Quick Summary
Which NAD Boosters Are CL's Top Picks?
Based on our independent, laboratory tests of “NAD booster” supplements, we chose a Top Pick based on high quality and greatest value for NAD+/NADH supplements, nicotinamide riboside supplements, and NMN supplements.
What Did ConsumerLab's Tests Show?
There have been reports showing that the majority of NAD+, NMN, and nicotinamide riboside supplements purchased online, such as on Amazon, contain little of their claimed ingredients (see Quality Concerns), although those reports have included many lesser-known brands. Our tests of products popular among ConsumerLab members, which tend to be more established brands, showed that most provided their listed amount of key ingredients within an acceptable margin but often suggested doses inconsistent with clinical studies and many were expensive. For example, a 250 mg dose of a high quality NMN could be had for as little as 3 cents as opposed to spending 10 times as much for the same dose (see What CL Found and How Products Were Evaluated).
Brands tested and reviewed include Bone Science Prime NMN, BulkSupplements NMN, DoNotAge Pure NMN, Elysium Basis, GNC NMN, Life Extension NAD+ Cell Support, Life Extension NMN, Nutricost NAD+, Renue By Science Pure NMN, Rho Nutrition Liposomal NAD+, Swanson NADH, and Tru Niagen Age Better.
Be aware that the amount of nicotinamide riboside in a supplement is typically not shown on the label and includes the weight of the attached salt (which is needed to stabilize the compound). This is a significant amount and differs depending on the salt, e.g., chloride or hydrogen malate. In this report, we have made it easy to compare actual amounts of nicotinamide riboside.
What Are NAD Boosters and Do They Help?
Most cells in your body use NAD as a coenzyme in the production of energy from glucose. The thinking behind supplements that boost NAD levels is that they can, therefore, boost energy and have other positive effects in the body. Conditions for which they have been tried in small studies include chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), improving cognitive function, dementia, Parkinson's disease, depression, cholesterol-lowering, and blood sugar control. However, there is no good clinical evidence (based on the studies reviewed in this report) to support these uses despite some interesting laboratory findings. It is not even clear that taking these supplements will increase NAD in cells of organs, such as the brain, even though they raise NAD levels in the blood and blood cells. Furthermore, if you have adequate intake of vitamin B3 (as niacin, niacinamide, or nicotinamide), you are already getting the basic building block for NAD, which is nicotinamide (see What It Is).
Concerns with NAD Boosters?
In addition to the strong possibility that these supplements will not provide a benefit and tend to be expensive, be aware that some provide amounts of vitamin B-3 above the established daily Tolerable Upper Intake Level. There is also a theoretical safety concern that compounds that raise NAD+ levels, like nicotinamide riboside, as well as NAD, NADH, and possibly NMN, may promote the growth of existing cancers (see Concerns and Cautions).
