Read More
7 min read
The natural nutrient therapy NAD+ is well known among alternative medicine practitioners as an effective way to detoxify the body and improve health. Now, it’s becoming increasingly popular as a way to support detox from chemical dependencies on substances like alcohol, opiates, and prescription opioids.
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD, is a coenzyme that naturally occurs in the body and helps it regulate all of its cellular functions. Using drugs and alcohol over time depletes your body’s levels of NAD. Replenishing it, therefore, goes a long way in repairing cellular damage, restoring brain function, and healing your body. And for those just beginning their recovery journey, this can help set them up for success. That’s why at The Sanctuary, we use NAD+ therapy to support detox as an integrated part of our holistic healing journey.
Learn About Our NAD+ Therapy Treatment
While addiction is largely psychological, certain substances like alcohol and opioids are very physically addictive. Once you develop a dependency, quitting can result in withdrawal symptoms as your body adjusts to the lack of the substance(s) it’s gotten used to. This is often very uncomfortable and can even be dangerous. As a result, the desire to avoid painful withdrawals discourages many people from getting treatment, even when they desperately want to get sober.
NAD+, however, can help this process. It naturally opens detox pathways so your body can flush out harmful chemicals. In fact, NAD+ been shown to reduce symptoms and cravings in people experiencing withdrawals:
“Studies implicate raising intracellular NAD+ levels as a potential target for managing and treating addictive behavior and reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms in patients with… substance abuse,” according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). "While data from experimental studies are limited, significant clinical benefit of IV NAD+ infusion in alcohol and opioid withdrawal has been previously reported. These… found significant improvements in the removal of cravings and withdrawal symptoms. The benefits of NAD+ are likely to be extended to improving emotional disorders in patients with psychological disorders."
The struggle of withdrawals isn’t just a barrier to treatment. It also increases the chances of relapse. But NAD+’s ability to reduce this discomfort can relieve some stress for people who are detoxing. And for those starting addiction treatment after detox, it can also help them manage post-acute withdrawals.
It’s important to keep in mind that NAD+ alone is not detox. It can, however, support your body's restoration during and after the detox process. NAD+ can be used in combination with other treatment methods as part of a comprehensive rehab program. And in some cases, it may reduce the need for medications that can have harmful side effects.
Conventional programs often treat opioid addictions with medications like buprenorphine and methadone. While medication-assisted treatment (MAT) works in many cases and can be life-saving for some, it also comes with significant drawbacks. In addition to being harmful substances in and of themselves, the medications used in MAT also carry a high risk for addiction.
Unlike opioid medications, NAD+ helps you detox gently, by boosting your body’s own self-healing processes. It stimulates cellular regeneration and encourages the growth of new neural pathways that promote wellness. According to the NCBI, NAD+ can reduce reliance on MAT and potentially harmful drugs:
“For several decades, IV NAD+ has been used as a holistic ‘underground’ approach for the treatment of various forms of addiction. IV NAD+ showed a complete withdrawal of addictive drugs without subjects experiencing ‘agony of withdrawal’ symptoms. It also provides a… direct means for physicians to treat addiction without the necessity of using synthetic therapeutic agents that… pose a greater risk of adverse effects and induce addiction… Rather, NAD+ therapy is aimed at… restoring health processes, removing cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and assisting in abstinence."
At The Sanctuary, we support any treatment method that's sustainable and effective for you, and our psychiatrist is happy to work with clients who are undergoing MAT. And for those who wish to move away from prescription drugs, our naturopathic doctors can help you reduce the amount of medications you’re taking. Our clients often find that they feel significantly better overall as a result of our in-depth nutrition and supplement program.
Once you complete detox, settled your nervous system, and clear your mind, you’ll be much more ready to focus on the real work of healing from addiction.
Physical dependency on drugs like alcohol and opioids creates drastic changes in the brain and body. NAD+ helps your body and brain return to a state of balance. And this, in turn, lets you make the most of the treatment process.
NAD+ acts as fuel for the mitochondria in every cell of your body. When you restore your NAD+ levels, your cells work better, allowing them to repair your brain and restore damaged tissues in the body. By aiding recovery at a cellular level, NAD+ helps support bodily healing so that the mind, soul and spirit healing you experience in the rest of our holistic program is more effective.
People in detox are physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually depleted from years – sometimes decades – of substance abuse. IV therapies like NAD+ help you turn that around as quickly as possible. And when you feel better physically, you can be more present as you do the work of changing your life. That’s why NAD+ therapy at The Sanctuary takes place on campus and fully integrates with our residential treatment program.
Our holistic addiction treatment program is a complete healing experience that helps you fully transition to the next stage of your life. Our clinical team optimizes this program for progress, meaning we carefully plan every day you spend with us so you can make the most of your time here. The thoroughness of the Sanctuary journey allows you to make changes you may have never been able to achieve in prior treatment experiences. And NAD+ is just one tool we use to support this profound healing.
NAD+ therapy is helpful for almost everybody, in any state of health. But it’s particularly useful for those who are struggling with depletion. There are a few conditions that would prevent you from being able to receive this therapy. But we’ll screen during your intake to make sure it’s safe for you.
NAD+ is good for most people and a virtually painless process. And like all therapies offered at The Sanctuary, we administer nutritional IVs under rigorous clinical supervision. Our procedures are HIPAA-compliant and undergo regular quality assurance and program reviews.
By delivering NAD+ through an IV, it goes directly into your systemic circulation. This allows us to provide nutrients directly to your tissues that need it. It also means you get a much higher concentration than you would by taking supplements orally. This kick-starts the healing process and supports your body as it readjusts.
While receiving NAD+, you’ll relax in our beautiful IV lounge, surrounded by living plants, crystals, and soothing music. We’ll talk about health, spirituality, and the IV you’re taking, and you’ll get to ask our naturopathic doctor any questions you’d like. Sessions take about an hour and have little to no side effects. In fact, because NAD+ is a natural medicine, any side effects it produces are usually positive. Clients often feel energized, clearer, and more relaxed.
People with substance use disorders need restoration, and NAD+ offers a path to that. This natural therapy allows you to recover your mental abilities, energy levels, and sleep patterns quicker than you would without it. And that means you’re able to hit the ground running and get the absolute most out of the few short weeks you’re here.
Learn more about NAD+ therapy at The Sanctuary and how we incorporate it into our holistic healing experience. Contact us today.
