Title:N1-Methylnicotinamide: Is it Time to Consider it as a Dietary Supplement for
Athletes?
Volume: 28
Issue: 10
Author(s): Hamid Reza Nejabati*, Mahsa Ghaffari-Novin, Nazila Fathi-Maroufi, Yousef Faridvand, Hans-Christer Holmberg, Ola Hansson, Saba Nikanfar and Mohammad Nouri*
Affiliation:
- Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University
of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Reproductive Biology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Keywords:
MNAM, exercise, sports medicine, dietary supplement, myokine, vitamin B3.
Abstract: Exercise is considered to be a “medicine” due to its modulatory roles in metabolic disorders, such as
diabetes and obesity. The intensity and duration of exercise determine the mechanism of energy production by
various tissues of the body, especially by muscles, in which the requirement for adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
increases by as much as 100-fold. Naturally, athletes try to improve their exercise performance by dietary
supplementation with, e.g., vitamins, metabolites, and amino acids. MNAM, as a vitamin B3 metabolite, reduces
serum levels and liver contents of triglycerides and cholesterol, and induces lipolysis. It stimulates gluconeogenesis
and prohibits liver cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis through the expression of sirtuin1 (SIRT1).
It seems that MNAM is not responsible for the actions of NNMT in the adipose tissues as MNAM inhibits the
activity of NNMT in the adipose tissue and acts as an inhibitor of its activity. NNMT-MNAM axis is more
activated in the muscles of individuals undergoing the high-volume-low-intensity exercise and caloric
restriction. Therefore, MNAM could be an important myokine during exercise and fasting where it provides the
required energy for muscles through the induction of lipolysis and gluconeogenesis in the liver and adipose
tissues, respectively. Increased levels of MNAM in exercise and fasting led us to propose that the consumption
of MNAM during training, especially endurance training, could boost exercise capacity and improve performance.
Therefore, in this review, we shed light on the potential of MNAM as a dietary supplement in sports
medicine.