NAD+ injections and euphoria: what the evidence actually shows

What did @nursedoza actually say?

The claim is that NAD injections and IVs produce a rapid "euphoric feeling" that proves the treatment is working, that this effect is absent from oral NAD supplements, and that long-term weekly injections deliver "monumental" benefits for longevity and function. She also said she has personally injected NAD every week for six years and that she warns clients about the sensation because it is so intense.

The video is promotional in tone. Phrases like "we always want to promote anti-aging" and references to her clinic make clear this is not a neutral educational post. That does not automatically make the claims false, but it is worth noting before treating this as disinterested medical information.

Does the science back this up?

Partially, and the honest answer is: the research is promising but nowhere near as settled as the video implies. NAD+ is a legitimate area of active scientific inquiry, but the leap from lab findings to "monumental" human longevity benefits is a large one that the current evidence does not fully support.

NAD+ levels do decline with age, and preclinical research in animals has shown that restoring NAD+ levels improves metabolic function and extends healthspan in some models (Rajman, Chwalek, and Bhatt, 2018, Cell Metabolism). Human trials exist but are mostly small and short-term. A 2023 randomized controlled trial by Liao et al. in Nature Aging showed that NMN supplementation raised blood NAD+ levels in older adults, but functional outcomes like energy or cognition were modest. IV delivery does produce faster NAD+ uptake than oral routes, which has some pharmacological basis, but "euphoric" effects specifically have not been characterized in published clinical literature in any rigorous way.

What did they get wrong (or right)?

Credit where it is due: the distinction between oral and injectable NAD+ bioavailability is real. Oral NAD+ precursors like NMN and NR are converted through metabolic pathways before raising tissue NAD+ levels, while IV administration bypasses that process. The claim that you would feel a difference is at least plausible pharmacologically.

Where the video goes wrong is in treating the euphoric sensation as proof that the treatment "is actually working." That is not how pharmacology works. Flushing, tingling, and mood shifts during IV infusions can result from rapid osmotic changes, vasodilation, or simply the infusion rate, none of which confirm cellular NAD+ replenishment is occurring. The video also uses personal testimony and client anecdotes as stand-ins for outcome data. Six years of weekly injections is not a clinical study. "Game changer" and "non-negotiable" are marketing phrases, not medical assessments. The claim that NAD injections will make you "feel good when you're 100" has no controlled evidence behind it in humans.

What should you actually know?

NAD+ therapy is an area where the science is genuinely interesting and the clinical evidence is genuinely thin. Those two facts can coexist. If you are considering NAD+ IV or injection therapy, here is what the research actually supports versus what remains speculative.

• NAD+ precursors (NR and NMN) do raise blood NAD+ levels in humans (Elhassan et al., 2019, Cell Reports Medicine).
• IV NAD+ produces faster systemic delivery than oral precursors, but whether that translates to better tissue-level outcomes in humans is not established in large trials.
• The flushing and sensation during infusion is well-documented clinically and is linked to infusion rate, not confirmed therapeutic effect.
• No large randomized controlled trial has demonstrated that regular NAD+ injections extend human lifespan or prevent age-related disease.
• NAD+ therapy carries real costs and real administration risks, including infection risk at injection sites. These were not mentioned in the video.

The video is not dangerous misinformation, but it presents early-stage science as settled fact, which is a meaningful distinction for anyone making a financial or medical decision based on it.