Depression Treatment with IV NAD+

Depression is a common disorder disabling people worldwide and has a profound negative impact on social functioning and health. The World Health Organization predicts depression will be the second leading cause of death by 2030. There are many physical and environmental factors that contribute to depression. Physiological symptoms associated with depression include chronic stress, inflammation within the brain, cognitive impairment, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters.

Depression in the Brain

The hippocampus is a region in the brain known to regulate mood and emotions. Changes in the hippocampus reduce neuronal functioning, which has been observed in depressed subjects. Another study found decreased levels of brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), a protein associated with the growth and maintenance of neurons, within postmortem suicidal victims. Stress and inflammation is known to exacerbate the degeneration of neurons within the brain linked to depression. In fact, 90% of depressive patients exhibit cognitive impairment due to dysregulation of of the brain.

Conventional Treatments for Depression

A combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and/or prescription medication is the typical treatment for depression. In patients who receive both types of therapy, 30 percent fail to achieve remission of depressive symptoms. Most antidepressant medications target neurotransmitters within the brain, including serotonin, acetylcholine, cortisol. and dopamine. Unfortunately, these types of medications are only effective with long term use in 50-70 percent of patients.

Nutrition Therapy for Depression

Nutritional neuroscience is an emerging field that identifies how nutrition is related to human cognition, behavior, and emotion. The most common nutritional deficiencies found in patients with mental disorders are B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, and amino acids. Many clinicians are starting to understand the importance of nutrition when it comes to treating depression, thus adding intravenous nutrition therapy to conventional treatment.

IV NAD+ Therapy

One effective form of nutrition therapy is intravenous nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (IV NAD+), which is a derivative of vitamin B3. NAD+ is used as coenzyme for various cellular functions including energy production, DNA repair, regulating the immune system, and reducing inflammation. Sirtuins are only one of the enzymes that depend on NAD+ in order to be activated.

Functions of Sirtuins

Sirtuins (SIRT) are enzymes found throughout the cell. They function to reduce inflammation, inhibit protein aggregation, and reduce oxidative damage. The different roles and actions sirtuins play help protect the nervous system and brain from deterioration. Decreased levels of sirtuins have been found in subjects with mood disorders.

Research is starting to emerge on the various roles sirtuins play in depression and brain health.

SIRT1 activates MAO-A, an enzyme that metabolizes neurotransmitters in the brain that can mediate anxiety and depressive symptoms.
SIRT1 has been linked to increased expression of BDNF, thus protecting your neurons against damage.
SIRT1 can also promote the growth of new neurons.
SIRT2 can reduce inflammation in microglial cells (the cells surrounding the neurons).
SIRT2 can restore neurogenesis from stress induced damage.
SIRT3 protects neurons from oxidative stress.