NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a molecule every cell uses to turn food into energy and to repair DNA. Levels decline with age in some tissues, and animal research has made "NAD+ boosters" the headline product of the longevity market. Here is what is known in people, and what the rules allow.
The two precursors
NAD+ itself is poorly absorbed, so supplements use precursors the body converts into it:
- NR (nicotinamide riboside), sold mainly as a patented form;
- NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), sold by many brands.
What the human trials show
Controlled trials in people consistently show that NR and NMN raise NAD+ levels in the blood and are well tolerated at the doses studied. A 2018 trial in healthy middle-aged and older adults, for example, found NR raised NAD+ over six weeks without serious side effects. What the trials have not consistently shown is a clinical benefit: effects on muscle, metabolism, blood pressure or how people feel have been small, mixed or absent, and the trials have been short and small. Raising a blood marker is not the same as improving health.
What the rules allow
- United States. In 2022 the FDA said NMN could not be sold as a supplement because it had been studied as a drug first. In September 2025 the agency reversed that position, so NMN can again be sold as a dietary supplement.
- European Union. NMN is not authorized as a food or supplement ingredient. The European Food Safety Authority issued a positive safety opinion in May 2026; authorization usually follows some months after such an opinion. A form of NR is already authorized as a novel food.
Our view
We do not stock NMN or NR. The evidence for staples like magnesium, fiber, omega-3 and creatine is far stronger, and they cost a fraction as much. If you choose an NAD+ precursor, buy one with a certificate of analysis for identity and purity, and treat it as an experiment rather than a proven therapy.
Sources
- Martens CR et al., Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD+ in healthy middle-aged and older adults, Nature Communications, 2018.
- Venable LLP, FDA declares nicotinamide mononucleotide is lawful in dietary supplements, October 2025.
- NutraIngredients, EFSA gives positive safety opinion on NMN, May 2026.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement if you are pregnant or nursing, take medication, or have a medical condition.