NR (Nicotinamide Riboside) - a key component to fuel our cells
NAD+ boosters, small molecules that raise NAD+ levels, are like the secret sauce for energy in your cells. Think of your cells as little power plants called mitochondria. These mitochondria do a bunch of stuff, including making ATP, which is like their energy currency.
Increases Cellular Energy
Now, for these mitochondria to do their job and make ATP, they need a special helper called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+).
And guess what? NR is the superhero that transforms into NAD+ inside your cells, giving them that extra boost of energy. It's like the magic wand for your cellular powerhouses to replenish NAD+ to youthful levels [1].
Improves Learning and Memory
In Alzheimer's disease, there's this troublemaker called Amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers that harm the brain. The brain's energy and oxidative stress play a role in Alzheimer's.
Now, here comes NAD boosters to the rescue! NR boosts NAD+ and ATP levels, preventing the harmful buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the brain [2].
Various studies hint that NAD boosters might enhance memory in rats with Alzheimer's by keeping neurons happy, boosting energy, and reducing harmful ROS [3].
Facilitates Blood Flow and Heart Health
NAD+ boosters are also known to protect against a condition called ischemia, where parts of the body don't get enough blood.
Usually, our body defends itself with something called ischemic preconditioning (IPC), which involves a superhero enzyme called SIRT1 [4].
Now, NR activates SIRT1, acting like IPC and saving the heart from problems caused by lack of blood flow. So, NR is like a defender for your heart.
Helps Lose Body Weight
NR works perfectly against obesity-related issues. When given to mice, it makes their organs more sensitive to insulin, helps produce a good hormone called adiponectin [5], and controls the production of fat mass [6]. Imagine it as a magic water – mice that drank it didn't gain as much weight as they aged.
As we grow older, our organs might not have enough NAD+ and NAMPT. NR steps in, improving how our bodies handle sugar and fats, making it a worthy option for tackling Type 2 Diabetes linked to aging and diet.
Protects Retina
Imagine this: photoreceptors, the cells that detect light, may unfortunately die in certain eye conditions. But this is exactly where NR comes and shines!
When we lose a key enzyme called NAMPT (nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase), which is crucial for making something called NAD+ (important for our eyes), it leads to vision problems [7].
Now, here's the best part: by introducing NR, we can actually bring back clear vision in these cases. It's like giving a boost to your eyes and make them see clearly again!
Other Benefits
Sleep, physical activity, nervous system-related, diabetes, telomere.
Key Component(s)
Nicotinamide riboside chloride (NRC)
Other Components
Vegetable cellulose (capsule)
Recommended Usage
Take 2 capsules per day, 1 to 2 times daily, with or without meals.
Can be taken sublingually if desired by opening the capsules and pouring pure contents under the tongue.
To achieve an energy boost, take 3-4 capsules together.
Each bottle contains 60 capsules of 125 mg each.
Clinical trials
68 clinical studies (2024 January)
Caution
Nicotinamide riboside is safe with few — if any — side effects. Taking between 1000-2000 mg on a daily basis do not result in any adverse effects in human trials. However, higher doses can result in nausea, fatigue, headaches, diarrhoea, stomach discomfort, and indigestion
[1] Alegre, G. F. S., & Pastore, G. M. (2023). NAD+ Precursors Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) and Nicotinamide Riboside (NR): Potential Dietary Contribution to Health. Current Nutrition Reports, 12(3), 445–464. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-023-00475-y
