Comparison
Nicotinamide Riboside vs NMN
Side-by-side of Nicotinamide Riboside 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.
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.
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
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
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 | Nicotinamide Riboside | NMN |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | supplement |
| Also known as | NR, Niagen, nicotinamide riboside chloride | nicotinamide mononucleotide, beta-NMN |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 8 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 250 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, typically morning | 1x daily, often morning |
| Routes | oral | oral, sublingual |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 4 | 3 |
| Molecular weight | 255.25 | 334.22 |
| Molecular formula | C11H15N2O5 | C11H15N2O8P |
| Mechanism | NAD+ precursor via salvage pathway. Phosphorylated to NMN by nicotinamide riboside kinase (NRK), then converted to NAD+. Substrate for sirtuins, PARPs, and CD38. | 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 | OTC dietary supplement | Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | Not scheduled |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data at supplement doses | Insufficient data; precautionary avoidance |
| CAS | 1341-23-7 | 1094-61-7 |
| PubChem CID | 439924 | 14180 |
| Wikidata | Q3343054 | Q418972 |
Safety profile
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)
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?
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. NMN is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Nicotinamide Riboside.
- → If your priority is energy and stamina, pick Nicotinamide Riboside.
- → If your priority is metabolic health and glucose control, pick Nicotinamide Riboside.
Edge case: If you want to avoid Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia, Nicotinamide Riboside is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Nicotinamide Riboside. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for NMN 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 Nicotinamide Riboside and NMN?
Nicotinamide Riboside and NMN 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, Nicotinamide Riboside or NMN?
Nicotinamide Riboside half-life is 8 hours; NMN half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack Nicotinamide Riboside 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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