If you are building a longevity routine, chances are two ingredients keep showing up on your radar: NAD+ and collagen. One powers your cells from the inside; the other supports the structural proteins that keep your skin firm, your joints flexible, and your bones strong. Both decline with age. Both matter deeply for women over thirty-five. So can you take them together? Not only can you, there is a strong argument that you should. Here is why these two ingredients are more powerful in combination than either one alone. What NAD+ does that collagen cannot NAD+ operates at the deepest level of cellular function. It is the coenzyme your mitochondria need to produce energy, the fuel for DNA repair enzymes, and the activator of sirtuins, the proteins that regulate aging, inflammation, and gene expression. When your NAD+ levels are healthy, your cells can repair damage efficiently, produce energy consistently, and maintain the metabolic balance that keeps your body running well. When NAD+ declines, which it does by an estimated fifty percent between your twenties and forties, every system downstream is affected: energy, cognition, immunity, and your skin. The critical point is that NAD+ does not directly supply structural proteins. It creates the cellular conditions for your body to build and maintain them. This is where collagen comes in. What collagen does that NAD+ cannot Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It forms the scaffolding of your skin, the cushioning in your joints, the strength of your hair and nails, and part of the framework of your bones. After twenty-five, your body produces about one percent less collagen each year, and that decline accelerates after menopause because of falling estrogen levels. Supplementing with collagen, particularly marine collagen peptides that have high bioavailability, provides your body with the raw building blocks it needs to rebuild collagen structures. Clinical studies show that collagen peptide supplementation can improve skin elasticity, hydration, and the appearance of fine lines within eight to twelve weeks. However, collagen on its own does not address why your body is producing less collagen in the first place. Collagen synthesis requires cellular energy, healthy DNA expression, and functioning fibroblasts, the cells in your skin that actually produce collagen. All of these depend on NAD+. Recommended by Happy Aging Liquid Marine Collagen Science-backed formula designed for women over 40. Try Liquid Marine Collagen — from $60/month → The synergy: why taking both makes sense When you combine NAD+ support with collagen supplementation, you are working on two complementary levels. NAD+ restores the cellular energy and repair capacity your body needs to use the collagen building blocks you are providing. It activates sirtuins that protect fibroblasts from oxidative damage, powers the mitochondria that fuel collagen production, and supports the DNA repair mechanisms that keep your skin cells functioning like younger versions of themselves. Collagen provides the specific amino acids and peptides your body needs to rebuild the structural proteins that keep skin firm, joints comfortable, and bones strong. Think of it this way: NAD+ optimizes the factory, and collagen supplies the raw materials. Without both, the results are incomplete. This is why many women notice that their skin focused supplements seem to work better when they add NAD+ support. Their cells are simply better equipped to use the nutrients they are receiving. How to combine them in your routine There are no known interactions between NAD+ precursors and collagen supplements, so combining them is straightforward. A simple approach is to take your NAD+ supplement in the morning with breakfast alongside healthy fats for absorption and your collagen later in the day, or the other way around. Some women prefer to take collagen on an empty stomach or in a morning smoothie for optimal peptide absorption, while others mix it into coffee or an evening beverage. If you want to streamline your routine, look for formulas that combine both. Happy Aging products are designed to work as a system: the NAD+ Longevity Protocol provides comprehensive cellular support, while the Glow Shot delivers marine collagen peptides optimized for skin health. Taking both creates a complete inside out approach to aging well. Timing tips for the combination: take your NAD+ formula in the morning for energy and metabolic support. Add collagen whenever it fits your routine, because consistency matters more than the exact hour. Give the combination at least eight weeks to see meaningful results in your skin, energy, and overall vitality.
