What IS NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) and Does it Work?
Exploring the science behind NMN for Anti-aging and Longevity
We all want to slow down the aging process and stay healthy longer. Right? Well today I'm exploring the popular longevity supplement, NMN or Nicotinamide Mononucleotide. This is a molecule your body already makes that is now being studied for its potential to boost energy, support longevity, and help you feel younger for longer. In this article, I'm going to break down what NMN is, how it works, and why it's gaining attention from scientists and those interested in longevity and anti-aging.
I started taking NMN recently, and I'm feeling some interesting changes already (even though it’s early days), hence my wanting to learn more. I'll share more information about the brand I chose, why I chose them and what I'm noticing since taking NMN further down the page.
If you’re in a hurry and want to go check them out now, here’s the link and you can use my code CARNIVORE15 to save 15% off your order!
So what IS NMN?
NMN, or Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, is a naturally occurring molecule found in your body, and in small amounts in many foods. It is a direct precursor to NAD - Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide - which is a critical coenzyme involved in energy production, DNA repair, and cellular health.
NMN is a derivative of Vitamin B3 (Niacin), or more specifically Nicotinamide, one of the active forms of Vitamin B3. So while NMN itself is not classified as a vitamin, it is part of the Vitamin B3 metabolic pathway.
In simple terms, this is how the NAD biosynthesis pathway works:
Niacin, or Vitamin B3 becomes Nicotinamide
Nicotinamide becomes NMN
NMN becomes NAD
That's a simple version of how this process happens in the body. All going well!
Now as we've discovered NMN is converted into NAD which powers your cells and helps them repair themselves. But why does this matter? NAD levels do decline with age, and that decline is linked to fatigue, slower metabolism, and age related diseases.
So when everything just seems to slow down and our bodies don't work quite as well as they used to, that is (at least in part) because our body is making less NAD.
What IS NAD?
NAD - Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide - is a co-enzyme that is involved in some of the most fundamental processes in biology. It is essential for cellular energy production, and for converting food into energy.
NAD is critical in cellular respiration, especially in the mitochondria.
NAD participates in glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. These are all crucial steps in cellular respiration. It shuttles electrons in the Krebs cycle and electron transport chain to produce ATP, the energy currency of the cell. Every cell, especially high energy ones like muscle, brain, and heart rely on this.
NAD is also used for DNA repair, fueling enzymes that repair damaged DNA. It activates enzymes called PARPS - Poly (ADP Ribose) Polymerase - that detect and repair DNA damage. This is incredibly important as all cells experience DNA damage every day, and they all need NAD to help repair that damage.
NAD is necessary for cell signaling and stress response. It activates Sirtuins, which are enzymes that regulate gene expression, aging, inflammation, and stress resistance. These processes are important in every tissue of the body.
And NAD is essential for brain and nerve function. It protects against oxidative stress. Neurons depend on NAD for both energy and neuroprotection, and even small drops in NAD levels in the brain can affect cognition and nerve repair.
NAD levels decline by as much as 50% by the time we’re middle-aged, and continue to decline with age. These lower NAD levels contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction, increased DNA damage, and reduced metabolic efficiency.
Restoring NAD levels is being studied as a way to slow aging and prevent age related diseases. In short, NAD is crucial for keeping cells alive, functional, and resilient. Its decline is considered one of the hallmarks of aging.
Every single cell in your body uses NAD and without it cells can't make energy, maintain DNA, or regulate essential life functions.
Why take NMN?
By supplementing with NMN, you can restore your NAD levels, which may help to boost energy, enhance brain function, and slow the signs of aging. So the obvious next question is…
Is NMN found in foods?
Yes. NMN is found in small amounts in many foods including some animal-based foods, and some plant foods. However the concentrations are generally quite low in all food sources, and NMN, like the B vitamins used to make it, are damaged by heat.
Common animal foods that contain NMN in trace amounts are raw beef, shrimp, fish, (especially salmon), and cow liver, and a few examples of plant foods that contain NMN are edamame, avocado, broccoli, and cabbage.
However, the actual amount of NMN in these foods is truly minimal - usually in the microgram range per hundred grams of food. These are amounts far below those used in human clinical studies or supplementation, which are typically between 250 and 1000 milligrams per day.
So what about the research? Let's have a look at what the studies on NMN have shown so far.
The Science Behind NMN
Is NMN safe & effective?
Human clinical trials on NMN supplementation have demonstrated its safety, at least in the short term, along with potential benefits which include boosting NAD levels, enhancing physical performance, and improving metabolic health.
This study looked at using high doses of NMN. It was a randomized double blind placebo controlled study in Japan, which evaluated the safety of 1,250 milligrams a day of NMN, administered orally for four weeks in healthy adults aged 20 to 65. The study found no significant adverse effects, indicating that NMN is safe and well tolerated at this dosage.
But what about using NMN over a longer time? Is that safe?
Well, there are studies that have assessed the long-term use of NMN on animals, and they're promising. For example, a notable study administered NMN to mice for 12 months, starting at five months of age. The results indicated that NMN supplementation effectively reduced age associated physiological decline including:
Suppression of age associated body weight gain
Enhanced energy metabolism and physical activity
Improved insulin sensitivity and plasma lipid profile
Amelioration of eye function
Prevention of age associated gene expression changes in key metabolic organs
These effects were observed without any obvious toxicity or deleterious effects suggesting the potential of NMN as a long term anti-aging intervention.
But what about long-term human studies?
At the time of writing this article there doesn't seem to be any published long-term human studies on NMN. Most published human trials on NMN have lasted between four and twelve weeks.
But of course there are many people like myself, who are doing their own N=1 experiments with NMN and experiencing the benefits.
So let's have a look at more of the human studies that are available on NMN and see what they've found so far.
Does NMN Increase NAD?
We would hope and expect that NMN supplementation increases NAD levels. After all that’s the whole reason for taking it!
This very interesting study shows a dose dependent increase in NAD with NMN supplementation. The study was a randomized, multicenter, double blind, placebo controlled trial with 80 healthy middle aged adults, and demonstrated that NMN supplementation at doses of 300, 600 and 900 milligrams per day significantly increased blood NAD concentrations over 60 days.
The 600 milligram a day dose was found to be the most effective in enhancing NAD levels, and improving physical performance. They were also testing for safety and tolerability.
The conclusion of this study states that blood NAD concentration was significantly and dose-dependently increased during the NMN treatment, and oral administration of NMN up to 900 milligrams a day for 60 days was safe and well tolerated.
The NMN supplementation also had a positive impact on the physical endurance and general health conditions of the healthy adults. This was demonstrated in the significant improvement of a six minute walking test, a blood biological age test, and SF 36 questionnaire scores.
It was interesting to note that the 900 milligram a day oral dose did not give significantly better efficacy than the 600 milligram a day dose.
So the results of this study seem to indicate that a higher dose of NMN didn’t necessarily mean a better result, but the 600 milligram per day dose did give better results than the 300 milligrams per day dose.
Does this mean that around 600mg per day could be an optimal dose? More research is undoubtabely needed, and future studies may come to a different conclusion.
This human NMN study also showed a sustained NAD increase in participants. It involved 30 healthy subjects who were given 250 milligrams of NMN for 12 weeks, which also resulted in a significant and sustained increase in whole blood NAD levels without any apparent adverse effects. This study was also a placebo controlled, randomized, double blind, parallel group trial.
The primary outcomes again were to assess safety, and whether NMN supplementation increased NAD levels. It demonstrated that oral NMN administration of, in this case 250 milligrams a day, can significantly increase and sustain the levels of NAD in whole blood for the time of the study, which was four weeks, without any apparent adverse effects.
What about physical performance and muscle function?
Studies show that NMN improves endurance and muscle function. The 60 day study that I mentioned earlier also reported that the participants taking the 600 milligrams a day of NMN showed significant improvements in their physical endurance, as measured by the six minute walking test compared to the placebo group.
Another trial discovered enhanced muscle function in older men. This trial used a 250 milligram a day dose of NMN to healthy older men for six or 12 weeks, and found some improvements in gait speed and grip strength indicating benefits in muscle function.
And so what about cognitive and metabolic health?
Well, this is what interests me about NMN! Let's talk about insulin sensitivity… This study involving 25 menopausal and pre-diabetic women aged 55 to 75 years showed that 250 milligrams a day of NMN for 10 weeks improved muscle insulin sensitivity and insulin signaling pathways suggesting metabolic health benefits.
Now, this is a great result from a low dose of NMN! What would the result be with a 500 milligram dose over a longer time? I'd be keen to see that study.
Does NMN have cognitive benefits?
While direct cognitive improvements were not the primary focus of these studies, the increase in NAD levels and improved metabolic functions observed in these studies may have positive implications for cognitive health. Basically, further research needs to be done on this to find out more.
And last but not least is sleep and circadian rhythm!
Emerging research suggests that NMN supplementation may improve sleep quality, particularly in middle aged and older adults. I'll include some links below so you can check out some of these studies for yourself.
Let’s Wind Up the Science
So far, human clinical trials suggest that NMN supplementation is safe and effective for increasing NAD levels with potential benefits in physical performance, metabolic health, sleep, and possibly cognitive function. While these findings are promising, more large scale and long-term studies are needed to fully understand the extent of NMN's health benefits and its role in aging and disease prevention.
Now as I said, I've been taking NMN for a couple of weeks and I'm noticing some changes already even though it's early days and that's just got me a little bit excited.
Taking NMN for Insulin Resistance
My main reason for trying NMN is because I'm working on resolving metabolic issues, in particular insulin resistance, which I've spoken about in some of my videos on my YouTube channel. Plus, I'm always curious and keen to learn more on anything to do with longevity or anti-aging topics.
I did start cautiously with this supplement because I can just be so sensitive to the most unexpected things, and I initially just took one 500 milligram capsule every second day for the first few days.
I’d listened to the experience of someone with MTHFR variations like myself, who felt a bit weird on it initially, then realized that increasing NAD levels can increase methylation requirements. So he started taking TMG (Trimethylglycine) along with the NMN which solved his problem. For me, after a few days with no obvious issues, I increased my dose to one 500 milligram capsule per day instead of every second day.
At the time of writing, after taking NMN for almost a month, I’m still noticing positive changes, and I’ve had no problems taking it which is amazing as I tend to be very sensitive to many supplements. If I think I need to support methylation, I'll try taking TMG as well, and see if that helps. TMG is often actually recommended as a supplement that can boost the results of NMN anyway, along with Resveratrol. So I'll eventually try both to see how that changes my results.
But what am I noticing so far?
Even though it's early days, at just a few weeks in, what I'm noticing is basically more energy, better sleep and just a feeling of more wellbeing. I seem to be more motivated and I'm getting more done with my days. I am noticing that my body wants to sleep earlier and wake earlier, but my sleep quality is great!
Which brand of NMN am I taking and why?
The brand of NMN that I'm taking is made by PartiQlar supplements. I really like this company. Their products focus on anti-aging and longevity. They’re made in the USA, they're third party tested and they contain no GMOs, no additives, flow agents or fillers. That's important to me because some of the common fillers and additives used by supplement companies, for example, magnesium stearate, can contribute to gut issues or other health problems.
Common additives and flow agents in supplements can be made from vegetable oil derivatives and GMOs, and honestly, you just don't know what you're getting in many supplement brands.
For example, it seems that many NMN products when tested have been found to contain no NMN or very little. I came across a report online where a bunch of products were tested and most were BAD…
14% contained no NMN!
64% had less than 1% of the claimed amount!
So that's a whopping 78% of the products they tested had NO, or almost no, NMN! I'll share a link at the end to that report, but THIS is why third party testing and transparency is so important. Without it, you just don't know what you're getting OR what you’re putting into your body.
PartiQlar are completely transparent about what’s in their products, and you can see the certificate of analysis for every bottle by entering the lot number for your bottle on their website. The lot number for each batch is on the bottom of every supplement bottle from PartiQlar. I love that!
If you’d like to try NMN or check out the range of PartiQlar supplements you can do so at this link and you can use my discount code Carnivore15 to get 15% off your order.
They have great discounted bundles of products that work well together, and their longevity starter bundle includes the NMN, Resveratrol, and TMG. Plus their bottles generally contain a two month supply (depending on dosage).
I’ll be back with more on this! Keep an eye out for updates on how I’m going on the NMN and whether it helps resolve my insulin resistance, or has benefits for other areas of my health. If you have an questions, feel free to get in touch. Until next time, thanks for reading!
Sue
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36002548/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9735188/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8550608/ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13063-023-07351-8 https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/4/755
NMN product testing: https://s23.q4cdn.com/937095816/files/doc_downloads/2021/Quantitative-Analysis-of-22-NMN-Consumer-Products-Oct-2021.pdf