Los Angeles, CA—ChromaDex Corp announced in a press release the initiation of a first-of-its-kind Phase 1 clinical study sponsored by the University of Florida, in collaboration with the National Institute on Aging. The trial will assess the potential of Niagen, ChromaDex’s branded nicotinamide riboside ingredient, to enhance the effects of exercise therapy in older adults with hypertension.

About one-third of U.S. adults have hypertension, the release says, putting them at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Exercise helps manage hypertension and enhance cardiovascular health, but exercise can become challenging due to age-related physiological decline. That’s where Niagen comes in: nicotinamide riboside (NR), a form of vitamin B3, safely increases NAD+ levels in the body. NAD+ is a critical coenzyme for cellular energy production and mitochondrial function, and it declines as we age.
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The randomized, double-blind study will evaluate the impact of NR supplementation combined with exercise in 74 hypertensive adults as measured by changes in arterial stiffness, blood pressure, and walking performance. It was initiated as part of the Chromadex External Research Program, where ChromaDex supplies its NR and placebo at no cost to research institutions worldwide.

Robert Mankowski, Ph.D., Department of Aging and Geriatric Research at the University of Florida and primary investigator, said in the release: “This clinical trial will provide valuable information on the potential of NR supplementation to enhance the benefits of exercise in older populations with hypertension. Published data suggest NR may support cardiovascular health with further study, specifically through improvements in blood pressure and aortic stiffness. However, older hypertensive adults have yet to be explored in a clinical study.”

Matthew Roberts, Chief Scientific Officer at ChromaDex, added: “Through increases in NAD+, NR has the potential to improve cellular energy production, supplying individuals with the energy necessary to maintain a regular exercise routine. We look forward to enhancing our understanding of the use of NR as an adjuvant approach to exercise in promoting improvements in the cardiovascular health of aging adults.”