β-Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Promotes Cell Proliferation and Hair Growth by Reducing Oxidative Stress

Molecules. 2024 Feb 8;29(4):798. doi: 10.3390/molecules29040798.
β-Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Promotes Cell Proliferation and Hair Growth by Reducing Oxidative Stress
Chuntao Xu 1, Jiawei Dai 1, Hongxia Ai 2, Weian Du 3, Hongbing Ji 1 4

β-Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has shown promising effects on intestinal health, and it is extensively applied as an anti-aging and Alzheimer's disease therapeutic, due to its medicinal properties. The effects of NMN on the growth of mouse hair were observed after hair removal. The results indicated that NMN can reverse the state of hair follicle atrophy, hair thinning, and hair sparsity induced by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), compared to that of minoxidil. In addition, the action mechanisms of NMN promoting hair growth in cultured human dermal papilla cells (HDPCs) treated with DHT were investigated in detail. The incubation of HDPCs with DHT led to a decrease in cell viability and the release of inflammatory mediators, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1Beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor Alpha (TNF-α). It was found that NMN can significantly lower the release of inflammatory factors induced by DHT in HDPCs. HDPCs cells are protected from oxidative stress damage by NMN, which inhibits the NF-κB p65 inflammatory signaling pathway. Moreover, the levels of androgen receptor (AR), dickkopf-1 (DKK-1), and β-catenin in the HDPCs were assessed using PCR, indicating that NMN can significantly enhance the expression of VEGF, reduced IL-6 levels and suppress the expression of AR and DKK-1, and notably increase β-catenin expression in DHT-induced HDPCs.

Keywords: androgenetic alopecia; dermal papilla cell; minoxidil; β-Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN).

Long form:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10893548/

You've mentioned niacin a few times recently. I've noticed when I take high doses, and my body turns red and "flushes,' the only skin that doesn't turn red is at my temples where the hairline has receded. It stays pale, as if the blood flow simply doesn't reach it. I found this fascinating and it makes me think part of our treatment methods should be more mechanical, like microneedling or massage. Is niacin the best blood flow supplement available? Or would we potentially need something stronger?

Serge wrote:You've mentioned niacin a few times recently. I've noticed when I take high doses, and my body turns red and "flushes,' the only skin that doesn't turn red is at my temples where the hairline has receded. It stays pale, as if the blood flow simply doesn't reach it. I found this fascinating and it makes me think part of our treatment methods should be more mechanical, like microneedling or massage. Is niacin the best blood flow supplement available? Or would we potentially need something stronger?

Some years ago in 2020, there was this paper, suggesting no hair growth benefits from niacinamide.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31955438/

This is different than flush-niacin, as niacinamide does not promote a flush at all.

Then the following year, there was this:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8536842/

Suggesting hair growth benefits by downregulating DKK-1 using niacinamide.

The paper mentioned in the original post, was using Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, or NMN, which is a derivative of niacin, another form of vitamin B3.

NMN is a crucial precursor to Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+), a coenzyme found in every cell of our bodies.

MMN also does not promote any flushing effect.

I'm probably one of a few people who's interested in anti-aging that has never taking MMN...and there are reasons for that.

It requires some "helper" co-factors and it also competes with another supplement that I already take that will
diminish its effect on melanin (by depleting melanin synthesis).

So to your question. Paleness represents (surprisingly) not necessarily blood flow, but an entirely different set of mechanisms. Generally these involve the liver.

What about NR?

P88 wrote:What about NR?

Nicotinamide riboside (NR) seems to have hair growth benefits in animals, however the link below reveals
some testimonials from human users.

https://raisingnad.com/5-consumers-explain-how-their-hair-benefited-from-b3-vitamin-nicotinamide-riboside-nr/

That said, the price of this stuff is steep. It putitively works by increasing NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) as it is a precursor to NAD+ for cellular energy production.

Would might be cheaper is NMN, however that has some caveats, such as crashing if you run out of co-factors, such as the following resources that can help supply NAD+ as NMN will "steal" it if it's not replenished.

Resveratrol or Pterostilbene or Quercetin.

Then there is Magnesium necessary for NAD+ synthesis

Yet still, these B Vitamins: Riboflavin and pyridoxine, again for furnishing NAD+ biosynthesis pathway.

Yet still, the amino acid Tryptophan, if enough tryptophan rich foods are consumed, then no problem.
However, if the foods consumed for Tryptophan are consumed, that should also take care of the B2 and B6.

Hi CS, can not summarize your point about the use of niacinamide?

I believe it is generally pro-hair, and anti-inflammatory. Not aware what long term use will deplete. I take 200mg a day.

Zaphod wrote:Hi CS, can not summarize your point about the use of niacinamide?

I believe it is generally pro-hair, and anti-inflammatory. Not aware what long term use will deplete. I take 200mg a day.

Standard niacin-amide has the anti-inflammatory effects, however does not add in the NAD like the NMN or NR do.
That said, there's no risk of depletion, so for example, taking NR (Niagen and/or Nicotinamide Riboside) or NMN has to have added "Sirtuins" or to simply stated, NRF2 "activators" to completely avoid the chance of side-effects or crashes.

NRF2 activators, are things like Ecklonia cava, Trans-resveratrol, Quercetin, ect.