Low Metabolism and NAD+ Deficiency Implicated in Wasting Syndrome

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Health & Fitness, Alternative Health

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 4 December 2025

⏱️ 8 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Muscle wasting in cancer and chronic illness is driven by a breakdown in cellular energy production, not just poor appetite or inflammation
Low levels of NAD+, the molecule that powers your cells' mitochondria, cause muscles to weaken and shrink even when calorie intake is sufficient
Researchers found that restoring NAD+ with niacin (vitamin B3) helps rebuild muscle mass, improve strength, and stabilize energy metabolism — even during chemotherapy
Seed oils high in linoleic acid interfere with how your cells make energy and promote chronic inflammation, while replacing them with stable fats like grass fed butter or ghee supports recovery
Simple strategies such as taking niacinamide, eating nutrient-dense whole foods, reducing stress, and getting regular sunlight help recharge your metabolism and rebuild strength from the inside out

Transcript

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0:00.0	Are you losing strength even though you're eating enough and wondering why your energy keeps slipping day after day?
0:06.0	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go. No reading required.
0:15.0	Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights.
0:19.0	Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom.
0:23.6	I'm Ethan Foster.
0:25.6	Today we're unpacking why wasting syndromes in cancer and chronic illness
0:29.6	often start with a collapse in cellular energy,
0:32.6	how low NAD plus drives that decline,
0:35.6	and what current research says about restoring metabolism
0:39.8	so you can preserve muscle and function.
0:41.8	I'm Alara Skye.
0:43.9	This discussion centers on a simple but powerful shift in perspective.
0:48.2	Kachexia isn't just poor appetite or inflammation, it's a failure of energy production.
0:54.0	When NAD plus falls and mitochondria slow,
0:57.0	you lose the ability to maintain and repair muscle even when food is available. A study in molecular
1:02.4	metabolism reframed the problem. Investigators found that muscles from animals with severe
1:07.9	wasting had sharply reduced NAD Plus and barely functioning mitochondria.
1:13.7	When researchers blocked the signals driving this breakdown, NAD plus rebounded, mitochondrial activity
1:19.8	restarted, and muscle tissue began to recover. Survival improved even though tumors didn't shrink,
1:26.0	showing that restoring energy, not just treating disease, was key.
1:30.5	Inflammation was present, but it wasn't the primary driver once energy systems were restored.
1:36.0	That lens is reinforced by commentary from bioenergy researcher Georgi Dinkoff.
	...

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