​Supplementation with the NAD+ precursor NMN or NR is expected to significantly reduce the risk of keratinocyte carcinoma.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a hot topic of research by scientists at home and abroad. Most scientists believe that the level of NAD+ is closely related to age-related chronic diseases, such as cancer, obesity, hypertension and diabetes.

Keratinocyte carcinoma (KC) is the most common malignancy in fair-skinned people, mainly including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). In J DRUGS DERMATOL, US scientists published a paper on reducing the risk of keratinocyte carcinoma by supplementing NAD precursors NMN and NR.

The authors suggest that nicotinamide (NAM) as a precursor of NAD+ has been demonstrated by Choy B and other scientists to reduce the incidence of keratinocyte carcinoma. However, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and nicotinamide nucleoside (NR), both precursors of NAD+ synthesis, may be a more effective supplement to reduce the incidence of keratinocyte carcinoma.

Oral administration of NMN and NR can effectively increase the level of NAD+

In 2018, Sinclair DA and other scientists demonstrated that oral NMN and NR treatment increased blood and liver NAD+ levels in humans and mice, respectively, compared with NAM, which resulted in more efficient NAD+ synthesis by NMN and NR.

NMN and NR are safe and well tolerated

NMN and NR supplements have been widely used in humans and animals without any reported toxicity or serious side effects to date. A clinical study in 25 prediabetic postmenopausal women with oral NMN supplements at a dose of 250 mg/day found that NMN increased muscle insulin sensitivity without causing any adverse events. The second clinical study focused on the effects of NMN supplementation on aerobic capacity in runners, and 36 participants received 300 mg/day (n=12), 600 mg/day (n=12), or 1200 mg/day (n=12) of NMN; none reported any side effects or adverse events. Although neither ingredient has been approved by the FDA for use in dietary supplements, NMN and NR supplements are readily available online and have been taken by many consumers in doses ranging from 500 mg to 1000 mg/day with no adverse events identified.NMN and NR supplements have been widely used in humans and animals without any reported toxicity or serious side effects to date. A clinical study in 25 prediabetic postmenopausal women with oral NMN supplements at a dose of 250 mg/day found that NMN increased muscle insulin sensitivity without causing any adverse events. The second clinical study focused on the effects of NMN supplementation on aerobic capacity in runners, and 36 participants received 300 mg/day (n=12), 600 mg/day (n=12), or 1200 mg/day (n=12) of NMN; none reported any side effects or adverse events. Although neither ingredient has been approved by the FDA for use in dietary supplements, NMN and NR supplements are readily available online and have been taken by many consumers in doses ranging from 500 mg to 1000 mg/day with no adverse events identified.

Compared with NAM, oral NMN and NR are more effective in increasing NAD+ levels and are safer and better tolerated, which are potential therapeutic strategies for dermatologists to reduce the risk of keratinocyte carcinoma. However, the real application of NMN and NR in clinical treatment still needs to be verified by a large number of clinical research data.