Got 1-methyl nicotinamide? Well, yes, you do, but if you’re aging (and if you’re alive, you are), chances are, you could benefit from having a bit more of it circulating through your system. Why? Because 1-methyl nicotinamide, or 1-MNA, is a naturally occurring compound produced when the body breaks down niacin/vitamin B3 in the diet (think meat, mushrooms, peanuts and more) or supplements. And everything just goes better with MNA, especially the conversion of food into energy which is the main business of B3. What makes 1-MNA especially easy to love? Its solid safety stats; its ability to help naturally restore levels of NAD (aka nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, the “coenzyme” that helps turn that food into energy); and to optimize the complex network of cellular pathways involved in energy generation. What else can 1-MNA do for you? It can help tackle a host of age-related health issues that millions of us vulnerable to, helping to support long-term wellness. All in all, that adds up to some serious anti-aging potential. Here’s what you need to know:

More 1-MNA better 1-MNA

Beyond the built-in stuff that you already have already circulating in the body, studies show that supplementing with 1-MNA can deliver a variety of benefits, helping to tame inflammation and reduce oxidative stress inside the mitochondria where our ATP energy molecules get made. But there’s more. It can help improve exercise tolerance and reduce fatigue in patients suffering from COVID 19. (That suggests to me that it can do good things for the rest of us.) It can also protect the heart. It supports mitochondrial function, making extra 1-MNA a good bet for maintaining energy levels and balance. All signs point to 1-MNA being a valuable ally that can help fight serious age-related problems like obesity, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, liver disease, cancer, and, yes, post-COVID fatigue.

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What about getting more 1-MNA through food? While yes, you’ll find it in certain foods (more on that below), the levels are fairly low compared to what your body makes or with supplementation, so best practice would be to take advantage of all the available sources. And the good news is that studies have shown that 1-MNA is well-tolerated by most people with an impressive safety profile that makes 1-MNA a good long-term bet to help maintain health and vitality, especially to address cardiovascular, inflammatory and metabolic disorders.

But, if my body’s making 1-MNA, why do I need more?

We’ve got one word for you: aging. This won’t be news to you, but aging wears down not only our organs but virtually every corner of our physiology to boot. Case in point: as we age, our ability to produce NAD+ or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide –  that critical coenzyme found in every cell in the body involved in hundreds of metabolic processes – well, not surprisingly, it decreases. This decline starts around age 30 and picks up speed after 40, with NAD+ levels dropping by up to 50% by the time we reach our 60s.

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With lower NAD+ comes slower cell regeneration and more obvious signs of aging. This is where 1-MNA earns its keep, as a promising way to boost and maintain levels of NAD+, while supporting better cellular function overall. It also looks to activate the sirtuin family of proteins that help slow aging by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. In other words, the heavies in chronic disease progression and accelerated aging.

1-MNA helps keep energy up – and rapid-agers at bay.

One reason we’re fighting an uphill battle against declining NAD levels is due to the increased activity of a specific enzyme (NNMT), which breaks down the compound. So why not go to the source and just supplement with NAD? Turns out, going that route is less than ideal. It’s unstable and degrades in the body quickly. But 1-MNA is able to step in and act as a natural regulator, blocking NNMT activity and maintaining NAD levels for optimal health. Why else would you want to block NNMT activity? Because high levels of the stuff are linked to the development of musts-to-avoid like metabolic diseases, weight gain, and certain cancers. 

1-MNA does hearts and vascular health a world of good.

When it comes to cardiovascular bonuses, 1-MNA’s got ‘em. First up, 1-MNA helps reduce inflammation, contributing to that healthier cardiovascular system we’re all after. Next, it supports the health of the vascular ‘endothelium,’ the thin layer of cells that line the blood vessels and play a crucial role in circulation. When the endothelium is functioning as it should, it’s smooth sailing. When it doesn’t, big trouble follows, including major problems like diabetes and liver disease and blood clots.

The good news here is that 1-MNA helps combat blood clot formation by stimulating the production of prostacyclin, a compound that inhibits the dangerous cellular pile-ups that can create vein-blocking, and even life-threatening, clots, reducing the risk for vascular diseases like atherosclerosis.

Have a bowl of 1-MNA.

While 1-MNA is produced in our bodies, primarily in the liver, you can also find it in certain foods that are rich in B3. Dietary sources won’t raise your levels of 1-MNA by all that much, but every little bit helps. For most adults, a safe dose is about 58 mgs per day, most easily obtained using a combination of foods and supplementation. Among the plant and animal food 1-MNA heavy hitters to consider adding to your roster:

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1. Wakame seaweed: 3.2 mg per 100g
2. Green tea leaves: 3.0 mg per 100g
3. Chicken gizzards: 2.4 mg per 100g
4. Celery: 1.6 mg per 100g
5. Chinese black mushrooms: 1.3 mg per 100g
6. Sea urchin: 1.1 mg per 100g
7. Greater sand eel: 1.1 mg per 100g
8. Natto, or fermented soybeans: 1.0 per 100g

Is 1-MNA right for you?

Unlike other NAD boosting supplements, 1-MNA is a safe and effective way to restore NAD levels and combat age related diseases, while in addition, improving vascular health, reducing inflammation, having anti-oxidant and neuroprotective properties and improving athletic recovery. I think of it as a kind of “supplement superhero” with a litany of longevity-supporting effects. In general, 1-MNA should be avoided if you are pregnant or breastfeeding as there is a lack of research to support safety in those populations.

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