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Preparing for a competition is no longer just about training harder. Today, performance also depends on the body's ability to efficiently produce energy, sustain intensity over time, and recover quickly between sessions.

This is exactly why NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) is attracting growing attention in sports performance and exercise physiology.

NMN is a direct precursor of NAD+, a molecule essential for cellular energy production. NAD+ plays a central role in mitochondrial function — the true energy powerhouses of our cells.

Through the following three graphs, we can better understand why NMN may have a real interest in competitive preparation.

1. During Exercise: Supporting Power Output and Delaying Fatigue

The 3rd graph illustrates the different physiological zones of exercise as well as the SV1 and SV2 ventilatory thresholds.

These thresholds are critical in athletic performance:

• SV1 corresponds to an effort level that remains primarily aerobic.
• SV2 marks the transition toward significant lactate production and much faster fatigue accumulation.

The longer an athlete can stay below SV2 while maintaining high power output, the better the performance potential.

NMN may play an interesting role here through its effect on NAD+.

Why?

NAD+ is directly involved in:

• ATP production,

• mitochondrial function,
• and oxygen utilization within muscle cells.

By supporting these mechanisms, NMN may help:

• produce energy more efficiently,

• sustain high intensity for longer,

• delay metabolic fatigue,
• and improve exercise durability.

For athletes, this may translate into:

• more stable power output,

• improved tolerance to high intensity,
• and the ability to prolong effort before entering severe fatigue zones.

This approach is currently being investigated in the clinical trial:

ClinicalTrials.gov – NCT04664361 : https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04664361

The study specifically evaluates the effects of NMN on:

• physical performance,
• lactate levels,
• and cardiorespiratory recovery in active individuals.

2. Long-Term Performance: Optimizing VO2 Max and Endurance

The 1st graph highlights the evolution of VO2 max, one of the key indicators of cardiovascular performance.

VO2 max represents the body's maximum ability to utilize oxygen during intense exercise.

The higher it is:

• the more efficiently the body produces energy,

• the greater the endurance capacity,
• and the longer high-intensity efforts can be sustained.

The connection with NMN is particularly interesting.

NAD+ is involved in:

• energy metabolism,

• mitochondrial efficiency,
• and cellular respiration.

By supporting these systems, NMN may promote:

• better energy efficiency,

• improved adaptation to training,
• and greater endurance over time.

For athletes preparing for competition, this could help:

• better tolerate training loads,

• maintain training quality,

• reduce feelings of exhaustion,
• and optimize physiological adaptations.

The NCT04664361 clinical trial fits precisely into this logic of improving physical capacity and exercise sustainability.

3. After Exercise: Accelerating Recovery

The 2nd graph focuses on heart rate recovery after exercise.

Recovery is a fundamental component of performance:

it is during this phase that the body:

• repairs muscle fibers,

• restores energy reserves,
• and adapts physiologically to training stress.

An athlete capable of recovering quickly can:

• maintain higher training quality,

• sustain performance over time,
• and reduce the risk of overtraining.

NMN may support recovery through several mechanisms.

Supporting Cellular Repair

Intense exercise generates:

• oxidative stress,

• inflammation,
• and temporary cellular damage.

NAD+ plays an active role in cellular repair pathways.

Activation of Sirtuins

NMN indirectly supports the activity of sirtuins, proteins involved in:

• recovery,

• stress resistance,

• and physiological adaptation.

Faster Return to Balance

More efficient recovery may allow:

• reduced residual fatigue,

• faster normalization of heart rate,
• and a greater ability to repeat intense efforts.

This is also one of the key areas explored in the clinical trial:

Clinical Trial on NMN – Recovery and Athletic Performance

NMN: A Performance Support Tool, Not a Miracle Solution

NMN obviously does not replace:

• training,

• sleep,

• nutrition,
• or intelligent programming.

However, during demanding competitive preparation, it may become a valuable physiological support tool for:

✅ optimizing cellular energy production

✅ improving sustainable power output

✅ delaying metabolic fatigue

✅ supporting training adaptations

✅ accelerating post-exercise recovery

Modern athletic performance no longer depends only on peak power output. It increasingly depends on the ability to:

• sustain performance over time,

• recover rapidly,
• and repeatedly perform at a high level.

By acting at the core of cellular energy production through NAD+, NMN is emerging as a particularly promising strategy in competitive preparation.

Whether:

• before exercise to support energy capacity,

• during exercise to maintain performance,
• or after exercise to enhance recovery,

NMN may become a valuable ally for athletes seeking to optimize performance in a sustainable way.