What Is NAD+

NAD+, short for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is the oxidized form of NADH. It’s main biological function is to carry electrons from one biochemical reaction to another, acting to shuttle energy within a cell and, in certain conditions, to extracellular locations as well. NAD+ also plays roles in enzyme activation/deactivation, posttranslational modification of proteins, and cell-to-cell communication. As an extracellular signaling molecule, NAD+ has been found to be released from neurons in blood vessels, the bladder, the large intestine, and from certain neurons in the brain.