What is Nicotinamide Riboside Hydrogen Malate?

Nicotinamide riboside hydrogen malate (NR-HM) is a version of a vitamin B3 supplement. It's synthesized in a lab by combining nicotinamide riboside (NR) with hydrogen malate — a form of malic acid.

This combination is technically a salt form. In chemistry, "salt form" doesn't mean table salt. It just means that the two substances (the active ingredient and a helper molecule) are paired to make the compound more shelf stable and easier for the body to absorb.

The Benefits of Nicotinamide Riboside Hydrogen Malate

Nicotinamide riboside hydrogen malate is a stabilized form of NR designed for better absorption, longer shelf life, and better performance as a health supplement to support nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels.

Research suggests that higher NAD+ levels might help your heart, brain, and metabolism work better — especially as you get older [1].

How NR-HM Compares to Other NR Forms

Nicotinamide riboside does exist naturally in foods like cow's milk and brewer's yeast — but in very, very small amounts — so it's not practical to get high doses of NR from diet alone. 

Because it's hard to get NR from food, most supplements use synthetically produced NR.

There are two main ways to make NR:

1. Chemical synthesis: Scientists make NR by combining nicotinamide with ribose, the sugar part of the molecule.

2. Enzymatic or microbial methods: These use natural processes like yeast fermentation or enzymes to build NR in a cleaner, more sustainable way.

Once made, NR is combined with another compound, like chloride or malate, to make it more stable and absorbable.

Key Differences Between NR and NR-HM

Pure nicotinamide riboside is sensitive to light and moisture, making it less stable. To fix this problem, combining NR with hydrogen malate makes it more practical to produce on a large scale for supplements.

Some experts believe NR-HM may be more effective than plain NR because it stays fresh longer and may be better at getting into your cells. 

So, while both NR and NR-HM help your body boost NAD+, NR-HM is an innovative, improved version that may give your body even better support.

Key Differences Between Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride and NRHM

Both nicotinamide riboside chloride (NR-Cl) and NR hydrogen malate (NR-HM) are salt forms of nicotinamide riboside, used in supplement formulations to support NAD+ production. But they have differences in how they're produced, studied, and used.

NR-Cl is the most well-researched and clinically tested form of NR for metabolism and longevity [2].

This form has been used in nearly all major human studies on NR, including cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive health trials [2]. It’s highly stable and effective, making it a reputable ingredient for NAD+ support.

Compared to NR-Cl, NR-HM is a newer alternative that uses malic acid as the stabilizing compound.

This combination is interesting because malate plays a role in the body's Krebs cycle — the process cells use to convert energy from food. The idea is that malate could work alongside NR to support mitochondrial function [3].

While this theory makes sense biochemically, there’s limited clinical data in humans proving that NR-HM performs significantly better than NR chloride in real-world use.

Accessibility of NR-HM Products

NR-HM (Nicotinamide Riboside Hydrogen Malate) is a newer ingredient and is not as widely used as NR chloride.

NR-HM is primarily available as a bulk ingredient supplied by manufacturers such as Hygieia Biotech and Wuxi Vega Science Co., Ltd..

These companies sell NR-HM in powder form for dietary supplements and cosmetics. However, we currently can't source any widely recognized consumer products that use NR-HM as an active ingredient.

Most nicotinamide riboside currently available to consumers use nicotinamide riboside chloride, the form predominantly featured in clinical research.

Future Research on Nicotinamide Riboside Supplements

There's a lot of interest in supplements that may support longevity. At the center of this research are compounds that promote healthy NAD+ levels, and nicotinamide riboside is a precursor to NAD+, which has been shown to support this process [1].

Two of the most promising forms of NR are nicotinamide riboside chloride and nicotinamide riboside hydrogen malate. NR-Cl remains the most studied and validated form of NR, and it's what you'll find in Neurogan Health nicotinamide ribsoide formulationsNR-HM is a newer compound that combines NR with hydrogen malate, which, in theory, should help support the body's energy cycle. While it's not as extensively studied in humans, it does show a lot of promise as a stable and absorbable NR supplement, and I'm sure we can expect to see more formulations using NR-HM in the future.

Resources:

1. Mehmel, M., Jovanović, N., & Spitz, U. (2020). Nicotinamide riboside—the current state of research and therapeutic uses. Nutrients, 12(6), 1616.

2. Conze, D., Brenner, C., & Kruger, C. L. (2019). Safety and metabolism of long-term administration of NIAGEN (nicotinamide riboside chloride) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of healthy overweight adults. Scientific reports, 9(1), 9772.

3. Biosynth Carbosynth. (2021). Improved formulations of nicotinamide riboside: A promising treatment for age-related disorders. Research Outreach, (124). https://researchoutreach.org/articles/improved-formulations-of-nicotinamide-riboside-a-promising-treatment-for-age-related-disorders/