Is HRT + NAD the Secret Sauce for Women in Midlife?

Last week, when I was in Mexico, I shared a few images of myself in a bikini and (not surprisingly, given how hyper-focused our society is on women’s sizes), I was inundated with messages like: “What are you doing? You look so toned.” So I wanted to share a little more openly here about some changes I’ve made.

I never want to be the kind of person who encourages people to try a certain diet, workout, or “wellness trend.” But I also don’t want to be misleading or keep secrets when I’ve made real changes that others are asking about.

I shared in this week’s podcast that I’m feeling healthy, strong, and like “myself” again—physically and mentally. Honestly, I feel the best I’ve felt in over a decade. But it was a long road to get here.

Between perimenopause, my hysterectomy, and honestly just the stress of everyday life, the past few years took a toll on my body. I wouldn’t say I wasn’t doing “well,” per se, but I had more sleepless nights than I’d like, more anxiety, and truthfully, I just didn’t recognize myself when I looked in the mirror.

Over the past 18 months, I’ve slowly added hormone replacement therapy (HRT) into the mix, and it’s helped me in a big way, both physically and mentally. However, what I think has had just as significant an impact has been the addition of NAD this spring and summer.

---

Why I Was Hesitant to Share This

I’ve been reluctant to talk about NAD here because I’m pretty “anti” biohacking. I don’t love how obsessive our society has become with wellness culture and the constant pressure to self-optimize and self-perfect. In many cases, I think it causes more stress and anxiety than it relieves. So please know that I’m not sharing this lightly.

I still believe very strongly that you can’t supplement or biohack your way into true well-being (and I’ll get into more of that in a minute).

But, with that said, I’ve seen real changes in my body: in muscle tone, in joint pain, and surprisingly, in my overall anxiety. So I wanted to share my experience in the hope that it might be helpful for one or two women who are curious.

---

My Intro to NAD

Since moving to California a few years ago, I’ve been seeing the same OB and nurse practitioner—two women I really love and trust. They helped me through my hysterectomy and continue to monitor my HRT. So we have a relationship and trust that I think are really important.

Over the past year, I’d been struggling with chronic back pain (something I’ve dealt with for over a decade), and this year it started getting worse.

I casually mentioned it to my OB at a recent visit. She suggested an MRI, referred me to a specialist, and then brought up NAD. She said she’d been seeing great results among her patients for everything from injury recovery to overall inflammation and even anxiety.

I’d heard of it, but I wasn’t really open to it until that conversation.

---

What is NAD (and why are you hearing about it everywhere)?

NAD stands for Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide — a coenzyme found in all living cells. It plays a crucial role in cellular function and energy metabolism. Here’s a quick breakdown of what it does:

• Cellular Energy: NAD helps convert food into energy by supporting mitochondrial function (your cells’ “power plants”).
• DNA Repair: It supports cellular repair and DNA damage response.
• Anti-Aging & Longevity: NAD levels naturally decline as we age, and low levels are linked to fatigue, brain fog, and metabolic issues.
• Sirtuin Activation: NAD activates proteins (called sirtuins) that are linked to healthy aging, inflammation regulation, and cellular stress response.

A lot of women in midlife are using it to help with energy, brain function, inflammation, recovery from stress and burnout, and hormone-related changes.

---

How Do You Take It (and What I Did)

There are a lot of differing opinions on how to take NAD, and I’m not claiming to be an expert, and to be honest, I’m not sure the research is clear on any of it – so I’ll just share what I know, and my personal experience.

• NAD IVs: Research shows these have low bioavailability and can put a lot of stress on the body, often with more side effects than benefits.
• Oral Supplements: You can’t take NAD directly in pill form, but you can take precursors like NR and NMN. There are mixed reviews on how effective they are at actually increasing NAD levels.
• Injections: This is what I did. I took three injections per week of 15 mg (a very low dose – typical doses range from 10 to 200+ mg) for about a month. This seems to have the most bioavailability (meaning your body can actually absorb it and use it), while also not putting a lot of stress on the body. 15 mg is very low.

NAD is also something that needs to be cycled. You take it for a period of time, then take a break. I’m currently on a break (but am considering another round this fall).

My Honest Results

I’m not sure it was the placebo effect or not, but within the first week or so of starting the injections, I noticed that my back wasn’t as tender. I always struggled to tie my shoes in the morning before heading out for my daily walk, and within the first week of taking the injections, I noticed that I could reach my foot and tie my shoe without feeling a strain in my lower back. Coincidence? Maybe.

I also started to notice more muscle definition, espeically in my arms and legs. I’ve been lifting heavy(ish) weights 4-5 x week for the past year or so, but finally really started to see a difference in my body composition this summer. Maybe it is just a coincidence, and I was starting to finally build up some muscle? I’m not sure.

I also coincidentally noticed a decrease in my anxiety. My mind felt clearer, sharper, more awake. It wasn’t a huge change, but there was definitely a noticeable difference in my energy, demeanor, and cognitive function.

I also felt less inflamed. My skin wasn’t quite as red or puffy. I just overall felt a sense of energy and vitality, and it made me want to get up and move. It was like a little kick in the pants.

The Full Picture

There are, of course, other things that I contribute to this new feeling, all of which I get into here.

I never want to mislead anyone into thinking that feeling good in our skin is as simple as taking one peptide. I believe NAD helped me because I was already primed for it. I was sleeping well, getting out in nature and off my phone, sober, and lowering my stress. We can take all the supplements or biohack all we want, but if our mind/body isn’t already in a good place, it doesn’t matter.

So I want to be clear: this didn’t happen in a vacuum.

What’s Next

Overall, I think trying NAD was a very positive experience. I’m torn on whether I’ll do another round.

On one hand, I feel good, and I know NAD levels decline with age, so I’m aware that the effects will wear off her shortly. But on the other hand, I just don’t love the idea of needing something injectable. I don’t know why, but there’s a bit of a mental block there I’m still unpacking. I’m trusting my body and that if I feel like I need it again, I’ll know.

Right now, I’m just really grateful for the renewed vitality, strength, and calm I felt this summer. And that feels like enough.

---

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, if you’ve ever considered or tried NAD – or what other things you’re doing in this stage of life to feel your best. I’m in a season where I’m trying to be grateful for the privilege of aging and accepting my body’s changes, while balancing that with feeling healthy and strong. Would love to hear from you on this topic

Leave a comment

Oh, and while I have you here, I wanted to share a few exciting things with you.

One, our Panama Women’s Retreat happening next March is beginning to fill up and I would love to see you there. This retreat is for any woman seeking to deepen her personal development journey and return home with a new foundation of well-being.

And two, I am opening up space for a few women this fall for one-on-one coaching. If this is something you’d be interested in, you can schedule a free discovery call with me here.