IV NAD and Cancer: What the Research Shows

AWAREmed’s approach to cancer care: Supportive and adjunctive care alongside conventional medical treatment.

What Is NAD?

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is an important molecule in the human body, involved in producing the energy needed for all life activities. The food we eat is broken down through a series of biochemical steps, and NAD helps carry hydrogen through that process. Inside the mitochondria of the cell, this hydrogen combines with oxygen to produce energy and water. The energy, in the form of a molecule called ATP, drives the processes of life in the body.

For healthy individuals, NAD matters. Having enough of it is part of normal energy production, and NAD levels are known to decline with age. Researchers are studying how NAD relates to energy, mood, aging and overall health, but much of this research is still at an early stage. A severe shortage of niacin, the vitamin the body uses to make NAD, causes a deficiency disease called pellagra, which includes fatigue among its symptoms.

NAD, Niacin and Cancer

The relationship between NAD and cancer is complex. The body makes NAD from forms of vitamin B3, including niacin, which come from good nutrition. NAD is used in the citric acid (Krebs) cycle and in many other processes, including the repair of DNA.

Because NAD is involved in DNA repair, researchers have studied whether low niacin or NAD levels might leave cells more vulnerable to the kind of damage that can lead to cancer. At the same time, cancer cells also use NAD to grow, and some experimental cancer drugs work by lowering NAD inside tumor cells. This means it is not yet known whether raising NAD levels is helpful, neutral or potentially unhelpful for a person who has cancer.

Many cancer cells rely heavily on fermentation (glycolysis) for energy and produce more lactic acid than normal cells. This is an active area of research, but it does not mean that NAD supplements or IV NAD can correct it.

What Does the Research Show About IV NAD?

IV NAD is given as a slow infusion into a vein, and it is offered in many wellness clinics for energy and general well-being. There are no well-designed clinical trials showing that IV NAD treats cancer, removes toxins from cells, or makes chemotherapy or other cancer drugs work better. Claims that IV NAD produces strong, long-lasting effects through receptors in the brain have not been confirmed in research.

IV NAD can cause side effects during the infusion, such as flushing, nausea, headache and a feeling of tightness in the chest or stomach, which are usually eased by slowing the drip. It may also interact with other treatments, which is one reason to involve your oncologist.

IV Therapy at AWAREmed

AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center offers physician-led IV therapy as part of its wellness services. For people with cancer, any IV therapy is offered only as supportive care, after a review of your medical history and in coordination with your oncologist. It is not a substitute for cancer treatment.

At AWAREmed in Johnson City, Tennessee, Dr. Dalal Akoury, MD, MPH, offers supportive, whole-person care for people living with cancer. This care is meant to work alongside, not replace, the treatment plan from your oncologist, and we coordinate with your cancer care team. Learn more about our integrative oncology support.

Related reading: High-dose IV vitamin C and vitamin K3 in cancer: what the research shows

Questions? Call us at (423) 430-6170 or book a consultation.