NMN For Eye Health

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is one of those behind-the-scenes molecules that quietly runs the show and when it drops with age, your energy, inflammation levels, and even eye function can feel the impact. We dig into NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), the naturally occurring compound studied for longevity because it helps the body produce NAD+. If you’ve been curious about NMN supplements but want a clearer, grounded explanation, we walk through what it is, why it’s popular, and what the research is actually trying to solve.

We also bring the conversation straight to vision. As a holistic optometrist, I’m always looking for connections between whole-body health and common eye problems that show up later in life, including macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and dry eye. We talk about why the retina is so energy-hungry, how mitochondrial function and inflammation can shape eye health, and why researchers are exploring NAD+ support as a potential lever for retinal resilience. You’ll hear why taking NAD directly by mouth may not be the most effective strategy, and why NMN is often discussed instead.

Then we zoom in on the eye-specific findings that have people paying attention: preclinical evidence suggesting NMN may help reduce retinal inflammation, support mitochondrial performance, clear damaged cells, and even increase tear production. We also discuss what’s been reported around glaucoma, including observations of lower NMN levels and research exploring optic nerve protection and intraocular pressure support. If you care about healthy aging, natural eye care, and smart supplementation, this is a practical starting point for better questions and better choices.

At the Natural Eye Care online store, we carry an NMN supplement called Wonderfeel NMN capsules, available at https://store.naturaleyecare.com/nmn-w.html

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Transcript

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Welcome And Why Eye Health

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This is the Natural Eye Care Podcast, hosted by leading holistic optometrist Dr. Mark R. Grossman. Senior citizens are at the highest risk of developing macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, dry eye, and more. The Natural Eye Care Podcast provides complementary and natural approaches to vision problems, eye health, and overall health. Find out how lifestyle, diet, and nutrition can help maintain healthy vision and even improve eyesight. Dr. Grossman has degrees in optometry, biology, physical education, and learning disabilities. He has co-authored the book Natural Eye Care Your Guide to Healthy Vision and Healing.

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Dr.

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Grossman.

Why I Take NMN Daily

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And today's podcast is on something I take every day that I learned from Dr. David Sinclair at Harvard University Genetics Lab on longevity. And then I found out how good it was not only for longevity, but for your eyes also. And that's NMN. Could NMN be a key to healthy aging? NMN is a naturally occurring compound that helps the body produce NAD plus, a vital substance found in every living cell. However, NAD

NAD Plus Declines With Age

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does not remain steady throughout life. One study in humans found that NAD plus levels may drop by about 50% by the age 50. Uh-oh, I'm 70 now, so I better up my NAD plus. For older adults, this decline may be important. Lower NAD levels have been associated with inflammation, reduced mitochondrial performance, and other changes tied to aging and chronic disease risk. Since NMN helps the body to make NAD, researchers studying whether NMN supplementation may help restore some of its lost cellular support. Early research suggests that NMN may benefit several areas of aging health, including energy metabolism, insulin function, brain and nerve health, cardiovascular support, and eye health. In controlled human trials, oral NMN supplementation significantly increased blood NAD plus levels compared to the placebo, and NMN is a much lower weight cost to produce NAD plus. As you age, NAD plus levels progressively decline across human tissues and have been associated with age-related chronic disorders. So, what is NAD plus? Critical for all cells. It's a key mediator in energy metabolism. Without ample NAD plus, cells cannot properly convert food into usable energy. So why take NMN instead of NAD? Orally consuming NAD is not an effective way to replenish levels. In addition to being poorly absorbed, it cannot readily pass through the cell membrane intact.

Potential Vision Benefits Of NMN

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What are the vision benefits? Studies show that NMN promotes eye health by increasing NAD plus levels, which restores mitochondrial function, reduces retinal inflammation, clears damaged cells, and even increases tear production. These preclinical findings offer potential therapeutic avenues for degenerative conditions like macular degeneration, glaucoma, and dry eye. In maculal degeneration, research suggests that NMA may influence the activity of many genes that affect the retinal pigment epithelial cells. The outer portion of the retina contains the photoreceptors and related structures that begin the process of vision. These cells capture light and help convert it into nerve signals, which then travel through the optic nerve to the visual cortex in the brain. However, photoreceptors cannot do this work alone. They depend on what I said before the retinal pigment epithelium, a layer of highly active support cells that maintain the health and function of the outer retina. And that's right, NMN is helpful for the retinal pigment epithelial. Low serum levels of NMN have been reported in people with glaucoma, and reduced NMN has also been observed in retinal tissue. Studies have found that by taking NMN you can reduce the amount of glaucoma damage to the optic nerve. At a higher dose, NMN also can help lower the rise in intraocular pressure. So

My Takeaways And Where To Learn

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what's the conclusion? For me, NMN provides a wide range of health benefits and supports natural approaches to help preserve healthy vision in combination with a healthy lifestyle and targeted supplementation. The type of NMN that we have on naturaley care.com is called Wonderfield NMN, and that's the one that I take every day. So visit us at natural eyecare.com to learn about the importance of NMN in brain and eye health. Have a great day.

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For more information, visit naturalecare.com and doctorgrossman2020.com. Our email address is info at naturaleecare dot com. If you have any questions, call us 845-475-4158. And if you don't already subscribe to this podcast, please subscribe and review us.