Nicotinamide Riboside vs Oral NAD+
How nicotinamide riboside and oral NAD+ differ in potency, absorption, tolerance, and cost.
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Side by Side
| Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) | NAD+ (Oral or Sublingual) | |
|---|---|---|
| Absorption | Variable | Low |
| How it is absorbed | Raises whole-blood NAD+ in a dose-dependent way in humans. Much of an oral dose is converted to nicotinamide before reaching tissues. | Largely broken down in the gut to nicotinamide and other small precursors before absorption. Sublingual absorption claims lack published human pharmacokinetics. |
| Typical dose | 250-1,000 mg daily | Per product |
| Common uses | NAD+ support | marketed for energy |
| Side effects | None consistent in trials up to 2 g daily. | None reported at supplement doses. |
| Cost | High | High |
| Also called | Niagen, nicotinamide riboside chloride | NAD, NADH |
When to Choose Nicotinamide Riboside (NR)
Choose nicotinamide riboside when you want the best-characterized NAD+ precursor. The precursor with the most human pharmacokinetic data. Trials in obese men found no improvement in insulin sensitivity.
Nicotinamide Riboside (NR)
The best-characterized precursor. Reliably raises blood NAD+; clinical benefit is unproven.
What to look for: Niagen or nicotinamide riboside chloride, 250-1,000 mg daily, with third-party testing.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkWhen to Choose NAD+ (Oral or Sublingual)
There is rarely a reason to choose oral NAD+: NR or NMN are better documented. Paying for intact NAD+ buys nicotinamide after digestion.
NAD+ (Oral or Sublingual)
There is rarely a reason to choose oral NAD+: NR or NMN are better documented.
What to look for: NAD+ named on the Supplement Facts panel, with the amount per serving stated.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkProducts on Titrate
200 of the 214,745 labels in the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database list NMN and NAD+ as an active ingredient (144 on market). 121 are sold as NMN and NAD+ products by name.
NMN and NAD+ does not have its own search category yet. Each product above links to its full label in the NIH database.
Related
References
Chen AC, Martin AJ, Choy B, et al. A phase 3 randomized trial of nicotinamide for skin-cancer chemoprevention. N Engl J Med. 2015;373(17):1618-1626.
Trammell SA, Schmidt MS, Weidemann BJ, et al. Nicotinamide riboside is uniquely and orally bioavailable in mice and humans. Nat Commun. 2016;7:12948.
Martens CR, Denman BA, Mazzo MR, et al. Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD+ in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Nat Commun. 2018;9(1):1286.
Dollerup OL, Christensen B, Svart M, et al. A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of nicotinamide riboside in obese men: safety, insulin-sensitivity, and lipid-mobilizing effects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(2):343-353.
Yoshino M, Yoshino J, Kayser BD, et al. Nicotinamide mononucleotide increases muscle insulin sensitivity in prediabetic women. Science. 2021;372(6547):1224-1229.
Pencina KM, Lavu S, Dos Santos M, et al. MIB-626, an oral formulation of a microcrystalline unique polymorph of beta-nicotinamide mononucleotide, increases circulating nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and its metabolome in middle-aged and older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2023;78(1):90-96.