NMN and NR
Nicotinamide mononucleotide / Nicotinamide riboside
Supplements. Modern nutrition.
Also called NMN, NR, Nicotinamide riboside, Beta-NMN
Pinyin: yān xiān àn dān hé gān suān
Spanish: Mononucleótido de nicotinamida (NMN)
Human safety data still shortTwo related vitamin B3 compounds that the body turns into NAD+, a helper molecule found in every cell, and they are sold mostly for energy and healthy aging.
Did you know? In 1906, scientists studying how yeast turns sugar into alcohol found a heat-stable helper molecule. It later became known as NAD+, the molecule that NMN helps the body make.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Blood sugar. A small 10-week trial (25 women with prediabetes) found better insulin response in muscle, but blood sugar and blood pressure did not drop. Larger, longer trials are needed.See the research: 67 studies in peoplePromising proof
- Memory & focus. Animal studies suggest memory and nerve benefits. In small human trials of NR, older adults with mild memory problems did not improve on their main thinking test. Human memory trials of NMN itself are missing.See the research: 50 studies in peopleUnproven
- Energy & tiredness. NMN raises NAD+ levels in the blood, but that is a lab number, not proof of more energy. Feeling more energetic has not been shown in people.See the research: 69 studies in peopleUnproven
Parts of the body
Traditional use
NMN and NR have no traditional use. They came from lab research on NAD+ over the last century, and they have been sold as supplements only in recent years.
How it is classified
How people take it
The main human NMN trial used 250 mg a day for 10 weeks. No dose is proven for long-term use, so talk with a doctor first, especially if you take diabetes medicine.
Capsule and powder.
Where to get it
The body makes NAD+ from vitamin B3 and from NMN and NR. Small amounts of NMN are found in foods such as broccoli, edamame and cucumber, but most NMN and NR sold is made in labs. Capsules and powders are sold in stores and online.
Be careful
Short human trials reported few side effects, but long-term safety is not known. Cancer effects are not well studied in people, so anyone with cancer should ask an oncologist first. Avoid it in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and people with diabetes should watch blood sugar because insulin response can change.
Avoid if: pregnancy; breastfeeding; children under 12; active cancer.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Both are sold for cell energy and healthy aging. Neither has strong human proof yet.
- Works well together
Sold together for NAD+ and healthy aging. Human data on the combination are very limited.
- Use cautionDiabetes medicine (metformin, insulin, glipizide, Ozempic)
NMN may improve how muscles respond to insulin, which could change blood sugar in people on diabetes medicines. Check levels if you take them.
Adds up with others that may lower blood sugar: , , , , , , , , , , , , , and 54 more.
The honest take
NMN and NR raise NAD+ levels in the blood, and one small trial in prediabetic women found better muscle insulin response without a drop in blood sugar. Those are early markers, not proof of better health or a longer life, and some authors of that trial hold NMN patents. In September 2025 the FDA reversed its 2022 view and said NMN can be sold as a dietary supplement, but the rules have shifted before, so check current status.
Sources
Each “See the research” link opens PubMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's index of medical studies, showing only trials and reviews done in people. The number tells you how much a use has been tested, not whether it worked. The proof rating tells you that.
Study counts checked October 2026.