June 2, 2016
A naturally occurring vitamin, nicotinamide riboside (NR), can lower blood sugar levels, reduce fatty liver, and prevent peripheral nerve damage in mouse models of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a new study by researchers at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and the Iowa City VA Health Care System.
The findings provide a scientific rationale for conducting human trials to test the effects of NR on metabolic disorders including prediabetes and T2D, as well as obesity, fatty liver disease, and neuropathies.
NR is a vitamin precursor of NAD+, an important cellular metabolite that is required for cells to convert fuel into energy, but which declines with age. NR is currently attracting a great deal of attention for its potential role in improving metabolic health and promoting healthy aging.