IN NAD and Migraine Headaches: A Case Report

Intranasal Administration of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Alleviates Headaches Associated with Migraine Pain: A Case Report

A. THOMPSON1, P. DIBLASIO2,3, G. A. DYESS1, S. L. BROOM1,3, R. F. MESTAYER3.

1 Dept. of Psychol., William Carey Univ., Hattiesburg, MS; 2 Speranza San Clemente, San Clemente, CA; 3 NAD Research, Inc., Springfield, LA

Presented at Mississippi Academy of Sciences Conference, March 2022

Abstract

An 87-year-old woman with a 50-year history of migraines received NAD/Lidocaine at 100 mg/mL, 0.5% per protocol of 0.5 mL, intranasally into each nostril via sphenocatheter. The patient also was prescribed Real NAD+ (150mg/day) sublingual lozenges over a three-month period. 

Follow-up interviews were conducted at one week, six weeks, three months, and one year, with the following results:

The patient tolerated the treatment well, reported no adverse effects, and has not had a single recurring migraine.

Introduction

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) is present in all cells serving a vital role in cell function. Disruption or depletion of NAD+ is associated with aging-associated disease states such as cognitive decline, frailty, and Alzheimer’s. Clinicians around the U.S. affiliated with NAD Research, Inc. have developed administration protocols using NAD+ (known as Brain Restoration Plus NAD+; BR+NAD) for treatment of clinical conditions such as mood disorders, withdrawal symptoms associated with substance use disorders (SUDs), and neurodegenerative diseases. We present a case report of a patient receiving intranasal (IN) BR+NAD for pain associated with migraine headache.

Method

Patient described as an 87-year-old female with no other medical conditions besides hypertension, (controlled on Amlodipine) sought treatment at Speranza San Clemente for a procedure on July 9, 2020. The patient reported >50-year history of migraine headaches without aura including light sensitivity. Her migraines occurred about once monthly, lasting for one to two days each month, during which time she was unable to perform daily activities. The patient received BR+NAD/Lidocaine 100 mg/mL, 0.5% per protocol of 0.5 mL administered into each nostril via a sphenocath. The patient was prescribed Real NAD+®(150 mg/day), to take over a three-month maintenance period. Follow-up interviews were conducted at one week, six weeks, three months, and one year. 

Results

The patient’s migraine improved 50% within one hour from 7-8/10 to 3-4/10 on the pain scale, and completely resolved in two hours. The patient tolerated the procedure well and reported no return of migraine headaches in addition to improved cognitive functioning since the initial procedure. 

Conclusions

  1. The patient tolerated the procedure well and reported no return of migraine headaches in addition to improved cognitive functioning since the initial procedure.  
  2. The mechanism of action of the BR+NAD Intranasal application for migraine headaches is not fully understood, but it appears to have a potential ability to reset the neurological patterns in the brain that contribute to chronic migraines.
  3.  While it is unusual for a patient to see significant improvement in one treatment, several patients report experiencing improved cognition and decreased frequency and severity of migraines with repeated applications, with some finding complete resolution. 
  4. These results suggest that further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to understand more about utilization of NAD+ treatment protocols for migraine headaches, specifically in aging populations.

References

Braidy, N., Berg, J., Clement, J., Khorshidi, F., Poljak, A., Jayasena, T., Grant, R., Sachdev, P. (2019). Role of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and related precursors as therapeutic targets for age-related degenerative diseases: Rationale, biochemistry, pharmacokinetics, and outcomes. Antioxid Redox Signal, 30(2), 251-294. doi: 10.1089/ars.2017.7269

Grant, R.,  Berg, J., Mestayer, R., Braidy, N., Bennett, J.,  Broom, S.L., & Watson, J. (2019). A Pilot Study investigating changes in the human plasma and urine NAD+ metabolome during a 6 hour intravenous Infusion of NAD+. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience11https://doi-org.wmcarey.idm.oclc.org/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00257

Lautrup, S., Sinclair, D. A., Mattson, M. P., & Fang, E. F. (2019). NAD + in brain aging and neurodegenerative disorders. Cell Metabolism30(4), 630–655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.09.001 

Shade, C. (2020). The science behind NMN–a stable, reliable NAD+ activator and anti-aging molecule. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal19(1), 12–14. http://wmcarey.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=rzh&AN=144246168&site=eds-live 

Zhao, Y., Zhang, J., Zheng, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhang, X. J., Wang, H., Du, Y., Guan, J., Wang, X., & Fu, J. (2021). NAD+ improves cognitive function and reduces neuroinflammation by ameliorating mitochondrial damage and decreasing ROS production in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion models through Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway. Journal of Neuroinflammation18(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12974-021-02250-8 

Acknowledgments

  • Thank you to Springfield Wellness Center for providing support for this project. 
  • Thank you to Dr. DiBlasio for providing patient data.
  • Thank you to NAD Research, Inc. for funding this project.
  • Thank you to William Carey University and the QEP program for providing support for this project. 
  • Thank you to Archway Apothecary for supplying BR+NAD.
  • Thank you to Avior Nutritionals for supplying Real NAD+ tablets.