We explain what sirtuins (SIRT1-7) do, how NAD+ fits in, and how much evidence stands behind resveratrol, NMN and other ways people try to switch them on.
The sirtuins, SIRT1 to SIRT7, are enzymes that depend on NAD+ and take part in metabolism, DNA repair and stress responses. Studies in yeast, worms and mice tied them to lifespan. No supplement, though, has been shown to activate sirtuins in a way that slows aging in people. Experts debate whether resveratrol directly activates SIRT1 in the body. NMN raises NAD+ in blood in small human trials, but benefits further down the line haven't been proven.
There are seven sirtuin enzymes, SIRT1 to SIRT7. Each strips chemical tags, mostly acetyl groups, off other proteins, which turns those proteins' activity up or down. NAD+ powers the process. Work in yeast, worms and mice connected sirtuins with lifespan and metabolic health, and that made them a leading focus of longevity research.
Resveratrol was heavily marketed as a SIRT1 activator, and in mice fed a high-fat diet it improved metabolic health (Lagouge et al., 2006, Cell). Whether it directly activates SIRT1 in the body remains debated, since some early findings were partly an artifact of the lab assay. In people, a 2024 meta-analysis on metabolic syndrome reported lower blood pressure, no change in HDL cholesterol or waist size, and higher triglycerides. It described the results as borderline.
NMN and NR raise blood NAD+ in small human trials. Sirtuins consume NAD+, so the thinking is that more of it supports sirtuin activity. Meaningful health benefits in people haven't been shown. Combining NMN with resveratrol is a hypothesis from lab research, and no human trial has found the pair works better than either one by itself.
Calorie restriction and exercise change sirtuin activity in animal studies. Both have well-established health benefits for other reasons.
One daily capsule of GenuinePurity Longevity+ holds 250 mg NMN, 100 mg trans-resveratrol, 200 mg CoQ10, 2 mg cycloastragenol and 100 mcg selenium. Nobody has trialed the formula itself, and its resveratrol dose sits at the low end of what human studies have used.