Written by the Nuvirox Research Team
Key points
- A small, decades-old human trial tested topical NAD+ in psoriasis patients and found it cosmetically acceptable with some clinical improvement.
- Newer preclinical research on nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) shows it calms psoriasis-like inflammation in mice via the SIRT1 pathway.
- None of this evidence involves oral NR supplementation, and psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune-driven condition that needs dermatology-guided management.
Short answer: there's genuine but old, small, and topical human evidence, plus newer mouse data — not proof that an oral NAD+ supplement changes psoriasis.
Why would NAD+ matter for psoriasis?
Psoriasis involves hyperproliferation of skin cells (keratinocytes) and an overactive inflammatory immune response. Researchers have found that NADH fluorescence — a marker of NAD+ pathway activity — is diminished in psoriatic skin lesions, and that NAD+ decline is associated with the pro-inflammatory state that characterizes psoriatic plaques. Since NAD+-dependent SIRT1 normally helps restrain excessive inflammation and keratinocyte overgrowth, the working hypothesis is that restoring NAD+ signaling in psoriatic skin could calm both processes.
What does the evidence actually show?
The oldest and most direct human data point is a study testing a topical, Vaseline-based NAD+ formulation in 37 psoriasis patients, which found the treatment cosmetically acceptable and associated with clinical observations worth further study (Wozniacka et al., Skin Pharmacol Physiol, 2007). Separately, topical nicotinamide combined with calcipotriol outperformed either ingredient alone in a randomized comparative trial for mild-to-moderate psoriasis, and a related randomized trial found 4% topical nicotinamide alone produced statistically reliable improvement with minimal side effects. On the preclinical side, a 2024 study found that nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), applied both orally and topically in a mouse psoriasis model, reduced epidermal hyperproliferation, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress by activating the SIRT1 pathway.
Study snapshot: Topical NAD+ in psoriasis (Wozniacka 2007)
| Design | Open clinical evaluation, human patients |
| N | 37 psoriasis patients |
| Route | Topical (Vaseline-based) NAD+ formulation |
| Finding | Cosmetically acceptable, associated with clinical observations warranting further study |
The honest counterweight
The strongest human evidence here is small, uncontrolled by modern standards, and nearly 20 years old, and it tested a topical formulation, not a swallowed supplement. Psoriasis today is typically managed with much more effective, better-studied options — topical corticosteroids, vitamin D analogues, and especially biologic therapies targeting IL-17 or IL-23, which have transformed outcomes for moderate-to-severe disease in a way no NAD+ precursor research comes close to matching. Extrapolating "a topical NAD+ gel showed some benefit in 37 people in 2007" to "an NAD+ capsule will improve your psoriasis" skips several steps.
When to see a doctor
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition linked to increased cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk, not just a cosmetic skin issue. If you have psoriasis, ongoing dermatology care (and sometimes rheumatology, given the joint-disease overlap with psoriatic arthritis) is the appropriate foundation of treatment.
What's actually proven to help
Topical corticosteroids and vitamin D analogues for mild disease, phototherapy for more widespread involvement, and systemic or biologic therapy for moderate-to-severe psoriasis all have robust trial evidence. Topical niacinamide-containing moisturizers are reasonable, low-risk adjuncts for barrier support alongside these treatments.
How does this compare to other inflammatory skin conditions?
Psoriasis shares inflammatory mechanisms with other skin conditions covered in this research area, including eczema and, as covered separately, rosacea — in all three, NAD+-dependent sirtuin activity is implicated in restraining excess keratinocyte inflammation, even though the specific supporting trials differ in quality and directness. If oral NAD+ precursor supplementation for general skin and cellular health is what actually interests you (rather than psoriasis treatment specifically), it's worth understanding the broader safety picture at our page on NAD+ supplement side effects, since psoriasis patients are sometimes on immunosuppressive biologic therapies where supplement interactions deserve a conversation with your prescribing physician.
The NAMPT-mediated NAD+ salvage pathway specifically has been shown in gene-expression studies to be elevated in psoriatic skin, amplifying epithelial autoinflammatory responses — an interesting nuance suggesting the relationship between NAD+ metabolism and psoriasis may be more complicated than simple "more NAD+ is better" framing, and another reason the topical trials described above, rather than assumptions about oral supplementation, are the most reliable evidence to lean on.
One more comparison point worth having: unlike psoriasis, where topical niacinamide has decades-old direct trial support, most modern psoriasis treatment advances have come from biologic drugs targeting specific inflammatory cytokines (IL-17, IL-23, TNF-alpha) rather than from vitamin or nutrient-based approaches. That gap in research investment and modern trial quality is part of why NAD+ precursor research for psoriasis specifically has stayed fairly static since the mid-2000s, even as psoriasis treatment overall has advanced dramatically.
If psoriasis affects your scalp, palms, soles, or nails specifically, treatment response and appropriate options can differ meaningfully from plaque psoriasis on the trunk or limbs, which is part of why the topical trials described above (conducted mostly on general body plaques) may not generalize evenly across every psoriasis presentation. A dermatologist can help match a treatment plan to your specific pattern of disease.
It's also worth understanding that psoriasis severity is usually tracked using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), the same scoring tool used in the NMN mouse study discussed above, which gives researchers a standardized way to compare results across different studies and species, even though translating a mouse PASI-equivalent score to meaningful human outcomes still requires the kind of large human trial that hasn't been conducted yet for NMN specifically.
If you're managing psoriasis with a biologic or other systemic therapy already, that treatment plan — built on much larger, more rigorous trials than anything cited in this article — should remain your primary approach, with topical niacinamide products considered, if at all, as a minor, low-risk addition rather than a substitute.
Tracking flare patterns alongside any new topical product or supplement addition can help you and your dermatologist figure out what's actually driving changes in your skin over time, rather than guessing after the fact once a flare has already started.
Bring that record with you to your next dermatology appointment for a more productive conversation.
Frequently asked questions
Can an oral NAD+ supplement clear up psoriasis?
There's no trial evidence for that. The existing human data is topical, small, and decades old.
Is topical niacinamide worth trying for psoriasis?
It's a low-risk, reasonable adjunct for skin barrier support, though it shouldn't replace prescribed treatments for active plaques.
How does NMN research fit in?
It's promising mouse-model data on a plausible mechanism (SIRT1 activation), but it hasn't been tested in human psoriasis patients yet.
From Nuvirox
Why we formulated NAD+ Restore
NAD+ Restore isn't formulated to address this specific condition, but if you're also interested in general cellular energy and healthy-aging support, here's what's in it.
- 500 mg Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride (NR) — one of the two most-researched NAD+ precursors, within the dose range used in published human trials
- 150 mg trans-resveratrol (Japanese Knotweed) + 50 mg quercetin (Sophora japonica) — polyphenols studied alongside NAD+ pathways for cellular health support
- 10 mg galactomannans from fenugreek — to support absorption
- 60-day money-back guarantee — long enough to actually evaluate it the way the research says you should
The bottom line: NAD+ biology plausibly intersects with psoriasis pathology, and there's real if dated topical human evidence and newer mouse data to back that up — but nothing here supports oral NAD+ supplementation as a psoriasis treatment. Dermatology-guided care remains the evidence-backed path.
References
- Wozniacka A, et al. In search for new antipsoriatic agents: NAD topical composition. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2007;20(1):37-42. PMID: 17035720.
- The Role of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Supplementation in Psoriasis Treatment. Biomolecules. 2024. PMCID: PMC10886094.
- Topical nicotinamide in combination with calcipotriol for the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis: a double-blind, randomized, comparative study.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.