The NAD+ Thief Your Skin Can't Escape: CD38, Zombie Cells, and the Decline

Most people know NAD+ as a supplement trend. But very few understand what's actually happening inside their skin cells when it runs out or what's stealing it in the first place.

By the time you're 45, you've lost half of the molecule that powers virtually every function keeping your skin young. Sadly, it only gets worse from there.

The enzyme your skin uses for DNA repair can wipe out up to 90% of what's left after a single afternoon in the sun. This isn't a slow, graceful decline. It's a collapse happening beneath the surface long before the wrinkles appear.

In this episode, we will nerd out and break down exactly why NAD+ disappears, who the thieves are, and what the science actually says about getting it back. From the sirtuin-PARP-CD38 trifecta to the zombie cell feedback loop that accelerates the drain with age, this is the most complete picture of NAD+ and skin aging we've put together to date.

We also cover the real differences between NMN, NR, and niacin, why the precursor you choose actually matters, and what to stack with it to protect your methylation pathways.

Ready to nerd out in this with us?

Let's dive in!

What's Discussed:

• (4:00) The number that changes how you think about skin aging.
• (6:03) What NAD+ actually does and why "rechargeable battery" undersells it.
• (8:18) The three enzyme families consuming your NAD+ as a substrate.
• (8:23) Sirtuins: the police of your cells and what they cost you.
• (9:42) PARPs: the fire brigade and why one sunburn nearly wipes you out.
• (11:16) CD38: the NAD+ Pac-Man that gets worse with age.
• (15:10) The five-fold decline: what the 2012 tissue study actually found.
• (16:15) CD38 and the zombie cell feedback loop driving the decline.
• (19:39) What the depletion actually looks like in the mirror.
• (28:04) Why NAD+ decline is reversible & supplementation deep dive.
• (28:41) NMN: how it works and what the studies actually show.
• (31:50) NR: the most clinically studied precursor and who it's best for.
• (33:27) Niacin: the $5 option and why most people can't tolerate it.
• (38:14) Why timing your NAD+ to your circadian rhythm matters.
• (38:35) TMG and methylation: what to stack and the two-to-one ratio.

Learn more about NAD from our previous podcasts and videos:

Previous NAD YouTube Videos:

• NAD+, Skincare Science + The Future of Skincare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmwYLywwcsA
• Biohack Your Way to Better Skin - Benefits of NAD Boosting Supplementation for Skincare & Anti-Aging: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIz5MvW7X1M
• Why Your NAD+ Supplement Isn't Helping Your Skin | The Truth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euIj0eLt4Aw
• The Science Behind NAD+, Link Between NAD+ Skin Aging, Importance of Precursors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmsUeQklYY0
• The NAD+ Protocol That Could Reverse Skin Aging (Doctors Won't Tell You) | Dr. Scott Sherr: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJgVSoj_XM

Previous NAD Podcasts:

• NAD 101: Unlocking The Secrets To Youthful Skin: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nad-101-unlocking-the-secrets-to-youthful-skin/id1552026927?i=1000652231123
• The Relationship Between NAD+ and Your Skin, NAD+ Depletion, Bioavailability, Precursors, Sirtuins, and More: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/22-the-relationship-between-nad-and-your-skin/id1552026927?i=1000568088462
• The Science Behind NAD+, the Link Between NAD+ and Skin Aging, and the Importance of Precursors: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-science-behind-nad-the-link-between-nad-and/id1552026927?i=1000615122098
• Ben Azadi: How NAD+ Helps Reverse Aging + Skin Problems Connected to Deeper Health Issues: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ben-azadi-how-nad-helps-reverse-aging-skin-problems/id1552026927?i=1000662495945
• Turn Back the Clock: NAD and Skin Biohacking: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/turn-back-the-clock-nad-and-skin-biohacking/id1552026927?i=1000681105344

Research Studies Mentioned:

• Age-Associated Changes In Oxidative Stress and NAD+ Metabolism In Human Tissue: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0042357
• CD38 Dictates Age-Related NAD Decline and Mitochondrial Dysfunction: https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(16)30225-7
• Senescent cells promote tissue NAD+ decline during ageing via the activation of CD38+ macrophages: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-020-00305-3
• Enhanced SIRT1 Activity Mitigates UVB-Induced Senescence in Dermal Fibroblasts: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39401943/
• Slc12a8 is a nicotinamide mononucleotide transporter: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-018-0009-4
• The efficacy and safety of β-nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation in healthy middle-aged adults: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11357-022-00705-1
• Nicotinamide riboside and nicotinamide mononucleotide facilitate NAD+ synthesis via enterohepatic circulation: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adl5154
• Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD+ in healthy middle-aged and older adults: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03421-7

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• Use code PODCAST10 to get 10% off your first purchase, and if you’re a returning customer use the code PODCAST5 to get 5% off at https://younggoose.com
• Instagram: @young_goose_skincare
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