NAD and Fertility
Supporting cellular energy, repair, and reproductive health
Understanding NAD
NAD, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a naturally occurring molecule found in every cell of your body.
It plays a central role in:
- Cellular energy production
- DNA repair
- Mitochondrial function
- Cellular resilience and aging
In fertility care, this matters because egg and sperm quality depend heavily on how well cells are able to produce energy and maintain integrity over time.
Why NAD is being explored in fertility care
Fertility is not only about timing or hormones. It is also about the quality and stability of the cells involved.
There is now substantial and growing mechanistic evidence showing that NAD is involved in many of the core processes that support reproductive health:
- Energy production within eggs and sperm
- DNA repair and protection
- Regulation of oxidative stress
- Mitochondrial function
- Early embryo development
In research settings, NAD has been shown to support these systems in ways that are highly relevant to fertility.
What the research tells us,
and what it does not yet tell us
It is important to be clear and transparent about where the science currently stands.
What is well supported:
- NAD plays a central role in cellular energy and repair
- NAD levels decline with age and stress
- Lower NAD levels are associated with reduced cellular efficiency
- Preclinical studies (including animal and cellular models) show improvements in:
- Egg quality
- Embryo development
- Sperm function
What is still emerging:
- Direct evidence showing improved pregnancy or live birth outcomes in humans
- Large-scale clinical trials in fertility patients
- Standardized treatment protocols
In other words:
The biological foundation is strong and compelling,
but direct outcome-based fertility evidence is still developing.
Safety and clinical use
NAD has been used in a range of clinical settings, including intravenous therapy.
Short-term use, particularly when administered in a controlled and supervised setting, appears to be well tolerated for most individuals.
Some patients may experience temporary effects during treatment, such as:
- Warmth or flushing
- Mild nausea
- Chest or abdominal tightness if administered too quickly
These effects are typically minimized by adjusting the rate of administration.
At this time:
- There are no large-scale long-term studies on NAD injection use
- There are no fertility-specific safety trials
Because of this, we use NAD in a measured and conservative way, most often in short, one-month protocols, and only when it is appropriate for your specific case.
How we use NAD at Yinstill
When appropriate, NAD may be offered as part of a short, structured protocol, typically:
1-month duration
This approach allows us to:
- Support cellular function during a meaningful window
- Align with key phases of a fertility plan (natural or IVF)
- Assess response without overextending treatment unnecessarily
NAD is always used:
- Case-by-case
- As an optional addition, not a requirement
- Within the context of a broader, structured care plan
When NAD may be considered
We may discuss NAD in situations where additional cellular support could be helpful, such as:
- Age-related fertility considerations
- Egg quality concerns
- Male factor fertility, including sperm quality or DNA integrity
- High stress or depletion patterns
- Preparation for or support during IVF
A measured, thoughtful approach
At Yinstill, our focus is not on adding more treatments, but on adding the right support, at the right time, for the right reasons.
NAD is one of several tools that may help support:
- Cellular energy
- Repair processes
- Overall resilience
Some patients choose to include it. Others do not.
Both approaches are appropriate.
Moving forward
Fertility care can often feel complex or overwhelming.
Our goal is to bring clarity and structure, and to support your body in a way that is calm, consistent, and grounded.
NAD is one piece of that approach.
If it is relevant for your care, we will walk you through it and help you decide whether it fits into your plan.
References
IV NAD+ and IVF: Preliminary Human Study
Tandulwadkar et al. 2026. Intravenous NAD⁺ as an Adjunct to IVF in Diminished Ovarian Reserve: The first Indian within-Subject (Before-After) Study of Oocyte Yield, Oocyte Competence, and Day-3 Embryo Quality. Preprint; not yet peer reviewed. Study of 112 women.
Study link
Human Oocyte Maturation and Embryo Development
Ramírez-Martín et al. 2025. Nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation improves oocyte developmental competence in different ovarian damage conditions. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Includes laboratory treatment of human eggs.
doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2025.02.006
Zhang et al. 2025. NADH supplementation improves human oocyte maturation and developmental competence of resulting embryos in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycles: a pilot study implicating the CDK2/GAS6 signaling pathway. Frontiers in Endocrinology. Human egg laboratory study.
doi:10.3389/fendo.2025.1627679
Human Ovarian Aging and Follicular Health
Bocca et al. 2026. Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) Deficiency in Follicular Fluid of Patients With Ovarian Ageing. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. Observational study of IVF patients.
doi:10.1111/jcmm.71085
Guo et al. 2022. Effects of nicotinamide on follicular development and the quality of oocytes. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. Human follicular-fluid observations with additional mouse experiments.
doi:10.1186/s12958-022-00938-x
Wang et al. 2021. NAD+ deficiency and mitochondrial dysfunction in granulosa cells of women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Biology of Reproduction. Human ovarian-cell and laboratory research.
doi:10.1093/biolre/ioab078
These studies investigate different NAD-related substances and methods. They do not establish that NAD+ infusions or injections improve pregnancy or live-birth rates.
