Comparison
NMN vs Thymosin Alpha-1
Side-by-side of NMN and Thymosin Alpha-1. 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.
Thymosin Alpha-1
Thymosin alpha-1 peptide (Zadaxin, thymalfasin): 28-amino-acid TA1 immunomodulator. Dosing, T-cell effects, hepatitis B and HCV adjunct evidence.
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
Thymosin Alpha-1
- •28-amino-acid synthetic peptide identical to thymic-derived immunomodulator
- •Approved in over 35 countries as Zadaxin for hepatitis B, hepatitis C adjunct, and immune support
- •Not FDA approved in US; compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label immune support
- •Modulates T-cell maturation, NK activity, and Th1 polarization in immunocompromised states
- •Standard label dose: 1.6 mg subcutaneously twice weekly
- •Cleanest safety profile in the peptide class with hundreds of regulated trials behind it
Side-by-side
| Attribute | NMN | Thymosin Alpha-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | peptide |
| Also known as | nicotinamide mononucleotide, beta-NMN | Talpha1, Ta1, Zadaxin, Thymalfasin |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 4 | 2 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 250 | 1.6 |
| Dosing frequency | 1x daily, often morning | 2x weekly |
| Routes | oral, sublingual | subcutaneous, intramuscular |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 24 |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | 168 |
| Molecular weight | 334.22 | 3108.32 |
| Molecular formula | C11H15N2O8P | C129H215N33O55 |
| 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 peptide modulator of innate and adaptive immunity. Promotes T-cell maturation and CD4/CD8 production, modulates Th1/Th2 balance, stimulates NK cell activity, and modulates TLR2/TLR9 signaling in dendritic cells. |
| Legal status | Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia | Approved in 35+ countries as Zadaxin (hepatitis B, hepatitis C adjunct, immune support); not FDA approved in US; compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label use; not on WADA Prohibited List |
| WADA status | allowed | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled | Rx only via international approval or US compounding (no controlled-substance schedule) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; precautionary avoidance | Not recommended; insufficient data |
| CAS | 1094-61-7 | 62304-98-7 |
| PubChem CID | 14180 | 16130571 |
| Wikidata | Q418972 | Q913854 |
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)
Thymosin Alpha-1
Common side effects
- mild injection-site irritation (rare)
- transient mild fatigue (rare)
- occasional headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- active organ transplant rejection therapy
- systemic immunosuppression for autoimmune disease (relative)
- severe active autoimmune disease (caution)
Interactions
- interferon-alpha: additive immune effect; used clinically in approved combination protocols(minor)
- calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine, tacrolimus): theoretical destabilization of immunosuppression; avoid(major)
- antimetabolites (azathioprine, mycophenolate): theoretical destabilization of immunosuppression; avoid(major)
- vaccine administration: may augment vaccine response in elderly or immunocompromised; coordinate with clinician(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. Thymosin Alpha-1 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 immune support, pick Thymosin Alpha-1.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick Thymosin Alpha-1.
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 Thymosin Alpha-1 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 Thymosin Alpha-1?
NMN and Thymosin Alpha-1 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 Thymosin Alpha-1?
NMN half-life is 4 hours; Thymosin Alpha-1 half-life is 2 hours.
Can you stack NMN with Thymosin Alpha-1?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper