A study of 19 patients with treatment-resistant depression treated with psilocybin in Switzerland found psilocybin was associated with a significant reduction in depression symptoms. The study is published in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe.
Psilocybin—a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in some species of mushrooms—has demonstrated promising antidepressant effects in depression and treatment-resistant depression in controlled clinical trials. However, its effectiveness and safety in real-world treatment settings remain largely unknown.
This study analyzed the medical records of 19 patients who received one to four clinical dosing sessions of psilocybin at the Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich as treatment for treatment-resistant mild to severe depression.
On average, the clinician-reported depression rating scores decreased from approximately 31/60 before psilocybin treatment to 20/60 within 42 days after the final dosing session. The patient-reported depression scores decreased from an average of 32/63 to 23/63. Side effects were reported in 30/40 psilocybin dosing sessions, with the most common being fatigue, headache, and tearfulness, but no serious or sustained side effects were documented.
The authors say their findings suggest that results from clinical trials may translate into routine clinical practice, although outcomes appear smaller in scale. They highlight that the small sample size of this study limits generalizability and, as there was no longer-term follow-up, it is not known if the improvements in depression symptoms were maintained. They call for larger real-world studies.
Two existing types of drugs synergize to improve the clearing of mucus from the lungs of animals with cystic fibrosis, a Stanford Medicine research team has found. The findings are published in the June 2026 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. If replicated in humans, the discovery may provide a way to reduce chronic lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis.
Methacholine
Formoterol
"I really hope this discovery can help CF patients," said lead author Nam Soo Joo, Ph.D., a senior research scientist at Stanford Medicine. "If these drugs improve mucociliary clearance in people as much as they do in our animal models, we expect this to help remove pathogens from the lungs and reduce patients' airway infections."
The study's senior author is Carlos Milla, MD, a professor of pediatrics at Stanford Medicine and a pulmonologist who treats children with CF at Stanford Medicine Children's Health.
The research team showed that the drug combination—a beta adrenergic agonist, formoterol, and a low-dose cholinergic agonist, methacholine—was safe and well-tolerated in a small group of people, including individuals with CF and healthy volunteers. The drugs are already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for other uses, and the scientists are now planning a trial of the combination's effectiveness in CF patients.
The finding could be especially beneficial for the 10% to 20% of CF patients who do not respond to targeted medications for cystic fibrosis known as CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) modulators, Joo noted.
The synergistic medications may also help people with other respiratory conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or bronchiectasis, a chronic lung disease characterized by severe airway scarring, he added.
Cystic fibrosis is a relatively common genetic disease, affecting 1 in every 3,000 to 4,000 babies born in the United States. Patients have mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene. In healthy people, the CFTR gene encodes protein channels that let chloride and bicarbonate ions cross cell membranes. But in CF patients, the channels malfunction, causing the lungs and digestive system to produce thick mucus. This sticky mucus harbors bacteria and makes CF patients vulnerable to chronic lung infections.
Drugs called CFTR modulators that restore the chloride channels' function have improved the lives of many CF patients by allowing their bodies to manufacture normal mucus. But up to 20% of patients' gene mutations are incompatible with CFTR modulator drugs, meaning the medications don't help.
That's why Joo's team was excited to find a different approach to the mucus problem.
A fortuitous finding
The researchers' discovery was an accident. They were studying whether various drugs could speed mucociliary clearance, in which the cilia, hairlike projections that line the passages into the lungs, beat in a coordinated way to move mucus and bits of foreign matter, such as bacteria or dust, out of the airways. The process keeps the lungs healthy.
During drug tests on tissue in a dish, the researchers used a combination of a beta adrenergic agonist and a cholinergic agonist to check that the tissues were viable. (Each of the two medication categories includes several drugs; at first, the researchers were not using drugs approved for use in people.) To the scientists' surprise, the drug combination—intended only as an experimental control—sped up mucociliary clearance.
Joo discussed this unexpected observation with study co-author Jeffrey Wine, Ph.D., an emeritus professor of psychology and of human biology.
"Jeff said, 'Do you think this may work in CF?'" Joo recalled. "I said, 'Well, probably not.'"
The combination seemed unpromising because people with CF are already known to have an abnormal response to beta adrenergic agonists. Meanwhile, cholinergic agonists administered alone cause people's airways to constrict in an asthma-like manner, which presents a safety concern.
A counterintuitive result
Even though they suspected the drug combination would fail, Joo's team tested it, first in airway tissue samples from a ferret model of CF, then in tissue and live animals including ferrets, rats, sheep, and pigs with pharmacologically induced or genetic CF.
In the new study, the researchers used formoterol and methacholine, which are a beta adrenergic agonist and a cholinergic agonist, respectively. The scientists chose these specific drugs because they are already approved by the FDA for use as inhaled medications.
Each drug caused a small increase in mucociliary clearance when given alone, but together their effects were far more pronounced. For instance, in rats with CF, the drug combination increased the animals' mucociliary clearance velocity to about 80% of that seen in healthy rats.
Follow-up experiments on tracheal tissue showed that the drugs given together increase fluid secretion, inhibit absorption of fluid, and raise the pH of the secreted fluid. These changes make the mucus less viscous and more mobile.
Furthermore, the researchers showed that when the drug combination was given to ferrets with CF that were also receiving a CFTR modulator drug, the animals could clear mucus more easily than when they received only the CFTR modulator, suggesting that the drug combination may benefit all CF patients.
In a small safety test in humans, as expected, methacholine caused airway constriction when given alone. But the two drugs in combination did not.
The results are exciting both for their implications for cystic fibrosis and for patients with other lung conditions, Joo said.
"Patients with other respiratory disorders like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or bronchiectasis also have mucociliary clearance impairment, but compared with CF, it's mild," he said. "If we use this drug in other airway diseases, it may improve those patients as well, but we still require large-scale clinical trials to know the optimal combination and concentrations of these drugs."
Acetaminophen remains the recommended first-line medication to treat pain and fever during pregnancy, according to an updated statement from the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM). A comprehensive review of the available scientific evidence does not establish a causal relationship between acetaminophen taken during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, according to SMFM. The work is published in the journal Pregnancy.
SMFM's statement is based on a thorough review of recent studies and earlier research on acetaminophen during pregnancy. The newest studies vary in their findings on the potential association between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and risk of childhood neurobehavioral issues and have significant limitations in their study design.
"After another careful review of the existing research, we continue recommending acetaminophen as a safe treatment for our pregnant patients who need it for pain relief and to reduce fever," said Judette M. Louis, MD, MPH, chair of the SMFM Publications Committee.
Acetaminophen is a commonly used non-opioid analgesic during pregnancy. An estimated 65% of pregnant women use acetaminophen at some point during pregnancy, mostly to treat headache and fever. Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in many over-the-counter and prescription medications, including Tylenol.
"Both untreated fever and pain during pregnancy carry potential health risks, so you shouldn't just 'tough it out,'" said Louis. "Untreated fever, particularly in the first trimester, is known to be linked to birth defects and miscarriage. We also know that maternal fever during labor can be associated with poor neonatal outcomes."
Along with acetaminophen, SMFM recommends nonpharmacological interventions, including hydration and physical therapy, to help manage pain during pregnancy.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids are not recommended to treat fever and pain during pregnancy. NSAIDs increase the risk of fetal renal impairment, premature closure of the ductus arteriosus, oligohydramnios, and maternal bleeding. Opioid medications taken during pregnancy are associated with neonatal abstinence syndrome, addiction, and sedation, and are also not recommended as first-line treatments for pain during pregnancy.
A phase 3 study of Gilead’s Livdelzi has met its primary endpoint, showing the drug's ability to normalize a key marker of disease progression for those with the rare liver disorder primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).
In the IDEAL trial, which compared Livdelzi to placebo, Gilead’s pill allowed significantly more patients to gain control of their alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, which are a key signal of disease progression. The trial's primary endpoint hinged on the number of patients who achieved ALP levels in the normal range with at least a 15% decrease from baseline, the company said Tuesday.
The trial included 96 participants ages 18 to 75 who had inadequately controlled PBC. Patients in this group are associated with increased risk of progression to liver transplant or death compared with patients at normalized ALP levels, Gilead explained.
The patient pool in the trial included only those with an incomplete response or intolerance to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), the standard first-line treatment for PBC. UDCA treatments replace bile acids, slowing disease progression and improving liver function.
“These results extend the evidence base for Livdelzi to a broader population of people living with PBC and support ALP normalization as an achievable therapeutic goal in patients with ALP between 1 to 1.67,” Cynthia Levy, M.D., of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said in a release.
Gilead said it will provide full results from the trial at a future medical meeting and engage with global regulators on the data.
Chia seeds: A superfood for cardiometabolic health
Chia seeds, long a dietary staple in Mesoamerican cultures dating back to the Aztecs and Mayans, have attracted modern scientific scrutiny for their unusually dense nutritional profile. A 28-gram (g) serving—approximately two tablespoons—contains 138 calories, 8.7 g of fat, 11.9 g of carbohydrates, 9.7 g of fiber and 4.7 g of complete protein, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Chia seeds also provide significant amounts of calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium.
Heart benefits
The most compelling evidence for chia seeds' cardiovascular benefits comes from studies examining their effect on blood pressure. In a study published in the journal Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, participants who consumed 35 grams of chia flour daily for 12 weeks experienced reduced blood pressure, even among those already taking antihypertensive medication. Researchers noted this effect occurred alongside reductions in inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein, and improvements in clotting protein profiles.
Additional research has focused on chia seeds' potential to improve cholesterol levels. A meta-analysis of 10 clinical trials reported that regular consumption of chia seeds can reduce total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL, suggesting a positive effect on lipid profile.
The seeds' high omega-3 fatty acid content appears central to these effects. Chia seeds contain alpha-linolenic acid, a plant-based omega-3 that the human body cannot produce independently. This fatty acid supports heart health, brain function and systemic anti-inflammatory activity. Chia seeds also contain multiple antioxidant compounds, including chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol, which may protect against oxidative damage linked to heart disease, cancer and aging.
Blood sugar control
For those managing Type 2 diabetes, chia seeds may offer particular value. Studies suggest that daily consumption of chia seeds—either 7-24 g incorporated into white bread or 34 g of whole-grain chia—reduces post-meal blood sugar levels as well as blood pressure in healthy individuals and diabetics alike. As explained by BrightU.AI's Enoch engine, chia seeds help lower blood sugar because their soluble fiber slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, which prevents sharp spikes in glucose levels. This stabilizing effect is especially beneficial for managing diabetes and maintaining steady energy.
Animal studies report similar effects on diabetic rat models fed with chia seeds, suggesting that the seeds not only help with blood sugar control but may also help reduce cardiovascular risk factors in people with Type 2 diabetes.
How to safely incorporate chia seeds into your diet
Despite these promising findings, medical professionals emphasize that chia seeds are not without potential risks. Chia seeds' high oxalate content may increase kidney stone risk in susceptible individuals. Additionally, because chia seeds can lower both blood pressure and blood sugar, they may interact additively with prescription medications for hypertension and diabetes, potentially causing excessive reductions.
Gastrointestinal side effects remain the most common complaint. Chia seeds' high fiber content—nearly 10 grams per serving—can cause bloating, cramping and gas when introduced too quickly to the diet. Experts recommend gradually increasing fiber intake to allow the digestive system to adjust, and always consuming chia seeds with adequate water to prevent bowel obstruction.
The growing body of evidence supporting chia seeds' health benefits coincides with increasing consumer interest in functional foods. Chia seeds can be incorporated into diets through multiple methods: sprinkled on yogurt, salads or cereal; blended into smoothies; used as a thickener for soups and sauces; or soaked in water to form a gel that can substitute for eggs in baking. Ground chia seeds can be added to pancake batter or mixed into hummus and other dips.
Chia seeds represent one of several plant-based foods being studied for their potential to support cardiovascular health through accessible, affordable dietary changes rather than pharmaceutical interventions alone. The seeds join other functional foods, such as oats, flaxseed and fatty fish, in a growing list of whole foods associated with reduced cardiovascular and metabolic risks.
China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved a combination of ELUNATE (fruquintinib) and TYVYT (sintilimab) for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma whose disease has progressed following prior VEGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGFR-TKI) therapy.
The approval applies to patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease who have not previously received programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor therapy in the first-line setting.
The decision was based on results from the phase 3 FRUSICA-2 study, which evaluated fruquintinib combined with sintilimab against axitinib or everolimus monotherapy in second-line treatment.
The study met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS), with patients receiving the combination therapy achieving median PFS of 22.2 months compared with 6.9 months in the comparator arm.
Objective response rates were also higher in the combination group, while the safety profile was reported to be consistent with the known effects of each treatment.
Professor Dingwei Ye of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center said advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapy combinations were continuing to reshape treatment approaches in advanced renal cell carcinoma.
“The rapid advancements in targeted therapies, immunotherapies and their combination regimens have led to a significant evolution in the treatment landscape for advanced renal cell carcinoma. Optimising the selection of treatment for individual patients is a key focus of clinical interest,” said the professor.
Kidney cancer remains a significant global health burden, with around 435,000 new diagnoses estimated worldwide in 2022. Approximately 90% of kidney tumours are renal cell carcinoma.
The approval represents the latest indication for sintilimab in China and expands use of the combination regimen following earlier approval in advanced endometrial cancer.
Chiesi USA, Inc. (key-A-zee), a global biopharmaceutical company, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Trimbow (beclomethasone dipropionate/formoterol fumarate/glycopyrrolate; or BDP/FF/G; 86 mcg/4.9 mcg/10.6 mcg and 172 mcg/4.9 mcg/10.6 mcg) for the maintenance treatment of asthma in adults. Trimbow delivers three active ingredients in a single device, referred to as a single inhaler triple therapy (SITT), presenting an option for adults whose asthma may require more than one inhaled medicine for daily maintenance treatment. Trimbow was the first treatment approved in the single inhaler triple therapy class outside of the U.S. and is commercialized in nearly 50 countries, including those within the European Union, the United Kingdom, and China.
Glycopyrrolate
Trimbow (beclomethasone dipropionate/formoterol fumarate/glycopyrrolate; or BDP/FF/G) is the first U.S. FDA-approved product from Chiesi’s respiratory portfolio, bringing with it more than four decades of global expertise in respiratory leadership.
Formoterol
Beclometasone or beclomethasone
Approval was supported by Phase 3 TRIMARAN and TRIGGER studies, which included lung function as a co-primary endpoint in adults with asthma,1 building on its long-standing use as the first therapy in its class approved outside the U.S.
Approximately 27 million people in the U.S. live with asthma, which remains a significant burden to patients, caregivers, and society.2 Roughly 50% to 91% of people across all asthma disease severities show evidence of Small Airway Disease (SAD), which affects the tiny bronchioles deep within the airway tree.3,4
“The approval of Trimbow marks an important milestone as healthcare professionals continue to expand options for individualized care for the millions of people in the U.S. living with asthma, many of whom still struggle with symptoms,”2 said Nicola Hanania, MD, MS, Director, Airways Clinical Research Center, Professor of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Chief, Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Ben Taub Hospital, Houston, Texas. “This treatment has demonstrated improvement in lung function in Phase 3 clinical trials.”1
The FDA approval is supported by data from two Phase 3, double-blind, parallel-group, randomized, active-controlled clinical trials, TRIMARAN and TRIGGER, that evaluated the safety and efficacy of Trimbow in more than 2,200 adults with uncontrolled asthma.1 Across studies, Trimbow demonstrated improvements in lung function compared with BDP/FF, an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) product. Trimbow demonstrated a safety profile comparable with BDP/FF, with common adverse events, occuring at an incident rate greater than or equal to 1%, including bronchitis, hypertension, back pain, blood pressure increase, dysphonia, upper respiratory tract infection, influenza, anemia, muscle spasms, laryngitis, oropharyngeal pain, and sinusitis.1
“This is an important development for the community at a time when access to treatment and the cost of care remain significant challenges for many individuals living with asthma,” said Lynda Mitchell, MA, CAE, CEO of the Allergy & Asthma Network. “There is no cure for asthma, and the condition presents a major burden to patients, caregivers, and society. Patients benefit when they have more options to treat their asthma – we are eager to see continued progress in innovation to address ongoing unmet needs in asthma care.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the proposal to exclude semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide on the 503B bulks list, finding no clinical need for outsourcing facilities to compound these drugs from bulk substances.
The 503B bulks list identifies bulk drug substances that outsourcing facilities may use in compounding under the conditions of section 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). In most cases, outsourcing facilities cannot compound drugs using bulk drug substances unless the substance appears on the 503B bulks list, or the compounded drug is on the FDA’s drug shortage list at the time of compounding, distribution, and dispensing.
After evaluating the nominations for these three substances, the FDA did not identify a clinical need for outsourcing facilities to compound semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide from bulk drug substances.
“When FDA-approved drugs are available, outsourcing facilities cannot lawfully compound using bulk drug substances unless there is a clear clinical need,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “This action reflects our responsibility to protect patients and preserve the integrity of the drug approval process while continuing to provide a transparent, science-based pathway for public input.”
The FDA carefully reviewed the nominations it received and did not identify sufficient evidence to include semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide on the 503B bulks list. A determination of clinical need is based on patient safety and medical necessity under the law.
The FDA is now inviting interested parties to submit comments electronically through the docket by June 29, 2026. The agency will consider submitted comments before making a final determination.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an expanded use for Auvelity (dextromethorphan hydrobromide and bupropion hydrochloride) extended-release tablets to treat agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease in adults. The drug is the first FDA-approved treatment for this condition that is not an antipsychotic. FDA initially approved Auvelity in 2022 to treat major depressive disorder in adults.
Bupropion
Dextromethorphan
"This approval represents a significant advancement in our ability to help patients and families dealing with one of the most challenging aspects of Alzheimer's disease," said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. "With today’s action, patients and their families have access to an additional important treatment for complications of this devastating disease."
Agitation is a common and distressing symptom in patients with Alzheimer's disease dementia, characterized by excessive motor activity, or verbal or physical aggression. It can significantly impact quality of life for patients and caregivers.
"Auvelity was found to be efficacious for treating agitation in Alzheimer’s disease in two randomized trials and now represents an additional option to address one of the most difficult sequelae of the disease, especially as it progresses,” said Tracy Beth Hoeg, M.D., Ph.D., Acting Director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "We hope this approval will provide meaningful benefit to patients, their families, and caregivers."
The first randomized study (NCT 03226522) was a five-week trial in which participants received either Auvelity or a placebo. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline to week five in the total score of the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), a survey that assesses the frequency of manifestations of agitated behaviors in elderly patients, based on caregiver reports. Auvelity was significantly superior to placebo in The Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory score improvements.
The second randomized study (NCT 04947553) was a withdrawal study in participants who responded to Auvelity. Upon reaching a sustained clinical response to Auvelity, patients were randomly assigned to continue treatment with Auvelity or switch to placebo. The primary endpoint was time to relapse. Participants who continued Auvelity treatment had a significantly longer time to relapse of agitation symptoms compared to patients receiving the placebo.
The most common side effects include dizziness, upset stomach, headache, diarrhea, drowsiness, dry mouth, sexual dysfunction, and uncontrolled sweating. Auvelity has a Boxed Warning about increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescents and young adults taking antidepressants. Health care providers should monitor patients for clinical worsening and emergence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, especially during initial treatment. The medicine can cause seizures, with risk increasing with dose. It can also cause elevated blood pressure and hypertension, and may activate mania or hypomania (irritable mood) in susceptible patients.
Before starting Auvelity, health care providers should assess blood pressure, screen for personal or family history of bipolar disorder, and determine if patients are taking other medications containing bupropion or dextromethorphan.
The FDA granted breakthrough therapy designation and priority review designation for this action. The approval of Auvelity for agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease was granted to Axsome Therapeutics.
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing that it issued a “safe to proceed” letter to Revolution Medicines, allowing the sponsor to initiate an expanded access treatment protocol (EAP) for its experimental pancreatic cancer drug, daraxonrasib.
The expanded access treatment protocol is for patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The FDA received the expanded access request from Revolution Medicines on April 28 and signed it on April 30.
FDA regulations allow expanded access to investigational drugs for treatment purposes for larger populations under a treatment protocol or treatment investigational new drug application. Per EAP guidelines, requests for expanded access must be submitted to the sponsor by physicians licensed in the U.S. on behalf of eligible patients.
“Granting the request two days after receiving the expanded access application reflects the FDA’s strong commitment to facilitate early access to therapies for serious and life-threatening conditions, including pancreatic cancer,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “Having taken care of many patients with metastatic cancer, I am hopeful that today’s action will improve the lives of patients suffering from this disease.”
Daraxonrasib is a RAS inhibitor designed to inhibit a protein (RAS) that is mutated in most pancreatic cancer tumors.
The company said on April 13 that it intends to submit a new drug application for daraxonrasib under the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) pilot program. The FDA granted a national priority voucher to daraxonrasib, also called RMC-6236, in October 2025.
As more people look for ways to stay younger for longer, the supplement industry has moved beyond creams and cosmetic fixes to something more ambitious: products that claim to slow aging by acting on cellular processes.
Nicotinamide mononucleotide ("NMN" and "β-NMN"
Among the most heavily marketed compounds are NAD+, NMN and resveratrol, often described as supporting cellular repair, energy production and healthy aging. But what do they actually do, where are they being used, and how strong is the evidence?
To make sense of the claims, it helps to separate three things: the molecule NAD+, the compounds sold to raise it, and the products, such as supplements, creams and serums, that contain them.
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD+, is a coenzyme found in all living cells. A coenzyme is a helper molecule that allows enzymes to carry out chemical reactions in the body. NAD+ plays an essential role in energy metabolism, DNA repair, inflammation and the activity of a family of proteins involved in cellular stress responses.
NAD+ levels tend to decline with age, although this decline is complex and may vary between tissues. Lower NAD+ availability has been linked to reduced mitochondrial function, meaning reduced activity in the cell structures that help produce energy. This is one of the biological changes associated with aging.
NAD+ in creams and serums
NAD+ has begun appearing in skincare creams and serums, but the evidence is even less developed here than it is for supplements.
While NAD+ is important for skin-cell energy and repair, it remains unclear whether topical NAD+ in ordinary creams can penetrate the skin in sufficient amounts to produce meaningful anti-aging effects.
Better-established ingredients, such as sunscreen, retinoids and niacinamide, currently have much stronger evidence for improving visible signs of skin aging.
NAD+ precursors as supplements
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)
Because NAD+ itself is not thought to be absorbed efficiently when swallowed, much research has focused on NAD+ precursors. Precursors are compounds the body can convert into another substance. In this case, they are compounds the body can convert into NAD+. Two of the best known are nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and nicotinamide riboside (NR).
In animal studies, NAD+ precursors have produced promising results. Older mice given these compounds have shown improvements in energy metabolism, insulin sensitivity and aspects of physical function. Some studies have also reported improvements in healthspan and lifespan-related measures in animal models, although these findings vary by model and do not translate neatly into humans. These results have helped drive enormous commercial interest, but turning promising mouse studies into meaningful benefits for people has proved far harder.
Human clinical trials suggest that NMN and NR can raise NAD+ levels, or related markers of NAD+ activity, in blood and tissues. However, the strongest evidence is for changes in blood, while evidence for meaningful effects in specific tissues is still limited.
Some small studies have reported possible benefits for metabolic health, including insulin sensitivity in specific groups. Others have explored potential effects on muscle mass, but recent reviews have not found convincing evidence that NMN or NR preserve muscle mass or function in older adults.
When researchers look at outcomes that matter more directly to everyday aging, such as strength, cognition, frailty or biological age, the picture is much less clear. Biological age is a contested estimate of how old the body appears at a cellular or molecular level. One major problem is that aging unfolds over a long period, while most supplement trials last only weeks or months.
Resveratrol
Resveratrol is another compound often promoted for anti-aging, but it is different from NMN and NR. It is not an NAD+ precursor. It belongs to a group of natural plant chemicals called polyphenols and is found in red grapes, berries and peanuts.
In laboratory and animal studies, resveratrol has been associated with lower levels of inflammation and improved mitochondrial function, meaning better activity in the parts of cells that help produce energy.
The difficulty is that resveratrol has poor oral bioavailability. This means much of what is swallowed is broken down or modified before it can reach tissues in the form and concentration used in laboratory experiments. This creates a large gap between what resveratrol can do in cells in a dish and what a supplement is likely to do in the human body. So far, human trials have not shown convincing evidence that resveratrol slows aging, and findings on cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory benefits remain mixed.
Resveratrol may interact with some medications, especially anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs, often described as blood-thinning medicines. High doses can also cause side effects such as gastrointestinal symptoms. Anyone taking regular medication, managing a chronic condition, pregnant or breastfeeding should seek medical advice before taking high-dose supplements.
So, are NAD+, NMN and resveratrol the elixir of youth? No. The key distinction is between biological plausibility and proven benefit. These compounds are not biologically implausible: they act on real pathways involved in energy production, stress responses and cellular maintenance. But affecting a pathway is not the same as slowing aging in a person.
In humans, the evidence so far suggests possible benefits in limited contexts, but major questions remain about long-term safety, optimum doses and who is most likely to benefit. The science is plausible, but the marketing often turns "this affects a process associated with aging" into "this supplement will keep you young."
For now, the best-supported ways to support healthy aging remain far less glamorous: regular exercise, good sleep, a balanced diet, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol and managing long-term health conditions. Supplements may eventually prove useful, but at present, the evidence for staying younger for longer is much stronger for everyday habits than for anti-aging products.
Scientific Knowledge on the Subject: AD109 (aroxybutynin 2.5 mg/atomoxetine 75 mg), an investigational, first-in-class, once-daily oral tablet, is designed to target the neuromuscular dysfunction underlying obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by increasing upper airway muscle tone during sleep. In the phase 2b MARIPOSA trial, AD109 demonstrated significant improvement in the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) in adults with mild-to-severe OSA over 4 weeks. An earlier phase 2 study suggested that AD109 may reduce AHI from the first dose. AD109 efficacy/safety beyond 4 weeks remain unknown.
What This Study Adds to the Field: SynAIRgy, a part of one of the largest clinical development efforts conducted for an OSA pharmacotherapy, is one of 2 phase 3 registrational trials evaluating the efficacy/safety of AD109. SynAIRgy is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm trial conducted in 646 participants with mild-to-severe OSA who were intolerant to or refused positive airway pressure therapy. SynAIRgy demonstrated significant improvements in airway obstruction and oxygenation across mild-to-severe OSA participants, supporting the potential for AD109 to be a new oral treatment option for patients with mild-to-severe OSA. Given existing OSA therapy limitations, AD109 may fill a large unmet medical need in providing patients with a pharmacologic therapy targeting the neuromuscular dysfunction underlying OSA pathogenesis.
Among adults with osteogenesis imperfecta, teriparatide plus zoledronic acid does not reduce fracture risk compared with standard care, according to a study published online May 14 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Jannie Dahl Hald, Ph.D., from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues examined whether the parathyroid hormone analogue teriparatide followed by zoledronic acid reduces the risk for fractures in adults with osteogenesis imperfecta in a multicenter randomized clinical trial. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 20 μg of teriparatide daily by subcutaneous injection for two years, followed by 5 mg zoledronic acid infusion (176 participants), or to standard care, in which bisphosphonates and other bone-targeted medicines could be used (174 participants).
Most of the participants had type I osteogenesis imperfecta caused by pathogenic variants in the type 1 collagen genes. The researchers found that 36.9 and 36.4 percent of patients in the teriparatide plus zoledronic acid group and the standard care group, respectively, had incident fractures. There was significantly more of an increase in lumbar spine and total hip bone mineral density with teriparatide plus zoledronic acid than standard care. Teriparatide plus zoledronic acid was favored in several quality-of-life measures. The groups reported similar adverse events.
"We have been using drugs to increase bone density for decades in the hope that they might prevent fractures but the TOPaZ trial clearly shows that these medicines simply do not work," lead author Stuart Ralston, M.D., from the University of Edinburgh Institute of Genetics and Cancer in the United Kingdom, said in a statement.
