A Theacrine-Based Supplement Increases Cellular NAD⁺ Levels and Affects Biomarkers Related to Sirtuin Activity in C2C12 Muscle Cells In Vitro

Abstract

There is evidence in rodents to suggest that theacrine-based supplements modulate tissue sirtuin activity as well as other biological processes associated with aging. Herein, we examined if a theacrine-based supplement (termed NAD3) altered sirtuin activity in vitro while also affecting markers of mitochondrial biogenesis. The murine C2C12 myoblast cell line was used for experimentation. Following 7 days of differentiation, myotubes were treated with 0.45 mg/mL of NAD3 (containing ~2 mM theacrine) for 3 and 24 h (n = 6 treatment wells per time point). Relative to control (CTL)-treated cells, NAD3 treatments increased (p p +) levels were also elevated nearly two-fold after 24 h of NAD3 versus CTL treatments (p + biogenesis and sirtuin activity. However, these changes did not drive increases in mitochondrial biogenesis. While promising, these data are limited to a rodent cell line and human muscle biopsy studies are needed to validate and elucidate the significance of these findings.

Keywords

• theacrine
• mRNAs
• sirtuins
• mitochondria