Well, a lot of people, I'm sure.

我相信很多人都是這樣。

Forever is, well, forever.

永遠，就是永遠。

But whether it's for our health or our vanity, most of us probably wouldn't say no to a long life without the side effects that come with getting older.

但是，無論是為了健康還是為了虛榮，我們中的大多數人可能都不會拒絕長壽，而不會拒絕衰老帶來的副作用。

And if you're searching for ways to stay young, you may have stumbled upon a new kind of anti-aging supplement, one based on a molecule called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD-PLUS for short.

如果您正在尋找保持年輕的方法，您可能已經發現了一種新型的抗衰老補充劑，這種補充劑基於一種叫做煙酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸（簡稱 NAD-PLUS）的分子。

And while you shouldn't spend your life's savings on this stuff, it turns out that science might be onto something here.

雖然你不應該把一生的積蓄都花在這些東西上，但事實證明，科學可能在這裡發現了一些東西。

Might.

可能。

Human bodies age because they accumulate cellular damage over time.

人體之所以會衰老，是因為細胞損傷會隨著時間的推移而不斷累積。

This damage can come from a variety of sources.

這種損害可能來自多個方面。

Some are external factors, like UV radiation and pollution.

有些是外部因素，如紫外線輻射和汙染。

Some are internal, like the genetic errors that slowly build up as our cells copy their

有些是內部原因，比如我們的細胞在複製自己的基因時，會慢慢積累基因錯誤。

DNA over and over to make more of themselves.

DNA 一次又一次地製造更多的自己。

So over time, our cells can begin to malfunction, or they simply die without replicating, leaving no replacement.

是以，隨著時間的推移，我們的細胞可能會開始出現功能障礙，或者乾脆在沒有複製的情況下死亡，沒有替代品。

So aging is a gradual decline in function, and with it comes a higher risk of age-related illnesses, like heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders.

是以，衰老是一種功能逐漸衰退的過程，隨之而來的是罹患心臟病、癌症和神經退行性疾病等老年相關疾病的風險增高。

Modern medicine has gotten better at treating many of these diseases, but hasn't worked out how to stop aging in the first place.

現代醫學在治療許多這類疾病方面已經取得了進步，但還沒有研究出如何從根本上阻止衰老。

At least not yet.

至少現在還沒有。

But this is where NAD-PLUS enters the chat.

但這正是 NAD-PLUS 的優勢所在。

Our bodies are constantly making NAD-PLUS throughout our lives, and it's what scientists call a coenzyme, a molecule that helps enzymes do their job in the cell.

我們的身體在一生中不斷製造 NAD-PLUS，它被科學家稱為輔酶，是一種幫助酶在細胞中發揮作用的分子。

And this particular coenzyme supports several essential functions in every cell of your body.

這種特殊的輔酶支持人體每個細胞的多種基本功能。

NAD-PLUS plays a major part in DNA repair, inflammation reduction, and keeping your mitochondria working properly.

NAD-PLUS 在 DNA 修復、減少發炎和保持線粒體正常工作方面發揮著重要作用。

But as we get older, the amount of NAD-PLUS in our bodies drops.

但隨著年齡的增長，我們體內的 NAD-PLUS 數量會下降。

It's a totally natural process, but this decline contributes to the cellular damage and breakdown we see as aging.

這是一個完全自然的過程，但這種衰退會導致我們所看到的細胞損傷和衰老。

So scientists have a hypothesis that boosting a person's NAD-PLUS levels could be the key to combating the aging process.

是以，科學家們提出了一個假設，即提高人體內的 NAD-PLUS 水準可能是對抗衰老過程的關鍵。

And like all good scientists, they've been testing that hypothesis.

像所有優秀的科學家一樣，他們一直在測試這一假設。

Some researchers have focused on supplements that don't specifically contain NAD-PLUS, but one of two smaller molecules that our bodies can turn into NAD-PLUS.

一些研究人員關注的營養補充劑並不專門含有 NAD-PLUS，而是人體可以轉化為 NAD-PLUS 的兩種較小分子之一。

Their names are both mouthfuls, so we'll just go with NR and NMN.

它們的名字都很拗口，我們就用 NR 和 NMN 吧。

And that's because NAD-PLUS is a lot harder for your body to absorb.

這是因為 NAD-PLUS 更難被人體吸收。

It has to be injected directly into your bloodstream, but the precursor molecules can be taken in pill form.

它必須直接注射到血液中，但前體分子可以以藥片的形式服用。

So even if literally no one on the planet was afraid of needles, those pills could be a much cheaper anti-aging intervention, assuming the research proves the hypothesis correct.

是以，即使地球上沒有人害怕打針，這些藥片也可以成為一種更便宜的抗衰老幹預措施，前提是研究證明這一假設是正確的。

And the results of these supplements have been promising, at least if you're a lab animal.

這些補充劑的效果很好，至少如果你是實驗動物的話。

And if you're a human animal, you might be interested in these sponsors.

如果你是人類動物，你可能會對這些贊助商感興趣。

Thanks to Brilliant for supporting this SciShow video.

感謝 Brilliant 對 SciShow 視頻的支持。

One of the best things about SciShow and Brilliant is that you can access them anywhere with an internet connection.

SciShow 和 Brilliant 最棒的一點是，只要有網絡連接，您就可以在任何地方訪問它們。

Brilliant makes it easy to learn right on your phone with lessons you can complete whenever and wherever you feel like it.

Brilliant 可讓您在手機上輕鬆學習，隨時隨地完成課程。

And that's more often than you might think, because Brilliant's lessons are just minutes long.

這比你想象的要頻繁得多，因為 Brilliant 的課程只有短短几分鐘。

So you can finish one up while you're in the grocery checkout line, or waiting for your doctor's appointment, or before your friend meets you for coffee.

這樣，你就可以在買菜排隊結賬、等待看醫生或朋友約你喝咖啡之前吃完一份。

You can learn on the go at brilliant.org slash SciShow, the QR code on the screen, or the link in the description.

您可以通過 brilliant.org slash SciShow、螢幕上的二維碼或說明中的鏈接隨時學習。

You'll get 20% off an annual premium Brilliant subscription and the first 30 days for free.

訂閱 Brilliant 年度高級版可享受八折優惠，前 30 天免費。

In one paper from 2013, a team of scientists gave some geriatric mice daily doses of NMN for one week, and the mice wound up showing better muscle function.

在 2013 年的一篇論文中，一組科學家給一些老年小鼠每天注射一週的 NMN，結果這些小鼠的肌肉功能得到了改善。

Researchers have also carried out studies on tiny worms called C. elegans.

研究人員還對一種名為 "優雅"（C. elegans）的小蠕蟲進行了研究。

Testing on worms might sound a bit pointless, but these little creatures are actually pretty similar to us, biologically speaking.

在蠕蟲身上進行測試聽起來可能有點毫無意義，但從生物學角度來說，這些小生物實際上與我們非常相似。

We share many of the same genes and bodily processes, so scientists use them as a sort of simplified version of the human body to see what side effects certain drugs might have on us, both positive and negative.

我們有許多相同的基因和身體過程，是以科學家把它們當作人體的簡化版，來研究某些藥物可能對我們產生的副作用，包括正面和負面影響。

And increasing NAD plus levels in C. elegans worms, either by giving them precursor supplements or by genetically engineering them to maintain higher NAD plus levels in their bodies, appears to extend their life and delay certain age-related declines.

通過給 elegans 蠕蟲提供前體補充劑或通過基因工程使其體內保持較高的 NAD plus 水準來提高它們體內的 NAD plus 水準，似乎可以延長它們的壽命並延緩某些與年齡相關的衰退。

But despite all their similarities, mice and worms are not humans.

儘管小鼠和蠕蟲有很多相似之處，但它們都不是人類。

So the big question remains, does this promising research translate to us?

是以，最大的問題仍然是，這項前景光明的研究是否能轉化為我們的成果？

So far, the results in human trials have been encouraging, but limited.

迄今為止，人體試驗的結果令人鼓舞，但也很有限。

One study in middle-aged and older adults showed that taking NR supplements increased

一項針對中老年人的研究顯示，服用 NR 補充劑會增加

NAD plus levels without any significant side effects, and might have some potential for treating heart disease.

NAD 加水準，而不會產生任何明顯的副作用，可能具有治療心臟病的潛力。

Another trial, which used NMN instead, was in postmenopausal women with prediabetes.

另一項試驗則使用了 NMN，對象是患有糖尿病前期的絕經後婦女。

The women who took the supplement had better insulin sensitivity in their muscles compared to women who took a placebo.

與服用安慰劑的婦女相比，服用這種補充劑的婦女肌肉中的胰島素敏感性更高。

And back in 2022, a research team published a big analysis that looked at multiple studies to see what we could learn from all these findings put together.

早在 2022 年，一個研究小組就發表了一份大型分析報告，對多項研究進行了分析，看看我們能從所有這些研究結果中學到什麼。

They found that the supplements may help manage your cholesterol, and our cholesterol levels can get harder to manage as we age, although that's mostly because of how our lifestyles change as we age, not the aging itself.

他們發現，補充劑可以幫助控制膽固醇，而隨著年齡的增長，我們的膽固醇水準會變得越來越難以控制，不過這主要是因為我們的生活方式隨著年齡的增長而改變，而不是衰老本身。

Either way, I have to say may, because the decrease they found wasn't statistically significant.

無論如何，我都得說可能，因為他們發現的降幅在統計學上並不顯著。

But in more positive news, it appeared that the increasing NAD plus can reduce certain chemical signals associated with inflammation.

但更積極的消息是，NAD 的增加似乎可以減少某些與發炎相關的化學信號。

That's good, because chronic inflammation is linked to a wide range of diseases and health issues.

這是好事，因為慢性發炎與多種疾病和健康問題有關。

But while these studies show that boosting NAD plus in our aging bodies can do us some good, they fall short of the life extension promises seen in worms.

不過，儘管這些研究表明，在我們衰老的身體中增加 NAD 可以給我們帶來一些好處，但它們還達不到在蠕蟲身上看到的延長壽命的承諾。

Of course, that hasn't stopped the wellness industry from enthusiastically embracing

當然，這並不妨礙健康產業熱情擁抱

NAD plus as an anti-aging miracle.

作為抗衰老奇蹟的 NAD plus。

You can wander down the aisle of your local drugstore and pick up a bottle of non-FDA regulated NAD plus precursor right now.

您現在就可以在當地藥店的過道上買到一瓶非 FDA 監管的 NAD plus 前體。

Or if you've got even more money to burn, you could do what Jennifer Aniston told the

或者，如果你有更多的錢可以燒，你也可以像詹妮弗-安妮斯頓（Jennifer Aniston）對《紐約時報》說的那樣

Wall Street Journal she does, and get hooked up to a NAD plus IV drip.

她在《華爾街日報》上看到了這篇報道，並被掛上了 NAD 加靜脈點滴。

Luxury wellness centers currently offer NAD plus infusion treatments that'll set you back hundreds of dollars per session.

目前，豪華保健中心提供的 NAD 加點滴治療，每次療程需要花費數百美元。

The reality, however, is that we're still in the early days of understanding the full impact of boosting NAD plus levels in humans.

然而，現實情況是，我們對提高人體 NAD 加水準的全面影響的瞭解仍處於早期階段。

Whether or not NAD plus turns out to be our best bet against aging, what can we do to stave off the inevitable march of time?

無論 NAD plus 是否會成為我們對抗衰老的最佳選擇，我們又能做些什麼來阻止時間不可避免地流逝呢？

Well, instead of trying to extend our natural lifespan, we can try using well-established, if unglamorous, techniques to maximize our health span—the number of years we live in good health, free of chronic disease.

好吧，與其試圖延長我們的自然壽命，我們可以嘗試使用成熟的、雖然並不華麗的技術來最大限度地延長我們的健康壽命--我們健康地生活、沒有慢性疾病的年數。

And yes, I mean the boring stuff like eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, not smoking, and so forth.

是的，我指的是那些無聊的事情，比如健康飲食、定期鍛鍊、不吸菸等等。

Maybe just focus on the basics before splurging on NAD plus products.

也許在購買 NAD plus 產品之前，只需關注基礎知識。

Boosting NAD plus certainly isn't the magic bullet some companies are claiming it to be.

提升 NAD 值肯定不是某些公司宣稱的靈丹妙藥。

But maybe, just maybe, we've found a fancier way to help us live longer, if not forever.

但也許，只是也許，我們已經找到了一種更高級的方法來幫助我們延年益壽，甚至長生不老。