Metabolic HealthFat Tissue Sends an NAD+-Responsive Signal That Protects Muscle in Experimental Models
Fat tissue may help protect muscle by sending a protein signal throughout the body. Researchers identified Serpina3n as a messenger that helps explain how raising NAD+, a molecule involved in cellular energy processes, protects against muscle wasting in experimental models. Increasing NAD+ in fat tissue boosted production and release of Serpina3n. In muscle, this protein helped preserve an enzyme needed to support energy production and the building of new proteins. The researchers reported protection in models involving aging, inactivity, and cancer-related muscle loss. These findings suggest a possible treatment target, but they do not establish that NAD+ supplements prevent muscle loss in humans. This summary relies on the abstract alone, which does not specify species, sample sizes, doses, or treatment duration. Three authors disclosed a related provisional patent.
