As people age, levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) decline. This critical coenzyme is essential for cellular function and health.1 Supplementation with intermediate NAD+ precursors, like niacinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide adenine mononucleotide (NMN), has been shown to increase NAD+ levels and improve cellular function in multiple studies.1
What is a substitute for NMN?
nr and nmn are precursors to NAD+, the vital coenzyme that supports every cell in your body. Unlike NAD+ itself, these precursors do not have direct enzymatic activity but act as a catalyst for the synthesis of NAD+. They are naturally found in small amounts in your diet in foods like milk, yeast, and green peppers. However, consuming enough of these foods to significantly increase your NAD+ levels would be challenging for many people.
In human clinical trials, oral NMN supplementation has been shown to significantly increase blood levels of NAD+ and NAD+ metabolites in healthy participants. NMN has also been shown to enhance muscle endurance and promote healthy DNA in athletes.1
Both nr and nmn are safe for most healthy adults to take at recommended doses. Side effects associated with nr include indigestion, nausea, fatigue, and lethargy. These side effects usually resolve after nr discontinuation.
nr is an ingredient in the new Basis supplement, along with pterostilbene and honokiol. Together, these ingredients work to support cellular aging and healthy DNA by increasing NAD+ levels and activating SIRT1.
