A new frontier in health and longevity is rapidly emerging, centred on measuring the fundamental molecule that underpins human energy and cellular repair: NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide). Once confined to academic research, NAD has become the focal point of a fast-growing global market spanning pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, consumer supplements, and next-generation skincare.
As investment surges into the longevity sector, accurate NAD measurement is becoming one of the most sought-after capabilities in modern health science. From drug development and metabolic disease research to personal wellness and anti-ageing innovations, the ability to quantify NAD levels promises to transform how individuals, clinicians, and companies understand cellular health.
Why NAD measurement matters
NAD is essential for energy metabolism, DNA repair, stress resistance, and healthy cell function. Low or imbalanced NAD levels have been linked to chronic fatigue, metabolic disease, neurodegeneration, infertility, and age-related decline.
In beauty and wellness, NAD is increasingly marketed as a “cellular youth” molecule due to its role in repairing DNA damage and supporting healthy skin. In the clinical world, NAD measurement is attracting attention for its potential as a biomarker in complex conditions such as long COVID, mitochondrial dysfunction, chronic fatigue syndrome, neurological diseases and metabolic disorders.
As a result, the NAD economy is accelerating quickly. NAD+ supplements such as NMN and NR, NAD IV infusions, and NAD-boosting skincare products are already forming a multi-billion-euro market. Yet one fundamental issue remains: despite global demand, NAD has historically been almost impossible to measure accurately outside specialist research laboratories.
A breakthrough in testing technology
This gap is now beginning to close. Advances in metabolomics and enzymatic assay technology are making it possible to measure all four forms of NAD (NAD⁺, NADH, NADP⁺, NADPH) from a standard blood sample.
One of the notable innovators in this space is NADMED, a University of Helsinki spin-out that has developed the first CE-marked clinical test capable of accurately and independently measuring each NAD metabolite. The method preserves fragile reduced molecules, avoiding the degradation that has historically limited mass spectrometry and earlier assays.
While NADMED is among the earliest companies to commercialise NAD testing, the wider shift is clear: NAD measurement is moving from research labs into mainstream healthcare, consumer diagnostics and product development.
Jari Närhi, CEO of NADMED, commented, “Accurate NAD measurement opens the door to better clinical decisions, personalised wellness strategies, and more responsible product development. The field is moving from assumptions to measurable biology.”
The potential applications for NAD measurement reach far beyond healthcare, including:
Pharmaceuticals & drug development
The pharmaceutical sector is exploring NAD measurement as a tool for metabolic profiling, patient stratification, early-stage drug evaluation and clinical trials, areas where false negatives are costly. Measuring NAD ratios offers insight into mitochondrial status and redox balance, factors central to drug response and toxicity.
Clinical practice & health ageing medicines
Clinicians are increasingly interested in monitoring NAD levels to better understand chronic fatigue, metabolic dysfunction, neurological disorders and mitochondrial health. In healthy ageing/longevity medicine, NAD assessment is emerging as a biomarker for tailoring supplementation, tracking biological ageing, and supporting personalised treatment plans.
Consumer health & supplement verification
With NAD+ supplements flooding the global market, testing introduces accountability. Consumers and health practitioners can finally determine whether supplementation is necessary or effective, a significant shift in a sector often shaped by trends rather than data.
Beauty & skincare Innovation
As NAD’s role in DNA repair and cellular regeneration becomes better understood, skincare brands are exploring NAD-boosting actives and personalised beauty solutions. Measuring NAD status may soon become part of diagnostic-led skincare and personalised anti-ageing programs.
A global market on the rise
The convergence of metabolomics, longevity science, and personalised health is driving strong demand for biomarkers that reflect real cellular function. NAD, the molecule that fuels life itself, is emerging as one of the most valuable.
What began as an academic niche is now a rapidly expanding commercial landscape, attracting interest from biotech, pharma, investors, clinicians and consumer brands alike.
As Jari Närhi puts it, “The future of health isn’t about taking more; it’s about knowing more. Measuring NAD gives us clearer insight into how we live, age and recover and that knowledge unlocks enormous potential across medicine and wellness.”
