Apigenin — research review 2

...and that’s where apigenin comes in, a flavone that’s been touted for its potential to inhibit CD38.

Right, and CD38 is a major consumer of NAD⁺, so the idea is that by inhibiting CD38, apigenin helps preserve NAD⁺ levels, which are crucial for the sirtuin pathway and overall cellular health. It sounds great in theory, but what’s the human evidence?

That’s the critical question. A lot of the initial excitement stemmed from in vitro and animal studies, which showed promising results regarding CD38 inhibition and NAD⁺ preservation.

But translating that to humans can be tricky. Have we seen those same benefits manifest in clinical trials for longevity or healthspan markers?

Well, direct human clinical trials specifically on apigenin's longevity effects via NAD⁺ preservation are still quite limited. For example, a study in Food & Function in 2020 explored apigenin’s bioavailability and some inflammatory markers, but not direct NAD⁺ effects in healthy older adults.

So, while we understand the mechanism – apigenin as a CD38 inhibitor, preserving NAD⁺ – the human evidence demonstrating that this translates into significant, measurable improvements in age-related biomarkers or health outcomes is largely still unproven. We don't have those large, long-term trials yet, showing it actually impacts aging pathways in people as profoundly as some hope.

Exactly. It's a fascinating molecule with a clear biological rationale, but we need to distinguish between what the lab and animal studies suggest, and what robust human clinical data actually shows regarding its impact on NAD⁺ and longevity. A lot remains unknown.