Researchers have revealed that anti-aging supplements promoted by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and businessman Brian Johnson may carry an unexpected risk of feeding and boosting cancer cells.
These supplements are known by the names NMN, NR, and NAM, and they are forms of vitamin B3 that are converted inside cells into a vital molecule called NAD+, which is involved in essential processes in the body such as energy production, DNA repair, and protecting cells from damage.
With age, levels of this molecule naturally decline, especially after the age of 40, contributing to chronic inflammation, sleep disorders, metabolic diseases, and prolonged stress, according to Dr. Pooja Gidwani, a specialist in internal medicine and obesity.
Dr. Gidwani points out that the benefits of these supplements are limited to improving energy regulation and exercise tolerance, and are not a miracle cure for aging or a substitute for healthy sleep, a balanced diet, and exercise.
In a new study conducted by Case Western Reserve University, researchers analyzed the effect of NAD+ supplements on pancreatic cancer cells, one of the deadliest cancers, with only 12% of those affected surviving five years after diagnosis.
The results were shocking. Instead of weakening tumors, the supplements energized cancer cells, giving them extra power and making them more resistant and resilient. The supplements also reduced oxidative stress in cancer cells and decreased DNA damage and cell death—in other words, they disrupted the very mechanisms that chemotherapy relies on to kill cancer.
Researchers believe that cancer cells hijack the same energy and repair pathways used by healthy cells. Therefore, any benefit that healthy cells gain from supplements is also gained by cancer cells, turning these supplements from an ally of health into an unintended aid to disease.
Supplement companies primarily target the elderly, who are the group most susceptible to cancer. Even more alarming is that some cancer patients resort to these supplements during chemotherapy to alleviate its side effects, believing they might help, when in fact the result could be quite the opposite, strengthening the very disease they are fighting.
Researchers say the risks of cancer patients taking NAD+ precursors (molecules or chemical compounds that the body converts into the NAD+ enzyme) are "serious and require immediate attention."
Dr. Jordan Winter, the study's lead author, emphasizes that "just because a substance is natural does not mean it is always safe, especially in the complex biology of cancer treatment."
The research team urges doctors to routinely ask their patients about their use of these supplements and warn them of the potential risks, especially during chemotherapy.
In conclusion, while NAD+ supplements may be beneficial for healthy individuals in improving cellular performance, they pose a serious risk to cancer patients and require extreme caution and ongoing medical awareness, especially with the spread of anti-aging supplement culture among the general public influenced by celebrities and social media.
