

·       Get vial of NAD+ and a single patch out of the packet. Saturate the pad with NAD+ following simple instructions manual enclosed.

·       A new NAD+ patch should always be applied to a different area of the skin

What dosage to choose?

There are patches with different dosages of NAD+ supplements: 500 mg, 1000 mg, and 2000 mg. We recommend 1000 mg patches for most of the patients since it's the most cost-effective option which allows you to quickly boost your NAD+ levels and achieve the desired effects - improving performance and stress resistance, decreasing anxiety and improving the quality of sleep, and many other NAD+ Patch Benefits.

Keywords used: NAD+ Patch Benefits, NAD+ patches, NAD+ supplements

References:

1.     Belenky, P., Bogan, K. L., & Brenner, C. (2007). NAD+ metabolism in health and disease. Trends in biochemical sciences, 32(1), 12-19.

2.     Imai, S. I., & Guarente, L. (2014). NAD+ and sirtuins in aging and disease. Trends in cell biology, 24(8), 464-471.

3.     Ghulaxe, C., & Verma, R. (2015). A review on transdermal drug delivery system. The Pharma Innovation, 4(1, Part A), 37.

4.     Al Hanbali, O. A., Khan, H. M. S., Sarfraz, M., Arafat, M., Ijaz, S., & Hameed, A. (2019). Transdermal patches: Design and current approaches to painless drug delivery. Acta Pharmaceutica, 69(2), 197-215.