Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal welcome Rachele Pojednic to the LIFTS Podcast for a clear-eyed look at one of the most talked-about molecules in modern wellness: NAD+. As IV drips, longevity clinics, and performance recovery suites proliferate, NAD has become the shorthand for anti-aging ambition — but how much of that reputation holds up under scrutiny?
Rachele, drawing on her role as Chief Science Officer at Restore Hyper Wellness, walks Matthew and Mo through exactly what NAD is, how it operates inside the body, and why the gap between consumer enthusiasm and scientific understanding matters enormously for operators and practitioners building longevity-focused businesses.
What This Episode Covers
Rachele Pojednic serves as Chief Science Officer at Restore Hyper Wellness, where she applies rigorous scientific thinking to the rapidly expanding world of wellness therapies. Her work sits at the intersection of exercise science, cellular biology, and consumer health — making her one of the most credible voices in an industry that often moves faster than the research supporting it.
At Restore Hyper Wellness, Rachele oversees the scientific framework behind treatments that range from IV drip therapies to performance recovery protocols, ensuring that clinical credibility keeps pace with consumer demand. Her ability to translate complex biology into practical guidance for both operators and members makes her a distinctive figure in the longevity space.
The LIFTS Podcast — co-hosted by Matthew Januszek and Mo Iqbal of SweatWorks — exists to bring exactly this kind of rigorous, industry-relevant conversation to fitness professionals. Rachele's appearance reflects LIFTS's commitment to covering not just trends, but the science and business logic behind them.
Key Moments from the Conversation
- NAD is a molecule central to cellular energy production, DNA repair, and metabolic function — its decline over time is a measurable biological reality, not a marketing construct.
- There are meaningful distinctions between NAD, NR (nicotinamide riboside), and NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), and Rachele explains why those differences matter for anyone selecting a therapy or product.
- Delivery method alone does not determine how effective a NAD-related therapy will be — the molecule selected and the underlying biology are equally important variables.
- Matthew and Mo share their own experiences with NAD treatments, opening a candid conversation about the difference between anecdotal outcomes and what the evidence actually supports.
- Wellness influencers play a significant role in shaping what consumers believe about longevity therapies, and that influence creates both opportunity and responsibility for businesses operating in the space.
- For gym and wellness operators integrating longevity services, this episode underscores why scientific validation, transparent consumer education, and responsible implementation are the foundations of long-term credibility.
- As wellness clinics become mainstream, the fitness industry faces a structural question: how to support consumer demand for these therapies while maintaining the safety standards and evidence-based practices that build lasting trust.
Why This Conversation Matters
For Matthew Januszek — who has spent his career building Escape Fitness into a global equipment brand and now driving Escape Fitness USA's next chapter in North America — the question of what longevity science means for the fitness industry is far from abstract. As gyms evolve from places you go to sweat into spaces that support total human health, understanding which therapies are worth integrating and which are worth avoiding is a genuine competitive differentiator.
LIFTS brings this kind of scrutiny to every episode: not to dampen enthusiasm for innovation, but to ensure that the industry's growing role in preventative health is built on something durable. The NAD conversation with Rachele Pojednic is a precise example of why that editorial standard matters.
▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube
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About Matthew Januszek
Matthew Januszek is the co-founder of Escape Fitness, the functional-training equipment brand he built from a UK startup into a global name supplying many of the world’s leading gyms, studios, and hotel fitness spaces. Following the separation of the UK and US businesses, Matthew’s focus today is Escape Fitness USA and the next chapter of the brand in North America. He hosted more than 300 episodes of the Escape Your Limits podcast and now co-hosts the LIFTS Podcast with SweatWorks founder Mohammed Iqbal, covering the business, science, and technology shaping the fitness industry. Explore more interviews and episodes on MatthewJanuszek.com.
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