Peptide comparison
They often come up together in discussions about cellular energy and ageing, but they do different jobs. NAD+ is a central coenzyme of energy metabolism and of repair enzymes; glutathione is the main antioxidant inside the cell. One does not replace the other.
Compare mechanism, class, receptors and evidence. All compounds are offered with ≥99% purity verified by HPLC and a batch COA.
| NAD+ | Glutathione | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Dinucleotide (coenzyme); not a peptide | Tripeptide (γ-Glu-Cys-Gly) |
| Main function | Electron transfer in energy metabolism | Neutralising reactive oxygen species and detoxification |
| Other functions | Substrate of sirtuins and PARPs (DNA repair) | Recycling other antioxidants, cellular redox state |
| Active form / redox pair | NAD+ / NADH | GSH (reduced) / GSSG (oxidised) |
| Change with age | Levels fall in several tissues in studies | Capacity falls with oxidative stress and age |
| Research limitation | Breaks down outside the cell; precursors (NMN, NR) are also studied | Low oral bioavailability |
NAD+ takes part in hundreds of reactions: it accepts and donates electrons so the cell can extract energy from nutrients. It is also consumed by enzymes such as sirtuins, linked to the regulation of metabolism and ageing, and PARPs, which repair DNA. Various studies describe a fall in NAD+ with age, which has driven research on both NAD+ itself and its precursors.
Glutathione is the first line of antioxidant defence: its thiol group (from cysteine) neutralises reactive oxygen species and helps remove toxic compounds. The ratio between its reduced and oxidised forms is an indicator of the cell's redox state. The two are related (oxidative stress increases NAD+ consumption by repair enzymes), but they act at different points in metabolism.
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No. NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme made of two nucleotides. It is listed in research catalogues alongside peptides because of its relevance to energy metabolism.
NAD+ is an energy metabolism coenzyme and a substrate of sirtuins and repair enzymes; glutathione is an antioxidant tripeptide that protects the cell from oxidative damage.
Because, like most peptides, it is largely broken down in the gut and its oral bioavailability is low.
Purity ≥99% verificada por HPLC and batch COA.
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