What did @dontcallmeearl actually say?
The creator filmed themselves injecting what they described as 30 units of NAD+ into their shoulder, then documented the aftermath in real time. They described racing heart, flushing, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness, calling it a "fun sensation" and joking, "leave it a pass or I'll die." They finished by saying they "highly recommend NAD even with a little post-injection roller coaster."
To be clear about what was actually claimed: that these side effects are expected, temporary, and worth it for benefits like cell regeneration, better mood, and more energy. The video functions as an informal endorsement of self-administered intramuscular NAD+ injections, side effects included.
Does the science back this up?
The side effects described are real and well-documented. The recommendation to push through them without medical supervision is where things get shakier.
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme involved in cellular energy metabolism and DNA repair. It has genuine research interest, particularly around aging and metabolic function. Rajman et al. (2018, Cell Metabolism) reviewed preclinical and early human data showing NAD+ precursor supplementation can raise tissue NAD+ levels and influence metabolic pathways in aged animals. Human trial data is more limited.
The flushing, tachycardia, and dyspnea described in the video are consistent with what clinicians call "NAD+ infusion reactions." These are more commonly documented with intravenous NAD+, where rate of infusion directly correlates with symptom severity. Braidy et al. (2019, Antioxidants and Redox Signaling) noted that systemic NAD+ administration causes these vasodilatory and autonomic responses. With intramuscular injection, the bolus enters circulation more slowly, but the symptoms can still occur.
What science does not support: the claim that these symptoms are simply a "small price to pay." Tachycardia and shortness of breath following injection warrant clinical assessment, not just waiting it out while filming.
What did they get wrong (or right)?
Credit where it is due: the creator did not claim NAD+ cures anything specific, and they accurately described what the acute reaction actually feels like. The symptoms they listed match clinical reports. That transparency matters.
What they got wrong is the framing. Describing symptomatic tachycardia and dyspnea as "fun" and "a small price to pay" minimizes what are legitimate physiological warning signals. Someone watching this who has an undiagnosed arrhythmia, hypertension, or autonomic dysfunction could have a genuinely dangerous reaction and assume it is normal because this video told them so.
The claim that "cells will regenerate" is also doing a lot of work without evidence. NAD+ precursors have shown some effects on cellular repair pathways in animal models, but the leap to meaningful human tissue regeneration from an intramuscular injection is not established in controlled trials. Lautrup et al. (2019, Cell Metabolism) reviewed the mechanistic basis but noted clinical translation remains early-stage.
Self-injection outside a clinical setting also removes access to monitoring equipment, trained staff, and emergency response if the reaction escalates.
What should you actually know?
If you are considering NAD+ therapy, the side effect profile the creator described is real, and it does typically resolve. That part is accurate. But several things this video glosses over matter significantly.
- The "30 units" dose mentioned has no context. Syringe unit markings depend entirely on the concentration of the solution. Without knowing the mg/mL concentration, "30 units" means nothing clinically.
- Intramuscular NAD+ is not FDA-approved as a therapeutic. It is used off-label, often through compounding pharmacies, and the evidence base for specific outcomes is still thin in humans.
- The symptoms described, racing heart, flushing, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, overlap with anaphylaxis precursors and cardiac events. A clinician should be the one deciding whether your reaction is expected or a signal to stop.
- NAD+ research is genuinely interesting. That does not mean self-administration based on a TikTok is a reasonable protocol.
If you want to explore NAD+ therapy, do it through a supervised telehealth or in-person clinical provider who can review your cardiac history, monitor your response, and adjust accordingly.