The Best Time to Take Nicotinamide Riboside

The best time to take your NR (nicotinamide riboside) supplementation is in the morning. This aligns with the body's natural rhythms. In the morning, your cells require more energy to carry out daily tasks.

Alternatively, you can split your doses: once in the morning and the other in the afternoon to maintain steady NAD+ levels throughout the day.

Understanding NR Timing and Why It Matters

The time you take NR can influence how you feel during the day. NR is usually easy on the body, but it can affect your energy, sleep, and how your body uses food for fuel, depending on when you take it.

Let's look at what you can expect when you take nicotinamide riboside at different times.

Taking NR in the Morning

The main benefit of taking NR is that it supports your body's ability to create NAD+, which the cells need to fuel energy production.

Unlike caffeine, NR won't give you a jolt of energy or make you feel jittery. Because it works at a cellular level, it gradually supports your cells' ability to make energy through how your body processes food and fuels your day, making you feel naturally more awake and refreshed.

NAD supplements help with cellular energy, so it's best to take them in the morning so that you don't risk being overly active in the evenings, potentially disrupting a sleep cycle.

Taking NR in the Afternoon

Do you often struggle with the "afternoon slump"?

It's that sluggish feeling you might get in the middle of the day that can happen because of a combination of food intake (causing insulin spikes and drops in blood sugar) and staying seated too long (reducing blood flow and oxygen to the brain).

While NR supplements aren't stimulants, some people find that taking them too late in the afternoon makes it harder to wind down for sleep because of their interactions in the body's energy metabolism process.

That being said, some people might split their higher NR doses between the morning and afternoon to help maintain steady NAD+ levels throughout the day, easing the potential effects of the afternoon slump.

Taking NR at Night

There's no one right way to take nicotinamide riboside. NAD+ is also involved in DNA repair, cellular recovery, and mitochondrial function, which are most active during sleep, when the body performs cellular maintenance, so taking NR before bed might support these processes.

One thing you need to be mindful of is that some users have reported it makes it harder to fall asleep or experience restless sleep when they take NR too late in the day. 

Those sensitive to energy changes or who notice increased alertness after taking NR might want to avoid taking it too late in their day. 

Some people find that NR at night doesn’t affect their sleep and may even help with recovery from exercise or stress. If you want to experiment with the times you take NR supplements, we recommend you take them in the evening when you don't have to wake up early the following day.

Should I Take NR With or Without Food?

The best practice is to take NR pills with food. Nicotinamide riboside is water-soluble, which means it's more easily absorbed in the body than fat-soluble compounds. However, some people find that taking capsules on an empty stomach can lead to discomfort.

It's particularly noticeable when you start taking nicotinamide riboside in higher doses, where the ingredient itself might cause mild bloating or nausea. To help counteract this, it's best to take NR capsules with a light meal.

Alternatively, you can take liquid NR drops on an empty stomach, as it's not likely to give you a heavy or unsettled feeling in the gut.

Best Time to Take Tru Niagen Pro (1000 mg) vs. Our Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) Supplements

Timing the Tru Niagen Pro (1000 mg, 2 capsules) or our Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) supplements can look slightly different because of how each product is designed.

Tru Niagen Pro (1000 mg, 2 Capsules)

• Best Time: Morning or Early Afternoon

• Taking both capsules in the morning helps maintain steady NAD⁺ levels throughout the day.

• Some people split the dose (1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon) to extend its effects.

Since it requires two capsules per serving, some users might find it less convenient than a single high-dose capsule, but it can make it ideal for dose splitting.

Our Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) Capsules (900 mg, 1 Capsule)

• Best Time: Morning or Early Afternoon

• You get easier dosing with just one Neurogan NR capsule instead of two while still delivering a comparable high-strength NR dose.

Our Liposomal NR Drops (300 mg per Serving)

• Best Time: Morning, Afternoon, or Anytime

• You can expect faster absorption with liposomal delivery, which enhances bioavailability, meaning your body absorbs more efficiently.

• Dropper NR supplements give you more flexibility — you can take multiple doses throughout the day to sustain NAD⁺ levels.

We designed our liposomal NR drops for those who prefer liquid supplements or want more control over their NR intake.

The Health Benefits of Taking NR Supplements in the Mornings

Taking nicotinamide riboside in the morning could help you have more energy by supporting your body’s natural rhythm in creating NAD+, keeping your cells working well all day. It also helps your body turn food into energy more efficiently.

Some people might feel too alert at bedtime when they take NR too late, making it harder to sleep.

If you're taking NR capsules, we recommend taking them with food to avoid an upset stomach, but it's not strictly needed to help with absorption since the body seems to take in NR pretty well.

At Neurogan Health, you've got options with high-strength NR capsules or liquid NR drops to fine-tune your wellness routine and keep your cells happy and fueled all day long.