NMN A hero or anti-hero in the fight against Covid-19?

More than 5 million individuals have lost their lives to the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide. To combat it, the creation of efficient treatment plans for COVID-19 patients has been crucial. Researchers have worked collectively to plan and swiftly carry out statistically solid investigations of the most potent treatments for this illness.

One such potential treatment strategy generated is NMN with nicotinamide (NAM) feedback loop blockers.

What is Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN)?

All living beings carry in them the bimolecular nutrient- nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), by nature. NMN aids in cellular function optimization, which slows down ageing. It is made of a phosphate group and a ribonucleoside. The fundamental building block of RNA is this molecule. NMN is also a direct precursor of NAD+ and is essential for raising NAD+ levels in the body.

If our body produces it normally why do we still need it in the form of supplements?

The answer could be that of a simple demand-supply heuristic. NAD+ essentially is involved in various repair processes of the cell. As we age, our demand for NAD+ increases exorbitantly, hence leaving us with not enough NAD+ to match up with our repair processes. In this case, our cells can only generate enough NAD= for some repair processes, while other processes shut, leading to cellular damage. We then have only one option, where we can supplement our bodies with NAD+ using precursors like NMN.

How does NMN help in recuperating from covid?

1. Treatment of elderly patients with an NMN mixture led to recuperation in those who were gravely ill and whose oxygen saturation was dropping. This includes a 2-3 day period of fever alleviation.

2. Furthermore, after receiving the NMN combination, the patients' bloodstream levels of white blood cells (lymphocytes) rose and inflammatory indicators reduced.

Reference

Huizenga, Robert, Dramatic Clinical Improvement in Nine Consecutive Acutely Ill Elderly COVID-19 Patients Treated with a Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Cocktail: A Case Series (August 17, 2020).