Comparison
Fisetin vs Nicotinamide Riboside
Side-by-side of Fisetin and Nicotinamide Riboside. 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.
Fisetin
Fisetin is a flavonoid found in strawberries with senolytic activity in mouse models. Hickson 2019 confirmed senescent-cell clearance in human adipose tissue.
Nicotinamide Riboside
Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is the most-studied NAD+ precursor in humans. Sold as Niagen by Chromadex; raises plasma NAD+ 30-60% at 250-1,000 mg/day.
Effects at a glance
Fisetin
- •Flavonoid found in strawberries; most potent natural senolytic in screening assays (Yousefzadeh 2018)
- •Hickson 2019 confirmed reduced senescent-cell burden in human adipose tissue at 20 mg/kg pulsed for 2 days
- •Pulsed Mayo protocol (20 mg/kg/day x 2 days monthly) is the only dose with human biomarker evidence
- •Daily low-dose (100-500 mg) is mechanistically weaker but commonly used
- •Low oral bioavailability; with-fat dosing modestly improves absorption
- •Active cancer is a relative contraindication pending clearer polyphenol-treatment data
Nicotinamide Riboside
- •Most-studied NAD+ precursor in human trials; the original Niagen formulation by Chromadex
- •Plasma NAD+ rises 30-60% at 250-1,000 mg/day across multiple human PK trials
- •Martens 2018 reported reduced BP and arterial stiffness at 500 mg/day for 6 weeks
- •Dollerup 2018 found no insulin sensitivity change despite plasma NAD+ rise
- •Tissue NAD+ rise inconsistent; hard clinical endpoints not yet measured
- •Larger human safety database than NMN; comparable mechanistic effects
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Fisetin | Nicotinamide Riboside |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | supplement |
| Also known as | 3,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone | NR, Niagen, nicotinamide riboside chloride |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 2 | 8 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | pulsed 2 days/month (Mayo protocol) or daily continuous (empirical) | daily, typically morning |
| Routes | oral | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 4 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 286.24 | 255.25 |
| Molecular formula | C15H10O6 | C11H15N2O5 |
| Mechanism | Senolytic via Bcl-2 family inhibition (Bcl-xL, Bcl-w); broad polyphenol with Nrf2 activation, mTOR inhibition at high concentrations, and antioxidant effects. | NAD+ precursor via salvage pathway. Phosphorylated to NMN by nicotinamide riboside kinase (NRK), then converted to NAD+. Substrate for sirtuins, PARPs, and CD38. |
| Legal status | OTC dietary supplement | OTC dietary supplement |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data | Insufficient data at supplement doses |
| CAS | 528-48-3 | 1341-23-7 |
| PubChem CID | 5281614 | 439924 |
| Wikidata | Q230614 | Q3343054 |
Safety profile
Fisetin
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- active cancer (theoretical, polyphenol interactions)
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
- concurrent CYP3A4-sensitive medications
Interactions
- statins (CYP3A4 substrates): theoretical reduction in statin clearance at high fisetin doses(minor)
- warfarin: theoretical CYP-mediated interaction; monitor INR if combining(moderate)
- other senolytics (rapamycin, dasatinib + quercetin): additive senolytic effect; pairing is investigational(minor)
Nicotinamide Riboside
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy / lactation (insufficient data)
- active cancer (theoretical, no contraindicating data)
Interactions
- pterostilbene: complementary sirtuin pathway (Basis combination)(minor)
- TMG (trimethylglycine): methylation support during high NAD+ precursor dosing(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Nicotinamide Riboside comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Fisetin is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Fisetin.
- → If your priority is energy and stamina, pick Nicotinamide Riboside.
- → If your priority is metabolic health and glucose control, pick Nicotinamide Riboside.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (Fisetin ~2 hr vs Nicotinamide Riboside ~8 hr). Nicotinamide Riboside reaches steady state faster; Fisetin is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: Nicotinamide Riboside. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Fisetin 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 Fisetin and Nicotinamide Riboside?
Fisetin and Nicotinamide Riboside differ in category (supplement vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Fisetin or Nicotinamide Riboside?
Fisetin half-life is 2 hours; Nicotinamide Riboside half-life is 8 hours.
Can you stack Fisetin with Nicotinamide Riboside?
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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