Inflammaging is the slow, low-grade inflammation that builds up as we age, even without an infection. Unlike the inflammation that heals a cut, it lingers and contributes to heart disease, metabolic problems, and frailty. The encouraging part is that you can influence it. Exercise, sleep, and omega-3s have measurable effects on inflammatory markers, and the biology connects directly to NAD+.
What Is Inflammaging?
Researchers coined the term to describe a pattern seen across older adults. According to a widely cited review in Nature Reviews Endocrinology, aging brings chronic, sterile, low-grade inflammation that contributes to age-related disease. “Sterile” means no infection is needed to trigger it.
Acute inflammation is useful. It sends immune cells to wounds and invaders, then shuts off. Inflammaging never fully shuts off, and doctors track it through blood markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha).
What Drives Chronic Inflammation as You Age?
The same review describes several sources: leftover cell debris and misplaced molecules, nutrient excess, and the gut microbiota. When excess nutrients keep the immune system switched on, researchers call the result metaflammation.
Aging cells add fuel. Senescent cells stop dividing but stay active, and they release inflammatory signals known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, or SASP. Our guide to senescent cells and senolytics covers this in more detail, including compounds such as fisetin and quercetin that researchers are studying.
Why Inflammaging Matters for Healthspan
The strongest proof that inflammation does real damage comes from the CANTOS trial. In 10,061 people with prior heart attacks and elevated CRP, a drug that blocks interleukin-1 beta lowered recurrent cardiovascular events without changing cholesterol.
The trial also carries a caution. The drug was linked to a higher rate of fatal infection, because inflammation is part of your defenses. The goal is not to switch inflammation off. It is to calm the chronic, unhelpful kind while leaving the protective kind intact.
Inflammaging and NAD+: A Connection Worth Knowing
This is where inflammaging meets the NAD+ story. In a Nature Metabolism study, senescent cells in aging mice released SASP signals that pushed macrophages to produce more CD38, an enzyme that breaks down NAD+. The result was lower NAD+ in tissues such as fat and liver.
That ties chronic inflammation to the decline we describe in our article on the CD38 problem. A reasonable hypothesis follows: calmer inflammation may help preserve NAD+, and NAD+ precursors supply raw material. Whether NMN or NR reduces inflammaging in people has not been established.
How to Lower Chronic Inflammation Naturally
Exercise is a strong place to start. A meta-analysis of 11 trials in 1,250 middle-aged and older adults found that aerobic exercise reduced CRP, TNF-alpha, and IL-6, though individual trials varied. Our guide to exercise and NAD+ covers how to apply it.
Sleep deserves attention too, and our guide to sleep and NAD+ offers practical steps. Avoiding chronic overnutrition also makes sense, given its role in metaflammation.
Do Omega-3 Supplements Help With Inflammaging?
They have some of the better supplement evidence. A meta-analysis of 68 randomized trials and 4,601 people found that marine omega-3s lowered TNF-alpha, IL-6, and CRP. The effect weakened in people with a BMI above 30, which suggests that body weight and supplements work together. Dose matters, since higher amounts carry tradeoffs for some people.
Taking Action Against Inflammaging
Start with the foundations: regular exercise, consistent sleep, and a healthy weight. Then ask your doctor about a high-sensitivity CRP test so you have a baseline, and repeat it over time. Add supplements only where the evidence supports them, and treat them as support rather than a substitute.
Inflammaging Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Inflammaging in Simple Terms?
Inflammaging is the chronic, low-grade inflammation that develops as people age, even without an infection. Unlike the short burst of inflammation that heals a cut, it lingers quietly and contributes to age-related disease.
Can You Reverse Inflammaging?
Not entirely, but you can lower it. Trials show that exercise and omega-3 supplementation can reduce blood markers like CRP and IL-6. No one has shown a complete reversal, so focus on steady, measurable improvement.
Does Omega-3 Reduce Chronic Inflammation?
A meta-analysis of 68 trials found that marine omega-3 supplements lowered CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. The effect weakened in people with a BMI above 30. Discuss dose with your doctor, since higher doses carry tradeoffs.
How Do I Test for Chronic Inflammation?
Ask your doctor about a high-sensitivity CRP blood test. Recent illness or injury can raise CRP temporarily, so a trend across several tests tells you more than one reading.