# Impacts of nicotinamide riboside on functional capacity and muscle physiology in older Veterans

> **NIH VA I01** · VA WESTERN NEW YORK HEALTHCARE SYSTEM · 2021 · —

## Abstract

Impacts of nicotinamide riboside on functional capacity and muscle physiology in older veterans
 Frailty is increasingly seen within the aging
population and is driven largely by musculoskeletal declines.
Nearly 9 million veterans are now 65 years of age or older
with impairments in functional capacity, reduction in quality
of life, and an increase in the use of health care services and
associated costs. An estimated 45-50% of those over the age of
85 are frail, which could represent well over 1 million
veterans. Aging, which significantly contributes to frailty, is
highly correlated with reduced levels of nicotinamide
adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), an essential mediator in
mitochondrial function. Restoration of cellular NAD+ levels is
gaining support as a therapeutic strategy to maintain and
even enhance functional capacity during aging. Nicotinamide
riboside (NR) - an NAD+ precursor - enhances physical
activity and mitochondrial health in mice. Furthermore, NR
was recently shown to be safe in human clinical trials for
boosting NAD+, yet the benefits for human physical performance and muscle physiology are
unknown. Therefore, the goal of this project is to establish a double-blind randomized control trial to
assess the impacts of NR on functional capacity, muscle function and structure, and mRNA signaling in
healthy older adults. Towards this goal, this study will investigate healthy older individuals between
the ages of 65-85 who will receive NR or a placebo for a period of 3 months. Participants will be tested
for frailty, gait speed, and muscle strength at each time point. Additionally, muscle biopsies and serum
will be collected to assess changes in muscle fiber histology, mitochondrial biomass and activity, and
mRNA profiles. This project will provide greater insight into NR supplementation as a therapeutic
strategy to stave off frailty and maintain resilience during aging.
HIIT enhances physical performance
and reduces frailty during aging.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10186385
- **Project number:** 1I01RX003396-01A2
- **Recipient organization:** VA WESTERN NEW YORK HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** KENNETH LADD SELDEEN
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10186385

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10186385, Impacts of nicotinamide riboside on functional capacity and muscle physiology in older Veterans (1I01RX003396-01A2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10186385. Licensed CC0.

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