NAD+ vs Retinalamin

NAD+ is a coenzyme central to cellular energy metabolism, serving as an electron carrier in glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. It is also a required substrate for sirtuins (SIRT1–7) and PARP enzymes, which regulate DNA repair, gene expression, and mitochondrial biogenesis. NAD+ levels decline measurably with age; IV or subcutaneous delivery aims to restore intracellular pools more directly than oral precursors such as NMN or NR.

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme found in every cell, central to energy production, DNA repair, and sirtuin activation. While not a peptide in the traditional sense, it is widely administered by functional medicine and longevity providers via intravenous infusion or subcutaneous injection. Research interest centres on its role in mitochondrial health, cellular resilience, and neurological function as NAD+ levels decline with age. NAD+ IV therapy: intravenous NAD+ infusion is the administration route that has attracted the most clinical interest, particularly in longevity and functional medicine contexts. IV NAD+ therapy delivers the compound directly into the bloodstream, bypassing digestive absorption — a route considered relevant given that oral NAD+ precursors (NMN, NR) have variable bioavailability. NAD+ IV therapy cost typically ranges from $200–$1,000 per session depending on the clinic, infusion volume, and geographic market; treatment frequency in clinical settings commonly ranges from weekly to monthly maintenance infusions following an initial loading protocol. NAD+ IV therapy clinics operate across major US markets including Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas. For those researching where to find NAD+ IV therapy providers, PeptideBase maintains a directory of verified clinics and telehealth platforms offering NAD+ protocols.

Polypeptide bioregulator from bovine retina; normalizes retinal pigment epithelial and photoreceptor cell function; reduces oxidative damage in retinal tissue

Retinalamin is a polypeptide bioregulator preparation derived from retinal tissue, classified as a Khavinson-class agent investigated for neuroprotective and anti-aging effects in photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells, proposed to support visual function by modulating gene expression and cellular homeostasis in aging retinal tissue. Like other Khavinson bioregulator preparations, retinalamin is proposed to exert tissue-specific regulatory effects through intracellular transport of ultrashort active peptide components via amino acid carrier mechanisms, modulating transcriptional activity in retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptor cells under degenerative or age-related stress conditions. Published research on Khavinson-class ultrashort peptides has characterized intracellular transport mechanisms via POT and LAT carriers and neuroepigenetic regulatory actions in aging neural tissue, providing the class-level mechanistic framework within which retinalamin's retinal effects are proposed. Retinalamin has no FDA approval; it is used as a clinical preparation in Russia and Eastern Europe for degenerative retinal conditions, and its evidence base derives from Russian-origin preclinical and observational studies that have not been independently replicated in Western-indexed clinical literature.