Why This Matters to Us
As longevity enthusiasts, we are deeply invested in finding interventions that reduce the effects of ageing and improve health in the later stages of life. Heart disease and heart attacks remain a leading cause of death globally, especially among the elderly. This study highlights how combining two promising compounds, NMN and CoQ10 (in its active form, ubiquinol), can not only offer better heart protection but also improve recovery after life-threatening events like heart attacks. These findings may one day translate into treatments that extend healthy lifespan and improve the quality of life for older individuals. Understanding the role of mitochondrial health and oxidative stress in ageing is key to unlocking long-term vitality.
The Detail
Heart attacks and associated heart problems are especially dangerous in older adults, partly because the ageing heart becomes more vulnerable to damage from stress and a lack of oxygen. One key problem is ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury. Ischemia occurs when blood supply (and thus oxygen) is cut off from a part of the heart, as happens during heart attacks. Reperfusion refers to restoring blood flow, which, while necessary, can cause further damage to heart tissue from oxidative stress, where dangerous molecules like reactive oxygen species (ROS) overwhelm the heart's antioxidant defences. High ROS levels can lead to arrhythmias—irregular heartbeats—which, if left unchecked, may become permanent. To maintain a healthy heartbeat after a heart attack, it’s important to reduce these stress-related molecules while boosting heart-protective factors.
This study, led by Behnaz Mokhtari and her team, examined whether combining NMN and ubiquinol could protect older rats from the harmful effects of IR injury and prevent arrhythmias. The study focused on aged male Wistar rats (22–24 months old), which were subjected to a procedure that mimicked heart attack conditions followed by reperfusion.
Firstly, it’s important to understand why NMN and ubiquinol were chosen. Levels of both NMN and ubiquinol naturally decline as we age, especially after heart attacks. This decline makes the heart more vulnerable by impairing mitochondrial function, which is critical for energy production in heart cells. NMN helps the body produce NAD+, a molecule that fuels energy production, repairs cells, and supports antioxidant defences. Ubiquinol, the active form of CoQ10, helps protect mitochondria by neutralising oxidative stress and reducing harmful ROS levels.
When NMN and ubiquinol were tested separately, they showed only minor benefits. They slightly reduced the number and duration of arrhythmias, but the results were not significant. However, when used together, they profoundly reduced the irregular heartbeats, including severe arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation (VF). In some cases, the worst types of arrhythmias disappeared entirely. Importantly, the combined treatment also improved other aspects of heart performance, such as heart contraction strength and the heart’s ability to pump blood.
The researchers went further to investigate why the combined treatment was so effective. They found that NMN and ubiquinol together dramatically reduced oxidative stress in the heart. Oxidative stress refers to the damage caused by ROS when antioxidant defences are overwhelmed. Both ROS levels and markers of cell stress were lowered significantly. At the same time, the combination therapy increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes (such as superoxide dismutase and catalase) that help neutralise ROS.
Another important finding was the effect on nitric oxide (NO) levels in the heart. NO is crucial for maintaining healthy blood vessels and blood flow, and it plays an essential role in heart function. While neither NMN nor ubiquinol alone improved NO levels much, the combination treatment caused a noticeable increase, likely contributing to the improved function and reduced damage to the heart.
The study’s results were consistent across multiple measures. For example, levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), an enzyme released when heart cells are damaged, were much lower in rats that received combined NMN and ubiquinol treatment. This confirmed that the therapy reduced cell injury caused by IR. Overall, the combined treatment provided a strong protective effect by not only reducing oxidative stress and improving mitochondrial function but also enhancing the heart’s overall resilience during and after reperfusion.
What’s Next?
While this study is promising, it mainly provides preliminary evidence. Firstly, it only tested male rats, raising the question of whether female rats—or humans—would experience similar benefits. Biological differences between sexes might influence how effectively NMN and ubiquinol work together. Future studies must include male and female models to address this gap.
Additionally, more research is needed to explore how these compounds affect the heart after the immediate risk of arrhythmias has passed. Long-term studies investigating heart healing, scarring, and structural damage could clarify whether NMN and ubiquinol support better recovery weeks or months after a heart attack.
It may also be helpful to look more closely at how these two interventions influence the stability of heart cells’ electrical activity. A stable electrical rhythm is key to preventing arrhythmias and ensuring a healthy heartbeat. Further research could also explore optimal dosages and delivery methods for human use.
This combination therapy represents an exciting step forward for both cardiology and longevity science. Protecting heart health during ageing is critical to extending lifespan and avoiding life-limiting complications like heart failure. With more work, the NMN-ubiquinol approach might one day become a valuable tool for protecting the heart and preserving vitality well into old age.