Why Peter Attia is Wrong About NAD

Dr. Peter Attia’s name has become synonymous with longevity and health with his podcast and recent book, Outlive. And while he is right about so many things and overall we are aligned, there are a few things we disagree with him on, and for substantial reasons. 

Before we do that, let’s start out with the difference between an MD and a PHD. An MD is specifically authorized to treat and advise a variety of health conditions, though with an area of specialty who practices medicine with a limited focus on research. A PHD is a specialist who researches a particular area or areas of study, mine for example is genetics, disease treatments, and disease prevention. 

Attia’s an MD who reads research, but I’m a researcher who does the research that MD’s read.

A PHD scientific researcher would be more knowledgeable than an MD in research, understanding the research, but MD’s are more equipped to advise treatments on a variety of common diseases. 

So this is where we the rub is with Attia: he speaks as if he is an authority on longevity research when he’s far less knowledgeable than true researchers like Dr. David Sinclair or myself. Attia’s Google Scholar rank (the ranking based on number of scientific publications and citations) is a 19, mine is a 76, and Dr. David Sinclair’s is a 119. I have almost 400% more research credentials than Attia and Sinclair has 600% more than Attia. 

So when Dr. Peter Attia believes that NAD’s effect on lifespan or longevity is essentially nonexistent because he cites a couple of limited and outdated studies, he’s really speaking out of turn. He feels that NAD requires more research, and while this is true (more research is always better), there are so many studies I can cite that confirm our understanding of NAD and its immense effects on the human body that he doesn’t acknowledge. 

If you’re operating on a low level of NAD supply, you are more likely to contribute to the main causes of disease. Cellular senescence, for instance, is a condition where your blood stream becomes toxic with zombie cells. However, if your NAD is optimized, your entire body will be in a healthier state, you’ll have less zombie cells and be more able to fight off the main causes of disease, brought on by things such as cellular senescence, oxidative stress, inflammation, and glycation. 

NAD counteracts all six root causes of aging, also known as the six root causes of disease, because aging is actually just that: a disease. 

While Peter Attia is undeniably a prominent figure in the realm of longevity and health optimization, his views are not without critique. Attia often emphasizes the importance of lifestyle interventions, such as diet, exercise, and sleep, in extending lifespan.

And while we agree that these factors play a crucial role, Attia’s dismissal of NAD’s powerful effects on the entire human system is where his perspective falls short because he’s not seeing the link between NAD and the other key biomarkers of aging, which my team and I get to see everyday, especially when our clients are utilizing our most robust test, the Aging SOS test which allows us to test for 17 biomarkers.

Attia’s viewpoint, while grounded in personal experiences, observations, and some research experience, might sometimes overlook the bigger picture painted by scientific research. For example, we have firsthand experience of having tested 20,000 individuals and having seen the powerful effects of NAD optimization on many of the key biomarkers of aging (of which he would agree that are vital to combating aging). 

Plus, I don’t think he really understands the role of NAD in cellular repair as fully as he should.  NAD acts as a cofactor for various enzymes involved in DNA repair, stress response, and cell signaling pathways crucial for maintaining cognitive function. NAD helps protect neurons from damage and promotes overall body health by scavenging free radicals and reducing inflammation—the leading, underlying cause of all disease. 

And if you happen to be 50+ years old, your NAD levels are likely not optimal unless you’ve been taking our Vitality Boost for quite some time. According to extensive research, the average healthy 50-year-old has already lost 50% of their NAD levels. 

At Jinfiniti, our flagship NAD supplement, the Vitality Boost, is a patent-pending formulation that has been extensively tested in clinical studies by  hundreds of clinics and by thousands of consumers. It allows optimization of NAD in approximately 90% of users, a figure incomparable to any other NAD supplementation on the market. 

Because here’s the big, evidence-backed truth that Attia doesn’t realize: No other molecule comes close to helping your cells function optimally as much as NAD. 

This means that pain, inflammation, fatigue and brain fog all decrease while mental clarity, stamina, recovery, energy, and youthfulness and vitality all increase when NAD is optimized.