NAD+ Therapy in Chicago
Cellular fuel, delivered — with honest expectations about what it can and can't do.
NAD+ is a coenzyme your cells use to make energy and repair DNA, and it falls with age. NAD+ therapy replenishes it — by IV infusion, injection or nasal spray — as part of a physician-supervised wellness and healthy-aging plan. People most often seek it for energy, mental clarity and recovery.
- Physician-Supervised
- 3 Delivery Options
- Longevity-Focused
What is NAD+ therapy?
NAD+ therapy delivers nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) — a coenzyme your cells use for energy production and DNA repair — into the body by IV infusion, injection or nasal spray. NAD+ levels fall with age, and the therapy is used to replenish them as part of a wellness and healthy-aging strategy. People commonly seek it for energy, mental clarity and recovery. At Refine by Tulsi in Chicago it is physician-supervised. NAD+ IV and injections are not FDA-approved to treat or prevent any disease, and wellness benefits are still being studied — so we're honest about what the evidence does and doesn't show.
What NAD+ actually does in your body
NAD+ isn't a stimulant or a vitamin blend. It's a coenzyme every cell relies on — and one that quietly declines as you age.
Powers your cells
NAD+ is essential for turning food into ATP — the fuel your cells run on. When NAD+ is low, energy metabolism becomes less efficient, which is part of why fatigue can creep in with age.
Supports repair
NAD+ is the required substrate for the enzymes (sirtuins and PARPs) that repair DNA and regulate how cells respond to stress. It's central to the cell's day-to-day maintenance.
Declines with age
NAD+ levels fall by roughly 40–60% between young adulthood and midlife. Replenishing it is the rationale behind NAD+ therapy — and behind a lot of longevity research.
IV, injection or nasal spray — which is right for you?
Each route trades convenience against how quickly and completely NAD+ reaches your bloodstream. Your physician helps you choose based on your goals.
IV Infusion
- Delivers NAD+ straight into the bloodstream, achieving the highest blood levels of any route
- Sessions typically run a couple of hours; a slow drip keeps it comfortable
- Often started as a short loading series, then spaced maintenance
- Best for those who want the most complete replenishment
Injection
- Intramuscular or subcutaneous NAD+ in quick visits — no multi-hour drip
- Lower per-visit dose, given more frequently
- A practical middle ground on cost and time
- Can be used to maintain levels between IV sessions
Nasal Spray
- The easiest option for consistent, low-dose daily use
- No needles and no clinic time
- Best as maintenance, not a replacement for a fuller infusion
- Simple to combine with an IV or injection plan
Oral NAD+ precursors (NMN and NR) have the most human trial data and can complement any of the above — your physician will help you build the mix that fits your goals and budget.
What people use NAD+ therapy for
These are the reasons patients most often ask about NAD+. They're reported benefits and areas of active research — not guarantees, and results vary from person to person.
Energy & fatigue
The most commonly reported effect. By supporting mitochondrial energy production, many people describe steadier energy and less of an afternoon crash over a series of sessions.
Mental clarity & focus
Some patients report improvements in brain fog, focus and processing speed. The evidence here is early and individual — worth trying, not worth promising.
Recovery & performance
Active people use NAD+ to support recovery between training. NAD+'s role in muscle repair and oxidative-stress handling is well documented, even if trial data on outcomes is limited.
Healthy-aging support
Because NAD+ fuels sirtuins and DNA repair, it's a cornerstone of longevity research. The rationale is strong; proof that infusions slow aging in people is not yet established.
NAD+ therapy is used to support wellness and healthy aging. It is not a treatment for any disease, and it works best alongside — never instead of — sleep, nutrition and exercise (the most powerful natural way to raise your own NAD+).
What the evidence does — and doesn't — show
NAD+ biology is real. But real biology doesn't automatically mean proven results. Here's the honest picture, because you deserve it before you book.
The biology
NAD+ is genuinely essential for energy and DNA repair, it declines with age, and IV delivery raises blood levels far more than oral routes. That much is not in question.
Energy, clarity, recovery
These are the benefits people report and the areas of most active research — supported by mechanism and observation, but not yet by large randomized trials.
"Anti-aging"
Slowing aging through sirtuins and DNA repair is a compelling theory, but as of now there's no rigorous trial proof that NAD+ infusions reverse or slow aging in people.
The limits
NAD+ IV and injections are not FDA-approved to treat or prevent disease, long-term safety data is still limited, and oral NMN/NR have more human evidence. We'll say so.
Our approach: use NAD+ where it makes sense, be honest about what's proven versus promising, and never sell it as a cure. If it isn't right for you, we'll tell you.
An honest look at candidacy
NAD+ therapy may suit you if you…
- Feel persistently low on energy despite decent sleep and habits
- Want to support focus, recovery and healthy aging
- Are optimizing longevity and want cellular support alongside the basics
- Prefer a physician-supervised plan to a walk-in drip bar
- Have realistic expectations and want an honest read on the evidence
It may not be right if you…
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a condition your physician flags
- Expect it to treat or cure a medical illness — it's not a treatment for disease
- Are looking for a guaranteed or overnight result
- Have new or serious symptoms that need medical work-up first
- Want it to replace sleep, nutrition, exercise or your regular care
A consultation is the only way to know. A physician will review your health history and goals, flag anything that makes NAD+ inappropriate, and design a plan — or recommend something else.
From consult to comfortable session
Consultation
A physician reviews your history, goals and medications, confirms NAD+ is appropriate, and recommends the route and protocol that fit you.
Your session
An IV is given as a slow, monitored drip over a couple of hours; injections and nasal dosing are quick. You can read, work or relax throughout.
Comfort & safety
Some people feel flushing, nausea or cramping if an IV runs too fast — slowing the drip resolves it. Your team monitors and adjusts as needed.
A plan over time
Many start with a short loading series and move to maintenance. Frequency depends on your goals, response and how you feel between sessions.
NAD+ works best when it's measured
On its own, NAD+ is a single input. Inside the Refine Longevity Club, it becomes part of a tracked plan — your labs, hormones, metabolism and body composition read together over time, so you can see whether it's actually moving your numbers. Explore peptide therapy, hormone optimization and more as part of one membership.
Explore the Longevity ClubPhysician-supervised, not a drip bar
Dr. Tulsi Kotecha, MD
Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Aesthetic Medicine and trained at University College London and the University of Bristol, Dr. Kotecha built Refine around regenerative and longevity medicine — and around being candid about what the evidence supports. With NAD+, that means matching the right route to the right person, monitoring every session, and being straight about what's proven and what's still promising.
More about Dr. KotechaNAD+ therapy in Chicago, answered
What is NAD+ therapy?
NAD+ therapy replenishes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) — a coenzyme your cells use for energy production and DNA repair — using an IV infusion, an injection, or a nasal spray. NAD+ levels decline with age, and the therapy is used to support energy, recovery and healthy aging under physician supervision. It is not a treatment for any disease.
What does NAD+ do in the body?
NAD+ is essential for converting food into ATP, the energy that powers your cells, and it's the required fuel for enzymes called sirtuins and PARPs that repair DNA and manage cellular stress. Because NAD+ falls by roughly 40 to 60 percent between young adulthood and midlife, replenishing it is the rationale behind NAD+ therapy and much of longevity research.
What are the benefits of NAD+ therapy?
The most commonly reported benefit is improved energy and less fatigue. People also report better mental clarity and focus, and use it to support recovery and healthy aging. These are reported benefits and areas of active research rather than guaranteed outcomes — results vary, and NAD+ therapy is not FDA-approved to treat or prevent any disease.
IV vs. injection vs. nasal spray — which is best?
IV infusion delivers the highest blood levels and is the most complete option, but takes a couple of hours in-clinic. Injections are quicker and lower-dose, a practical middle ground. Nasal spray is the easiest for daily, low-dose maintenance. Many people combine them — a loading series by IV, then injections or nasal spray to maintain. Your physician helps you choose based on your goals and budget.
Is NAD+ therapy FDA-approved and safe?
NAD+ IV infusions and injections are not FDA-approved to treat, cure or prevent any disease, and long-term safety data is still limited. In physician-supervised settings it is generally well tolerated; the most common side effects are flushing, nausea or cramping during an IV, which resolve by slowing the infusion. Candidacy is confirmed by a physician, with extra caution in pregnancy and certain conditions.
Does NAD+ therapy reverse aging?
No. NAD+ supports the biology involved in aging — sirtuin activity and DNA repair — so the rationale for a healthy-aging role is strong, but there is no rigorous clinical-trial evidence that NAD+ infusions reverse or slow aging in people. We frame it honestly: promising and worth considering as support, not a proven anti-aging cure.
What does a NAD+ IV feel like, and how long does it take?
An NAD+ IV is given as a slow drip, typically over a couple of hours, so you can relax, read or work during it. If it runs too fast, some people feel warmth, flushing, nausea or chest tightness — slowing the drip settles it quickly. Injections and nasal dosing are much faster. Your care team monitors you throughout.
How many sessions will I need?
There's no single schedule. Many people begin with a short loading series of sessions close together, then move to spaced maintenance based on how they feel and respond. Your physician tailors the frequency to your goals, and oral NAD+ precursors or nasal-spray maintenance can help stretch the benefit between visits.
Curious about NAD+? Start with an honest consultation.
Book a physician consultation in Chicago to find out whether NAD+ therapy fits your goals, which delivery route makes sense, and what to realistically expect. No hype — just an honest plan.
(618) 298-8574Chicago, IL 60614
Chicago, IL 60647
Medical disclaimer: This page is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice, diagnosis or a promise of outcome. NAD+ IV infusions and injections are not FDA-approved to treat, cure or prevent any disease, and are not a substitute for primary, urgent or emergency care. Reported wellness benefits are still being studied; individual results vary and are not guaranteed. NAD+ therapy is administered only after a medical evaluation and only where clinically appropriate, and may not be suitable during pregnancy or with certain conditions. Please consult a qualified physician about your individual health.