Supplement Comparison
This is one of the most divided topics. One view says skip both, since exercise and fasting boost NAD naturally. If you do supplement, NR has more safety data, while NMN may have a cellular uptake advantage.
The verdict on NMN & NAD+ overall
Mixed
NMN or NR supplements are worth taking.
11 sources: 2 positive, 4 partly, 5 negative
Each claim gets one verdict, worked out from every counted mention. One dot is one source: a researcher or a study. Tap a dot to see its receipt.
positive partly neutral negative Each researcher and each study counts once per claim, however often they come up.
NMN and NR products vary widely in stability and absorption.
No counted mention yet.
Researchers say
No researcher counted yet.
Studies show
No study counted yet.
Built from every credited researcher and cited study on each claim.
NMN or NR supplements are worth taking.
Dr. David Sinclair, 6 mentions on this claim
Positive Video
on FoundMyFitness, at 36:40 · positive
“If we're exercising, we're taking NAD boosters, we do slow that process down, I believe.”
on FoundMyFitness, at 1:04:31 · positive
“And that's a pretty big boost, I find, physiologically, those three things with caffeine included.”
on Huberman Lab, at 32:32 · positive
“Gave them NMN, and I think it was only six weeks later, they had offspring.”
on FoundMyFitness, at 55:55 · partly
“NR did not increase endurance, but NMN did.”
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 33:54 · partly
“the cell cells in the body take it up there's a transporter they get sucked up into cells and they immediately convert it into nad and we can see that there's a spike of nad produced after nmn after about two to three hours”
on Lifespan, at 31:41 · partly
“if you take NMN or NR, you can raise those levels back up, get your liver working again”
Mark Hyman, 4 mentions on this claim
Positive Video
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 27:59 · positive
“I like certain things like nmn which is helped support adad production”
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 06:38 · positive
“I take and amend about 900 milligrams a day which is a great dose of nmn”
on Huberman Lab, at 2:32:44 · positive
“it's an optimization tool because as you get older, NAD levels decline,”
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 32:05 · positive
“I take nmn form of a younger NN about 1,000 milligrams a day to support NAD production again this is really critical”
Researchers
Andrew Huberman, 2 mentions on this claim
Partly Video
on Huberman Lab, at 10:24 · positive
“it gives me a lot of sustained mental and physical energy throughout the day.”
on Huberman Lab, at 08:42 · partly
“I take 500 milligrams of NR. I also and have separately taken an NMN supplement. I take sublingual NMN. So I'll take anywhere from 1 to 2 grams of NMN as a sublingual powder”
Dr. Andrew Salzman, on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 55:27
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 55:27 →“nmn by itself is probably not the whole story”
Studies
David Sinclair, cited on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 25:47
Partly Study
Open the tape at 25:47 →“and they gave this old mice nmn and the mouse ran three kilometers and broke the treadmill”
McDermott, Northwestern, cited on FoundMyFitness, at 1:09:30
Partly Study
Open the tape at 1:09:30 →“found that the NR arm improved their six-minute walk test”
Researchers
Iñigo San-Millán, 2 mentions on this claim
Negative Video
on The Drive, at 2:34:03 · negative
“taking n is that going to increase longevity I don't think so that's my opinion”
on The Drive, at 02:19 · negative
“taking nad is that going to increase longevity i don't think so that's my opinion”
Eric Verdin, on The Drive, at 1:49:44
Negative Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 1:49:44 →“I do worry about the supplementation with the NR and NMN.”
Peter Attia, on The Drive, at 28:29
Negative Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 28:29 →“I kind of think this NAD stuff is noise at the moment”
Richard Miller, 2 mentions on this claim
Negative Video
on The Drive, at 1:51:47 · negative
“suggested that in our did not extend life span in our mice”
on The Drive, at 2:04:01 · negative
“we tested it and it didn't didn't work um that is it didn't extend Mouse lifespan”
Studies
Josh Rabinowitz, cited on The Drive, at 00:48
Negative Study
Open the tape at 00:48 →“I am completely unconvinced that taking supplemental and R or even nmn by mouth is doing anything other than enriching”
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FDA Status
NMN
Restricted — classified as investigational new drug, hard to buy
NR (Nicotinamide Riboside)
Available — commercially sold as dietary supplement (Niagen)
Safety Data
NMN
Limited human safety data. A cancer risk has been flagged
NR (Nicotinamide Riboside)
More extensive safety data. Generally well tolerated
Cellular Uptake
NMN
May have a specific shuttle for direct cell entry
NR (Nicotinamide Riboside)
Requires conversion — enters cells, converts to NMN, then to NAD+
ITP Results
NMN
Not tested in ITP
NR (Nicotinamide Riboside)
Failed to extend lifespan in genetically diverse mice in the ITP
Where the sources stand
NMN
Argued for at high doses and taken for energy; unproven for longevity
NR (Nicotinamide Riboside)
Preferred by some for its safety data; also taken for energy
Cost
NMN
$60-120/month for quality product
NR (Nicotinamide Riboside)
$40-80/month for Niagen brand
This is unresolved. The skeptical view is to skip both and put exercise and fasting first, since they raise NAD+ naturally. The enthusiastic view is high-dose NMN. A middle view: if you supplement, NR has more safety data, but both break down into nicotinamide, which can inhibit the sirtuins they are supposed to support. Some people take both for energy rather than proven longevity. If you are healthy and exercise regularly, the evidence does not support spending $60-120/month on either. If you have metabolic dysfunction or want to experiment, NR is the safer starting point.
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