
Science of NAD
How are your NAD levels today?



Shelly Albaum
Editor, Science of NAD
Important Disclosures
1. This is my personal website
All opinions are my own. Nobody writes here but me.
2. Supplements Are Not Medicines
Health Supplements like nicotinamide riboside are not intended to cure or treat any disease, condition, or illness.
3. No Medical Advice
I am a lawyer and a journalist, not a doctor, and I offer no medical advice. But I do follow the science, and I can bring to your attention
some interesting studies. You can read more about me here. And check with your physician -- your physician can look at this research, too.
4. Commercial Affiliations
I am a ChromaDex shareholder, and a marketing affiliate for Amazon and Rakuten. As a result, I will sometimes mention or recommend products that I endorse, like Tru Niagen, which I take every day. I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases if you were referred directly from this site and completed a purchase. [Thank you!] You can read more about our advertising, privacy, and data collection policies here.
FAQs

Should I Switch from NMN to NR?
NR does the same as NMN, and it does it the same way, but more efficiently...

Can NAD Prevent COVID?
Only your immune system can fight a virus, but raising NAD levels can support your immune system's ability to fight back...

Are NAD Injections the best way to replenish NAD, or the worst?
NAD injections and IVs are a big business, but there are important questions about cost, effectiveness, safety, and benefits...

Can NAD Help Me Live Longer?
Probably not. NAD supplements mostly seem to improve healthspan, but not lifespan, the total number of years. But there are some indications...

Can NR Prevent Inflammation?
Studies show that raising NAD levels can help fight inflammation...

Is Niacinamide the Best Way to Boost NAD?
Nicotinamide is available in every cell, but its side effects make it a less attractive NAD precursor...

Which is Better - NR or NMN?
NR and NMN can both boost NAD levels in most tissues. But how they do that, and the cost to get the effect, makes NR the choice easy: less turns out to be more...

What are "Metabolic Pathways" and why do they matter for NAD?
Depending on where, when, and how the NAD will be biosynthesized, different precursors will be needed and different limits encountered...

Can NAD Help with Leaky Gut?
Yes, studies show that alcohol use can cause intestinal barrier dysfunction, and NAD replenishment can alleviate the injury...

Can Niacin Boost NAD Levels?
Niacin is the first form of Vitamin B3. It works sometimes, but not always, and there are issues...

Why Does NAD+ Matter?
While NAD+ therapy alone is not the mythical “elixir of life,” NAD's foundational role in cellular energetics, nuclear signaling, and viability suggests it just may be a key ingredient...

Do NAD Levels Decline As You Age?
And if so, by how much? Scientists are clear that NAD levels decline over time...

Is NR Bioavailable?
Some oral NR gets converted to other precursors in the gut, liver, and bloodstream, but enough gets through as NR to make a difference...

Why Not Raise NAD by Inhibiting CD38?
If the problem is that the enzyme CD38 is chewing through all your NAD, it seems intuitive to want to plug the leak, to turn off the CD38. But that's probably a bad idea...

Does NMN mostly deliver NR to cells?
Yes. The science is very clear that NMN works by turning into NR outside cells...

How Much NAD Is Enough?
If my NAD levels are down a little, temporarily or permanently, does that actually impact anything? It might...

If I Supplement My NAD, Will My Body Stop Producing Its Own?
No, your body knows how to produce NAD and won't stop doing it. However, as you get older, your body will either need more or produce less....

Can NAD Prevent Gray Hair?
There are anecdotal reports, but no studies have looked at it...
Nicotinamide Riboside
Where Can I Get It?
You can buy Niacin, Niacinamide, and NMN on amazon. But we buy Nicotinamide Riboside, and we get it directly from the source: Tru Niagen.