Why does our skin seem to repair itself almost overnight in our twenties, while after forty the same night's sleep is no longer enough? One answer lies in a small molecule with a big influence: NAD+. Longevity science sees it as one of the keys to how fast our cells age – including the cells in our skin. Let's look at what NAD+ is, why we lose it as we get older, and what we can do about it.

What is NAD+

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme found in every living cell of our body. It is neither a vitamin nor a hormone, but a kind of “helper” without which hundreds of enzymatic reactions simply would not work.

The body makes it on its own, from various forms of vitamin B3 (niacin, nicotinamide, nicotinamide riboside) and from the amino acid tryptophan. Most NAD+ is constantly recycled through the so-called “salvage pathway”, whose key enzyme is NAMPT. Remember this enzyme – we will come back to it.

Think of NAD+ as the cell's charger. Without it, the batteries (mitochondria) cannot produce energy and the cell's repair crews have nothing to work with.

How NAD+ works in the body and skin

NAD+ works on several fronts at once:

• Energy. In the mitochondria it helps turn nutrients from food into ATP, the fuel for every cellular activity. Skin with enough energy renews faster and copes better with stress.
• DNA repair. PARP enzymes, which repair damaged DNA (for example after UV exposure), use NAD+ as their fuel.
• Sirtuins, the “longevity genes”. These proteins regulate inflammation, stress resistance and the cell's epigenetics. Without NAD+ they cannot switch on.
• Cell communication and senescence. A lack of NAD+ encourages senescent, so-called “zombie” cells, which no longer divide but keep releasing inflammatory substances that harm their surroundings.

In the skin, sirtuins play a special role. SIRT1 and SIRT6 support genes linked to collagen production and at the same time put the brakes on MMP-1, an enzyme that breaks collagen down. Older skin demonstrably contains less of them (review, PMC).

In practice, this means for your skin: enough NAD+ = more energy for regeneration, better repair of sun damage and better-quality collagen. A shortage shows up as dullness, fine lines, slower healing and “tired”-looking skin.

Does NAD+ decline with age?

Yes. NAD+ levels gradually fall with age throughout the body, and the skin is no exception. A study of human skin samples from newborns to older adults found that NAD+ decreases with age, while markers of oxidative stress and PARP activity rise (About NAD). A frequently cited estimate puts the loss at around half between youth and middle age, although exact figures vary by tissue and measurement method.

Why does this happen? It is not that the body “stops making” NAD+. Rather, it starts using up more of it:

1. The enzyme CD38 multiplies with age. CD38 breaks NAD+ down directly, and its levels in tissues rise as we get older. Research published in Cell Metabolism identified it as the main culprit behind age-related decline (Cell Metabolism).
2. Senescent cells add fuel to the fire. Substances released by “zombie” cells further increase CD38 activity (ScienceDirect). The result is a vicious circle: less NAD+ → more senescence → even less NAD+.
3. Repairing damage costs fuel. UV radiation, pollution, smoking and alcohol damage DNA. PARP enzymes repair it and consume NAD+ in the process. Sun-exposed skin therefore loses NAD+ faster.
4. Recycling slows down. The activity of NAMPT, the enzyme that renews NAD+, weakens with age and chronic inflammation.

We know the result from the mirror: skin has less energy for renewal, repairs itself less well and produces collagen more slowly.

How to slow NAD+ loss

The good news: we can influence our NAD+ levels. The most effective approach is to stop wasting it and to support its natural renewal.

• Exercise. Regular physical activity, especially endurance and strength training, increases the activity of NAMPT in muscles, the enzyme that recycles NAD+.
• Sleep and a regular rhythm. NAD+ production is governed by the body's internal clock. Regular sleep and a steady daily routine matter for it as much as they do for your skin.
• Sun protection. Every sunburn forces PARP enzymes to repair DNA at the expense of your NAD+ reserves. Daily UV protection is therefore also NAD+ protection.
• Diet. You will find vitamin B3 and tryptophan in fish, poultry, legumes, nuts, mushrooms and whole grains. Polyphenols such as resveratrol (grapes, blueberries) and quercetin (onions, apples) are being studied as support for sirtuins and as natural CD38 inhibitors.
• Less inflammation. Smoking, excess alcohol, overeating and chronic stress keep the body in an inflammatory state that activates CD38. Moderate eating and periods without food (such as a longer overnight fast) help instead.
• Supplements. NAD+ precursors such as nicotinamide riboside (NR) or NMN have been shown to raise NAD+ levels in the blood. Whether this slows ageing in humans has not yet been clearly confirmed. Talk to your doctor before you start.

And then there is the skin, our most exposed organ. We can support it from the outside as well.

NAD+ in skincare: the Yage night longevity ritual

NAD+ on its own does not work in cosmetics. The molecule is unstable in formulas and cannot get into skin cells (Premium Beauty News). Modern longevity skincare therefore does not deliver NAD+ to the skin; instead, it helps the skin make its own while dampening whatever destroys it.

This is exactly the principle behind our new night system, Dream. Repair. Renew. Night is the ideal time: the skin switches into regeneration mode and does not have to defend itself against the sun.

Step 1: Longevity Night Serum WAKE UP GORGEOUS

WAKE UP GORGEOUS prepares the skin for the night and targets two NAD+ “thieves”.

• ETERWELL™ YOUTH from Alpine willowherb targets senescent “zombie” cells – precisely the ones that increase CD38 activity.
• ALGAKTIV® GenoFix Nite from microalgae supports overnight regeneration after UV exposure and oxidative stress, which force the skin to use up NAD+ on repairs.
• Trealix™ supports autophagy, the cellular clean-up process that slows down with age.
• EGF and FGF-2 growth factors, hyaluronic acid and SK-INFLUX® ceramides restore cell communication, hydration and the skin barrier.
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Step 2: Longevity Night Cream DREAM CREAM

DREAM CREAM is the heart of the whole ritual, and NAD+ plays the leading role in it.

• RejuveNAD+™ is a Swiss active ingredient made from sunflower sprouts. Rather than supplying NAD+, it activates the NAMPT enzyme and so helps the skin renew its own NAD+ (Premium Beauty News). According to the manufacturer, it raises NAD+, ATP and sirtuin 1 levels in cells and reduces DNA and mitochondrial damage (SpecialChem).
• Resveratrol complements NAD+ as an antioxidant associated with sirtuin activation.
• ETERWELL™ YOUTH, EGF and FGF-2 growth factors and the oat peptide EcoPep™ support firmness, collagen and elastin.
• A gentle retinoid, ceramides, squalane and shea butter restore the barrier and nourish.

Step 3: Longevity Eye Serum LOVE YOUR EYES

The eye area is thin and is the first to show age. LOVE YOUR EYES brings the same longevity logic to it.

• ETERWELL™ YOUTH to care for senescent cells and ALGAKTIV® GenoFix Nite against oxidative stress.
• EGF, FGF-2 and EcoPep™ for firmness and softer fine lines.
• G2LIGHT™ from liquorice brightens dark circles and pigmentation; olive squalane and vitamin E protect the barrier.

How it all fits together: DREAM CREAM helps the skin renew NAD+. WAKE UP GORGEOUS and LOVE YOUR EYES help reduce its unnecessary consumption by calming senescence and cellular stress. Together, they work from both sides.