Comparison
NMN vs Semaglutide
Side-by-side of NMN and Semaglutide. 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.
Semaglutide
Semaglutide for weight loss: GLP-1 agonist (Ozempic, Wegovy) drives 15-17% mean loss at 2.4 mg/week in STEP trials. Watch lean-mass loss.
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
Semaglutide
- •Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist with a ~7-day half-life that supports once-weekly subcutaneous dosing
- •STEP trials reported ~15 to 17% mean body-weight loss at 2.4 mg/week over 68 weeks in adults with obesity
- •Lowers HbA1c by ~1.0 to 1.8 percentage points in type 2 diabetes versus placebo
- •SELECT trial showed reduced major cardiovascular events in adults with prior CVD and overweight or obesity
- •Up to 25 to 40% of weight lost can be lean mass; pairing with resistance training and protein intake mitigates this
- •GI effects (nausea, vomiting, constipation) drive most discontinuations and ease with slow titration
Side-by-side
| Attribute | NMN | Semaglutide |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | pharmaceutical |
| Also known as | nicotinamide mononucleotide, beta-NMN | Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 4 | 168 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 250 | 2.4 |
| Dosing frequency | 1x daily, often morning | weekly (SC); daily (oral Rybelsus) |
| Routes | oral, sublingual | subcutaneous, oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 24 |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | 72 |
| Molecular weight | 334.22 | 4113.58 |
| Molecular formula | C11H15N2O8P | - |
| 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. | Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist; potentiates glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon, slows gastric emptying, and acts on hypothalamic satiety centers. |
| Legal status | Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia | Prescription only (FDA-approved, EMA-approved) |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled | Rx only (not a controlled substance); FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes (2017) and chronic weight management (2021) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; precautionary avoidance | Not recommended; discontinue 2 months before planned pregnancy |
| CAS | 1094-61-7 | 910463-68-2 |
| PubChem CID | 14180 | 56843331 |
| Wikidata | Q418972 | Q27089394 |
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)
Semaglutide
Common side effects
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- constipation
- decreased appetite
- injection-site reactions
- fatigue
Contraindications
- personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma
- multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2
- pregnancy
- history of pancreatitis (use caution)
Interactions
- insulin: additive hypoglycemia risk; insulin dose typically reduced(major)
- sulfonylureas (glipizide, glyburide): hypoglycemia risk, sulfonylurea dose often reduced(major)
- oral medications (general): delayed gastric emptying can alter absorption kinetics(moderate)
- warfarin: monitor INR due to altered absorption(moderate)
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. Semaglutide 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 fat loss, pick Semaglutide.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (NMN ~4 hr vs Semaglutide ~168 hr). Semaglutide reaches steady state faster; NMN is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: NMN. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Semaglutide 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 Semaglutide?
NMN and Semaglutide differ in category (supplement vs pharmaceutical), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, NMN or Semaglutide?
NMN half-life is 4 hours; Semaglutide half-life is 168 hours.
Can you stack NMN with Semaglutide?
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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