Comparison
NMN vs PT-141
Side-by-side of NMN and PT-141. 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.
NMN
NMN supplements are oral nicotinamide mononucleotide capsules sold for longevity, energy, and metabolic health. They raise plasma NAD+ 30-90% at 250-1000.
PT-141
PT-141 peptide (bremelanotide, Vyleesi): MC4R agonist for libido and erectile dysfunction. 1.75 mg subcutaneous, 30 to 60 min onset, 2 to 4 h half-life.
Effects at a glance
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
PT-141
- •Cyclic 7-amino-acid synthetic peptide and melanocortin receptor agonist (MC4R-preferring)
- •FDA approved in 2019 as Vyleesi for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in pre-menopausal women
- •Acts centrally on hypothalamic sexual-desire circuits rather than peripherally on vasculature
- •On-demand dosing: subcutaneous 1.75 mg approximately 45 minutes before sexual activity
- •Common adverse effects: nausea (~40%), flushing, headache, injection-site reactions, hyperpigmentation
- •Off-label male ED use is documented but not FDA approved; mechanism is distinct from PDE5 inhibitors
Side-by-side
| Attribute | NMN | PT-141 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | peptide |
| Also known as | nicotinamide mononucleotide, beta-NMN | Bremelanotide, Vyleesi |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 4 | 2.7 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 250 | 1.75 |
| Dosing frequency | 1x daily, often morning | as needed (max once per 24 hours, max 8 per month) |
| Routes | oral, sublingual | subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 0.75 |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | 1.5 |
| Molecular weight | 334.22 | 1025.18 |
| Molecular formula | C11H15N2O8P | C50H68N14O10 |
| Mechanism | 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. | Synthetic agonist of melanocortin receptors with preference for MC4R, expressed in hypothalamic and limbic circuits regulating sexual motivation. Engages central pathways distinct from peripheral PDE5-mediated vasodilation. |
| Legal status | Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia | Prescription only as Vyleesi; FDA-approved 2019 for HSDD in pre-menopausal women. Compounded versions sold off-label for male sexual function are research-use-only grey market. |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled | Rx only (not a controlled substance) for the FDA-approved Vyleesi formulation |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; precautionary avoidance | Not recommended; contraindicated during pregnancy per Vyleesi label |
| CAS | 1094-61-7 | 189691-06-3 |
| PubChem CID | 14180 | 9941379 |
| Wikidata | Q418972 | Q422059 |
Safety profile
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)
PT-141
Common side effects
- nausea (~40%)
- flushing
- headache
- injection-site reactions
- hyperpigmentation (focal, gums, face, breasts)
- transient blood pressure increase (~6 mmHg systolic)
Contraindications
- uncontrolled hypertension
- established cardiovascular disease
- pregnancy
- naltrexone co-administration (reduces opioid efficacy due to MC receptor crosstalk)
Interactions
- naltrexone (oral): bremelanotide reduces oral naltrexone exposure significantly; avoid co-administration(major)
- antihypertensives: transient BP rise after bremelanotide can offset BP control(moderate)
- PDE5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil): no documented adverse interaction; mechanisms are non-overlapping(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. PT-141 is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick NMN.
- → If your priority is energy and stamina, pick NMN.
- → If your priority is sexual function, pick PT-141.
- → If your priority is libido, pick PT-141.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, NMN is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: NMN. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for PT-141 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 NMN and PT-141?
NMN and PT-141 differ in category (supplement vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, NMN or PT-141?
NMN half-life is 4 hours; PT-141 half-life is 2.7 hours.
Can you stack NMN with PT-141?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper