NAD+ Supplement for Long COVID Fatigue and Brain Fog
- Long COVID continues to disrupt millions of lives, especially through persistent neurological symptoms like fatigue, sleep problems, and brain fog.
- Chao-Yi Wu, PhD, OT, from the Department of Neurology and Edmarie Guzmán-Vélez, PhD, of the Department of Psychiatry at Mass General Brigham, are the lead and senior authors...
- Millions of people worldwide continue to experience lingering symptoms after COVID-19, a condition known as long COVID.
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Nicotinamide Riboside Shows Promise for Long COVID Symptoms
Table of Contents
Long COVID continues to disrupt millions of lives, especially through persistent neurological symptoms like fatigue, sleep problems, and brain fog. Researchers tested whether raising NAD+ levels with high-dose nicotinamide riboside could help restore energy metabolism and ease symptoms. While the randomized trial didn’t show major differences in cognitive scores between treatment and placebo groups, participants who took NR for at least 10 weeks reported improvements in fatigue, sleep, mood, and some executive function tasks. The results highlight both the complexity of long COVID and a promising direction for future therapies focused on cellular energy and inflammation.
Chao-Yi Wu, PhD, OT, from the Department of Neurology and Edmarie Guzmán-Vélez, PhD, of the Department of Psychiatry at Mass General Brigham, are the lead and senior authors of a paper published in eClinicalMedicine: “Effects of Nicotinamide Riboside on NAD+ Levels, Cognition, and Symptom Recovery in Long-COVID: A Randomized Controlled Trial.”
Study Summary
Millions of people worldwide continue to experience lingering symptoms after COVID-19, a condition known as long COVID. These symptoms can affect people of all ages and often include neurological issues such as “brain fog,” which makes thinking and memory challenging. As these problems can considerably disrupt daily life, researchers are working to find effective treatments.
This clinical trial tested whether raising levels of NAD+ — a molecule that helps cells produce energy — through nicotinamide riboside (NR), a form of vitamin B3, could improve health outcomes. Participants took NR supplements for up to 20 weeks, and changes were tracked over time.
Research Question
The NAD+ molecule is present in all human cells and is essential for energy production, immune function and inflammation control. Previous research suggests COVID-19 may interfere with NAD+-related biological processes,possibly contributing to neurological symptoms.
The study aimed to determine if boosting NAD+ through NR supplementation could improve cognitive function and ease common long COVID symptoms.
Methods
A 24-week clinical trial was conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital between August 2021 and September 2023. 58 people with long COVID were enrolled and randomly assigned to one of two groups:
- One group took 2,000 mg of NR every day for 20 weeks.
- The other group took a placebo (a fake pill) for 10 weeks, then switched to NR for the next 10 weeks.
To ensure unbiased results, the study was initially double-blinded - neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was receiving the real supplement.
Results
While the trial didn’t show significant differences in overall cognitive scores between the NR and placebo groups, participants who took NR for at least 10 weeks reported improvements in:
- fatigue
- Sleep quality
- Mood
- Some executive function tasks