NMN is known for its ability to boost the body's NAD+ levels. NAD+ is essential for cellular energy and repair, making it one of the most important compounds for maintaining health as we age.

One way cancerous tumours spread is by making our immune cells stop working properly. Scientists wanted to test whether giving mice NMN could increase NAD+ in those immune cells and make them active again.

The study

The NMN boosted the effectiveness of the immune cells, and tumour growth stalled.

More striking still, NMN was about as effective at fighting tumours as PD-1 inhibitors, one of the most widely used and successful cancer treatments available.

Researchers were surprised to find NMN worked in a completely different way to PD-1 inhibitors, stimulating a different kind of immune cell. That potentially opens a new pathway to cancer treatment.

What this means for us

This study was conducted in mice, not humans, so it tells us about possibility rather than proven benefit. More research is needed, especially in people.

But it is a promising discovery in longevity science, and worth watching.

Study reference: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13195322/