Comparison
Clomiphene vs NMN
Side-by-side of Clomiphene and NMN. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Clomiphene
Clomiphene citrate raises LH/FSH and endogenous testosterone in men. SERM TRT alternative, 25 to 50 mg, fertility preserved, visual side effects flagged.
NMN
NMN supplements are oral nicotinamide mononucleotide capsules sold for longevity, energy, and metabolic health. They raise plasma NAD+ 30-90% at 250-1000.
Effects at a glance
Clomiphene
- •SERM that blocks estrogen-receptor negative feedback at the hypothalamus, raising LH and FSH
- •FDA approved 1967 for ovulation induction in anovulatory women at 50 to 100 mg cycle days 5 to 9
- •Off-label in men at 12.5 to 25 mg daily raises endogenous testosterone while preserving fertility
- •Enclomiphene (trans-isomer) is preferred for male use; cleaner PK and less estrogenic side effect burden
- •Visual disturbances occur in ~1 to 2% of users; persistent symptoms warrant immediate cessation
- •Letrozole has displaced clomiphene as first-line ovulation induction in PCOS (Legro 2014)
NMN
- •Plasma NAD+ rises 30-90% at 250-1000 mg/day across human PK studies
- •Tissue NAD+ rise is inconsistent across human trials (Yoshino 2021, Igarashi 2022)
- •No human trials measure hard endpoints (mortality, CV events, cancer); evidence is biomarker-only
- •Most trials cluster at 250-500 mg/day; dose-response above 250 mg/day is poorly characterized
- •FDA position contested; widely sold as supplement but with regulatory uncertainty
- •Marketing claims for fertility and longevity outrun the human trial evidence substantially
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Clomiphene | NMN |
|---|---|---|
| Category | pharmaceutical | supplement |
| Also known as | Clomid, clomiphene citrate, Serophene, enclomiphene | nicotinamide mononucleotide, beta-NMN |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 168 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 25 | 250 |
| Dosing frequency | 5-day pulse cycle days 5 to 9 (women); daily or every other day (men, off-label) | 1x daily, often morning |
| Routes | oral | oral, sublingual |
| Onset (hr) | 6 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 7 | 3 |
| Molecular weight | 405.96 | 334.22 |
| Molecular formula | C26H28ClNO | C11H15N2O8P |
| Mechanism | Selective estrogen receptor modulator that antagonizes estrogen at the hypothalamus and pituitary, increasing GnRH and gonadotropin output, which drives gonadal steroidogenesis. | Direct precursor in the NAD+ salvage pathway; converted to NAD+ by NMNAT enzymes in essentially every tissue. Raised NAD+ supports sirtuin and PARP enzyme activity. |
| Legal status | Prescription only (FDA approved for ovulation induction; off-label in men) | Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Rx only (not a controlled substance) | Not scheduled |
| Pregnancy | Category X; contraindicated in pregnancy | Insufficient data; precautionary avoidance |
| CAS | 911-45-5 | 1094-61-7 |
| PubChem CID | 1548953 | 14180 |
| Wikidata | Q416785 | Q418972 |
Safety profile
Clomiphene
Common side effects
- hot flushes
- mood changes
- abdominal discomfort
- breast tenderness
- visual disturbances (rare)
- headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active liver disease
- ovarian cysts (not PCOS-related)
- uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal disorder
- abnormal uterine bleeding of undetermined origin
- hormone-sensitive cancer
Interactions
- tamoxifen: competing SERM activity; not used together(moderate)
- ospemifene: competing SERM activity(moderate)
- anastrozole: additive estrogen reduction; sometimes combined in male protocols(minor)
- TRT (exogenous testosterone): TRT suppresses HPT axis that clomiphene targets; do not combine(moderate)
NMN
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- occasional headache
- flushing (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy and lactation (precautionary, no data)
- active cancer (theoretical concern, not evidence-based)
Interactions
- metformin: no clinically significant interaction documented; both modulate metabolism through different mechanisms(minor)
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical concern about supporting cancer cell proliferation; coordinate with oncology team(moderate)
- CD38 inhibitors: would amplify NMN-induced NAD+ rise; not clinically relevant for most users(minor)
Which Should You Take?
NMN comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Clomiphene is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is hormonal optimization, pick Clomiphene.
- → If your priority is fertility, pick Clomiphene.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick NMN.
- → If your priority is energy and stamina, pick NMN.
Edge case: Clomiphene is contraindicated in pregnancy; NMN is the safer pick if that applies.
Default choice: NMN. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Clomiphene only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Clomiphene and NMN?
Clomiphene and NMN differ in category (pharmaceutical vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Clomiphene or NMN?
Clomiphene half-life is 168 hours; NMN half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack Clomiphene with NMN?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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