Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is a form of vitamin B3 that's become a popular dietary supplement to support NAD+ levels in our cells for a more graceful aging process.
While you can find NR in foods like dairy products, salmon, and yeast in beer, there's not enough to significantly impact cellular health. So, people turn to supplements to ensure they get a consistent and effective dose to support their health goals.
NR Benefits
So, what exactly can NR do for you?
It's important that we underline that no NR supplement is FDA-approved to treat or cure any disease, but there's still some promising research on NR's role in supporting overall health:
- Supports Cellular Energy Production: NR is a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), which all cells need to produce energy. By supporting NAD+ levels, the mitochondria are better equipped to convert food into energy, extending to healthy muscle function [1].
- Supports Healthy Aging: Researchers have found that NAD+ diminishes as we age, which correlates to signs of aging as our cells become less efficient at producing energy, cleaning out damaged cells, creating new, healthy ones, and even repairing DNA, but by supplying the body with more NAD+, we may be able to support a healthier aging process [2, 3].
- Supports Brain Health: NAD+ is important for maintaining cognitive function. By boosting NAD+ levels, NR may support healthy brain aging [4].
- Supports Heart Health: NR may support cardiovascular health by supporting NAD+, which is also involved in maintaining the function and integrity of blood vessels [5].
- Support Immune Function: NAD+ is also involved in properly functioning immune health, which tends to weaken as we get older [6].
Other precursors to NAD+, like NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), are sometimes not as widely available as NR.
In addition to NR and NMN, NAD+ levels can be supported through lifestyle choices like exercise, calorie restriction, and a balanced diet rich in NAD+ precursors. However, NR has emerged as one of the most popular and accessible options due to its effectiveness, availability, and the growing body of research supporting its benefits in boosting NAD+ levels.
Best NR Supplements
- Neurogan Health Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) Pro Capsules
- Tru Niagen
- Thorne NiaCel® 400
- Life Extension Nicotinamide Riboside NAD+ Booster
Neurogan Health NR Pro Capsules
Our Nicotinamide Riboside Pro Capsules are one of the most affordable pure NR supplements on the market without sacrificing quality at $51 per bottle for a 3-month supply. Each capsule contains a high potency of 900 mg NR for efficiently delivering this NAD+ precursor into the bloodstream, allowing you to get the most out of every serving.
All our products are made in collaboration with researchers from Aalborg University and produced in our Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certified facility in San Diego. They're independently tested for purity and safety. We handle much of the production, packaging, and shipping in-house, which is how we can make high-quality and affordable versions of cellular health supplements that ship worldwide.
Tru Niagen
For a long time, Tru Niagen was one of the only reputable Nicotinamide Riboside supplement producers on the market, with an impressive board of scientific advisors behind the company.
The Tru Niagen 300 is its staple NR supplement, featuring its patented version of NR, Niagen (nicotinamide riboside chloride). The patented process ensures that Niagen is a high-purity, stable, and bioavailable form of NR, differentiating it from other NAD+ precursors.
Niagen is one of the most extensively studied forms of NR. Numerous clinical trials have evaluated its safety, efficacy, and potential health benefits.
One of the downsides is that this brand is on the pricier end. The Tru Niagen 300 also comes in a 90-day supply bottle containing 300 mg of Niagen per serving, which costs $119.95.
Thorne Supplements NiaCel® 400
Thorne Supplements is best known for its high-quality, scientifically-backed products. The company partners with leading research institutions and athletes to formulate safe and effective products.
Throne's NR supplement is called NiaCel 400, and it features 415 mg of nicotinamide riboside hydrogen malate per serving. This form of NR is combined with malic acid (malate) to enhance the stability and absorption of NR in the body.
This formulation also contains 85 mg of betaine anhydrous (trimethylglycine) per serving. This may be included to support methylation, a process that helps to regulate gene expression and the synthesis of important compounds needed for NR metabolism.
These ingredients are carefully selected to work together, maximizing the supplement's potential health benefits by ensuring efficient NAD+ production and supporting overall cellular health.
If you're interested in Thorne's version of NR supplements, a two-month supply of NiaCel is $68.
Life Extension NAD+ Cell Regenerator™ NR Capsules
Life Extension is another popular brand in the aging dietary supplements space, with a strong foundation for formulations based on scientific research.
Its version of NR supplements is called NAD+ Cell Regenerator™, and it uses the trademarked Niagen NR at a dose of 100 mg. Its 30-day supply is $18, and while this is the lowest price on our list, you have to factor in the smaller mg dosage and the amount of capsules in the package.
For some, this is a much easier pill to swallow in terms of the price point for starting out with NR.
What's the Best Form of NR?
Aside from choosing between capsules, powders, and even liquid drops of NR supplements, you'll also come across different forms of the nicotinamide riboside ingredient, and each offers unique benefits depending on how they're formulated.
The patented Niagen NR by ChromaDex has been on the market for a long time, so there's a lot more research surrounding it. It's known for its high stability, purity, and bioavailability.
There's also NR with malic acid, as seen in Thorne's NR supplement, which boosts stability and bioavailability. This is why these versions tend to come in lower concentrations per serving compared to pure nicotinamide riboside.
Our pure nicotinamide riboside formulation has a higher potency to account for bioavailability. It's intended for those who want a no-frills supplement with minimal ingredients, possibly adding their own supporting nutrients separately in a custom supplement stack.
We've also been experimenting with liposomal nicotinamide riboside in our new capsules and tincture drops for more NR supplement options. Liposomal NR encapsulates the NR molecule within liposomes — tiny, fat-like particles — to enhance the delivery of NR through the digestive system and into the bloodstream.
At the end of the day, the best form of NR depends on your health goals, preferences, and even price point. It's more important to maintain consistency of NR use to support healthy aging, so choosing a form of NR that you can sustainably maintain should be the key factor when deciding your NR regimen
The Takeaway: Best NR Supplements
Thanks to our team of researchers, we're always looking to bring new, safe, and effective NAD+ booster options to the market, whether you're looking for traditional pure NR capsules or the enhanced absorption benefits of liposomal NR or NMN supplements (as gummies, capsules, or pure powder).
As technology advances, the supplement industry makes these powerful formulations more accessible and affordable. We're proud to be at the forefront of this shift, ensuring that high-quality, effective NR supplements are within reach for anyone looking to support healthy aging, energy production, and overall cellular health.
With Neurogan Health, you’re not just getting an NR supplement — you’re investing in your long-term well-being with products designed to maximize bioavailability, efficacy, and value, and we're committed to providing the best options to help you thrive at every stage of life.
Resources:
- Cantó, C., Menzies, K. J., & Auwerx, J. (2015). NAD+ metabolism and the control of energy homeostasis: a balancing act between mitochondria and the nucleus. Cell metabolism, 22(1), 31-53.
- Covarrubias, A. J., Perrone, R., Grozio, A., & Verdin, E. (2021). NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing. Nature reviews Molecular cell biology, 22(2), 119-141.
- Martens, C. R., Denman, B. A., Mazzo, M. R., Armstrong, M. L., Reisdorph, N., McQueen, M. B., ... & Seals, D. R. (2018). Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD+ in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Nature communications, 9(1), 1286.
- Nkrumah-Elie, Y., Erickson, A., Idoine, R., Ishtiaq, Y., Kwon, J., Rosene, M., & Shao, A. (2022). Nicotinamide Riboside Supports Brain Health: Assessing the Evidence. Current Developments in Nutrition, 6, 798.
- Xu, W., Li, L., & Zhang, L. (2020). NAD+ metabolism as an emerging therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases associated with sudden cardiac death. Frontiers in physiology, 11, 901.
- Idoine, R., Kwon, J., Ishtiaq, Y., Rosene, M., Shao, A., & Nkrumah-Elie, Y. (2022). Impact of Boosting NAD on Immune Function: Results From NR Preclinical Studies. Current Developments in Nutrition, 6, 983.
