NAD+ Precursors: NR vs NMN

NAD+ declines by ~50% between age 20 and 50. Both nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) elevate NAD+ in humans. But the evidence for downstream benefits is thinner than the marketing suggests.

What's Established

Both reliably raise blood NAD+ ~40–90% in human RCTs. Both have excellent safety profiles. Both cost more than they probably should.

NR

NR has more human RCT data — Trammell 2016, Martens 2018, Dollerup 2018. Cardiovascular markers (BP, arterial stiffness) showed modest improvements at 500–1,000 mg/day.

NMN

NMN is one biosynthetic step closer to NAD+. The Yoshino 2021 *Science* paper showed improved aerobic capacity and skeletal muscle function in postmenopausal women at 250 mg/day.

What's Not Established

Lifespan extension in humans. Most rodent studies show benefits at doses that scale to ~10x typical human supplementation doses.

A Reasonable Approach

Pair either NR 500 mg or NMN 500 mg AM with pterostilbene 100 mg (sirtuin activator) and resveratrol 250 mg with fat. Track subjective energy and HRV if you measure it. Re-evaluate after 90 days.