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Can a Vitamin Boost Ease Long COVID brain Fog? New Research Explores NAD+ Levels
Long COVID continues to disrupt millions of lives, especially thru persistent neurological symptoms like fatigue, sleep problems, and brain fog. Researchers tested whether raising NAD+ levels with high-dose nicotinamide riboside could help restore energy metabolism and ease symptoms. While the randomized trial didn’t show major differences in cognitive scores between treatment and placebo groups, participants who took NR for at least 10 weeks reported improvements in fatigue, sleep, mood, and some executive function tasks. The results highlight both the complexity of long COVID and a promising direction for future therapies focused on cellular energy and inflammation.
Chao-Yi Wu, PhD, OT, from the Department of Neurology and Edmarie Guzmán-Vélez, PhD, of the Department of Psychiatry at Mass General Brigham, are the lead and senior authors of a paper published in eClinicalMedicine, “Effects of Nicotinamide Riboside on NAD+ Levels, Cognition, and Symptom Recovery in Long-COVID: A Randomized controlled Trial.”
Q: How would you summarize your study for a lay audience?
Millions of people worldwide continue to experience lingering symptoms after COVID-19, a condition known as long COVID. These symptoms can affect people of all ages and often include neurological issues such as “brain fog,” which makes thinking and memory tough. Because these problems can considerably disrupt daily life, researchers are working to find effective treatments.
Our clinical trial tested whether raising levels of NAD+ – a molecule that helps cells produce energy – through nicotinamide riboside (NR), a form of vitamin B3, could improve health outcomes. Participants took NR supplements for up to 20 weeks,and we tracked changes over time.
Q: What question were you investigating?
The NAD+ molecule is present in all human cells and is essential for energy production,immune function,and DNA repair. We hypothesized that people with long COVID might have lower NAD+ levels, contributing to their symptoms. we wanted to see if boosting NAD+ with NR could help restore cellular energy and alleviate these symptoms.
Q: What did you find?
While we didn’t observe meaningful improvements in overall cognitive test scores, we did find that participants who took NR for at least 10 weeks reported improvements in several key areas. These included reduced fatigue, better sleep quality, improved mood, and some enhancements in executive functions like planning and organization. We also confirmed that NR effectively increased NAD+ levels in participants.
Q: What are the implications of your findings?
Our study suggests that targeting cellular energy metabolism with NR could be a potential therapeutic strategy for managing certain long COVID symptoms. However, it’s vital to note that long COVID is a complex condition with diverse presentations. This means that a one-size-fits-all approach is unlikely to be effective. Further research is needed to identify which subgroups of long COVID patients might benefit most from NR or similar interventions.
Q: What are the next steps in your research?
We are currently exploring biomarkers that could help us predict who will respond to NR treatment. We are also investigating the effects of NR on inflammation and immune function in long COVID patients. Additionally, we plan to conduct larger, more extensive trials to confirm our findings and optimize treatment protocols.
Key Takeaways
- Long COVID continues to affect millions, causing debilitating neurological symptoms.
- Raising NAD+ levels with nicotinamide riboside (NR) may improve fatigue, sleep, and mood in some long COVID patients.
- The study didn’t show significant improvements in overall cognitive scores.
- Long COVID is complex, and personalized treatment approaches are likely necessary.
- further research is needed to identify the best candidates for NR therapy and optimize treatment strategies.
Publication Date: 2025/12/12 04:03:48