Sponsored By: ChromaDex and Balchem 

This Sponsored Satellite Program was originally presented at NUTRITION 2022 LIVE ONLINE.

Age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases can be exacerbated by exposure to various metabolic stresses over time, such as oxidative stress and inflammation. Nutritional interventions may be able to counter these effects and slow or delay functional decline. Preclinical models exist to assess the effect of various bioactive dietary components on cognitive decline. These models have been utilized to demonstrate the critical role of nutritional components such as the coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and the essential nutrient choline in the normal function of neural tissue. Studies in preclinical models have demonstrated that interventions with nutrients such as nicotinamide riboside (NR) and choline can lead to beneficial changes in the brain and nervous system, including increasing NAD concentrations and altering epigenetic modifications in the brain. This research has in turn informed the design and execution of pilot human clinical trials aimed at investigating the effect of these nutrients on neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, with several additional trials underway. These studies suggest that supplementation with nutrients such as NR or Choline may be effective interventions to slow or delay functional declines that are characteristic of neurodegenerative disease.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the basic role NAD and Choline play in neuronal function
• Explain the mechanism of action for how NR and Choline supplementation impact neurodegenerative disease progression
• Describe the latest results from the most recent clinical trials on NR and Choline supplementation for neurogenerative disease