₩2 Million per Shot for a ‘Rejuvenation Injection’... Does NAD+, the Craze That Rocked Hollywood, Fuel Cancer Cell Growth? [Smart Wellness]

[Financial News] “I’m going to get NAD shots for the rest of my life. I’m never going to get old.”
After a video of top American models Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner chatting while receiving IV drips went viral, interest in the injection they received spread rapidly. The injection, dubbed a “rejuvenation shot,” is an intravenous infusion containing a high dose of NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). Despite costing hundreds of dollars per treatment, it has caught on among Silicon Valley businesspeople and celebrities, and the trend is spreading to the general public as well.
But recently, members of the medical community have questioned its efficacy and safety. They warn that high-dose administration can cause acute, shock-like adverse effects and may also act as a catalyst for the growth of cancer cells lying dormant in the body.

NAD+ is a coenzyme found in living cells and plays a key role in helping cells produce energy and repair damaged genes.
The scientific community has identified NAD+ depletion as one of the causes of aging and disease. David Sinclair, a former Harvard professor, explained, “As we age, NAD production declines, and NAD breakdown also increases,” adding, “This leads to a reduced ability to resist aging and the diseases that result from it.” NAD+ levels in the body decline after age 20 and fall to half or less by the time people reach their 50s.
Marketing has spread the claim that infusing high concentrations of NAD+ can promote cell regeneration and produce “reverse-aging” effects, including relief from fatigue, improved skin elasticity, and better brain function. The number of celebrities—and ordinary people as well—getting NAD+ injections has grown.

NAD+ injections must be administered carefully. Because cells and blood vessels react sharply when a high concentration of NAD+ enters the bloodstream, it must be infused slowly over two to four hours. If the infusion is too fast, it can cause symptoms such as a squeezing pressure in the chest, shortness of breath, nausea, and muscle cramps.
A link to cancer has also been raised. According to the international journal Nature Cell Biology and related research, activating NAD+ metabolism acts as a double-edged sword, promoting the proliferation and spread of not only normal cells but also abnormal tumor cells.
Cancer cells divide faster than normal cells, consuming enormous amounts of energy, and rely on NAD+ in the process. The analysis suggests that infusing high concentrations of NAD+ when undetected cancer lesions or precancerous cells are present could also activate cancer-cell metabolism.
Professor David Sinclair also emphasized the importance of NAD+, but cautioned, “If cancer has already developed in the body, therapies that raise NAD+ levels could accelerate tumor growth, so caution is needed.”
Another limitation is the lack of research data in humans. Much of the anti-aging benefit reported to date comes from animal studies, including studies in mice. Results from large-scale randomized controlled clinical trials establishing that high-dose intravenous administration reverses aging in humans have not been established.

[email protected] Kim Hyun-seon Reporter