This preclinical study investigates the relationship between nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels and sleep dynamics. By providing mice with dietary nicotinamide riboside (NR), researchers observed a decrease in NREMS (non-rapid eye movement sleep) duration by approximately 17% and a hastened reduction in sleep pressure. This suggests that NR supplementation boosts the brain’s redox capacity, leading to decreased sleep requirements and improved cortical functionality during wakefulness.
| WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? The results of the study showed significant changes in sleep were only observed after six weeks of NR in mice, indicating a time-dependent effect of supplementation. The results imply that NR may have the capacity to enhance sleep efficiency. Nevertheless, additional clinical studies are necessary to validate and expand upon these findings. STUDY LINK & SUMMARY: Bushana, P. N., et al. “Chronic Dietary Supplementation with Nicotinamide Riboside Reduces Sleep Need in the Laboratory Mouse.” Sleep Advances (2023), 4, zpad044. OBJECTIVE: To understand how NR influences the body’s need for sleep and its impact on brain activity during sleep, with the aim of uncovering potential ways to enhance alertness and reduce fatigue across sleep cycles in mice. TAKEAWAYS: NR-supplemented mice showed a trend toward increased food intake, but did not gain more weight, suggesting that NR prevented weight gain.NR supplementation improved sleep efficiency, as evidenced by reduced NREMS after six weeks.NR reduced sleep need, sleep pressure accumulation, and enhanced cognitive processes as measured by a decreased cumulative delta energy during spontaneous NREMS, cumulated beta, and gamma energy. |
| (Source: Chromadex) |
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