What sirtuins (SIRT1-7) are, why they need NAD+, and what the evidence really shows about resveratrol, NMN and other ways people try to activate them.
Sirtuins (SIRT1 to SIRT7) are a family of NAD+-dependent enzymes involved in metabolism, DNA repair and stress responses. They were linked to lifespan in yeast, worms and mice, but no supplement has been shown to activate sirtuins in a way that slows aging in people. Whether resveratrol directly activates SIRT1 in the body is debated, and NMN raises blood NAD+ in small human trials without proven downstream benefits.
Sirtuins are a family of seven enzymes (SIRT1 to SIRT7) that remove chemical tags, usually acetyl groups, from other proteins and so switch their activity up or down. They use NAD+ to do this. Research in yeast, worms and mice linked sirtuins to lifespan and metabolic health, which made them a major target of longevity research.
Resveratrol was widely promoted as a SIRT1 activator, and it improved metabolic health in high-fat-fed mice (Lagouge et al., 2006, Cell). But whether it directly activates SIRT1 in the body is debated; some early results were partly an artifact of the lab test used. In people, a 2024 meta-analysis on metabolic syndrome found lower blood pressure, no change in HDL cholesterol or waist size, and higher triglycerides, and called the results borderline.
NMN and NR raise NAD+ in blood in small human trials. Because sirtuins use NAD+, the idea is that more NAD+ supports sirtuin activity, but this hasn't been shown to produce meaningful health benefits in people. Pairing NMN with resveratrol is a hypothesis from lab research; no human trial has shown the combination works better than either alone.
Calorie restriction and exercise influence sirtuin activity in animal studies, and both have well-established health benefits for other reasons.
GenuinePurity Longevity+ combines 250 mg NMN, 100 mg trans-resveratrol, 200 mg CoQ10, 2 mg cycloastragenol and 100 mcg selenium in one daily capsule. No trial has tested the formula, and its resveratrol dose is at the low end of human studies.