What is NAD+?

NAD+ stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. It is a naturally occurring substance that occurs in almost all cells. NAD+ is involved in processes related to cell metabolism, energy metabolism and the balance between NAD+ and NADH.

Important to understand: NAD+ is not an ordinary vitamin nor is it a simple “energy pill”. It is part of a complex system in which the body continuously builds up, converts and reuses substances.

Why do people look for NAD+ supplements?

NAD+ is often mentioned in longevity, healthy aging and cellular energy. As a result, many people look for a NAD+ supplement. However, confusion quickly arises here, because the term “NAD+ supplement” is used in two ways.

Sometimes people mean a supplement literally NAD+ as an ingredient contains. But often people actually mean supplements involved in it NAD+ metabolism, zoals NMN, NR of vitamine B3-vormen.

Within a supplement category about  NAD+ supplements based on precursor substances this does not concern direct NAD+ itself, but substances that the body can use within its own NAD+ pathways.

Why taking NAD+ immediately does not always make sense

Taking NAD+ directly sounds logical at first glance. If NAD+ is important, why not just take it straight away? The nuance lies in the absorption and processing by the body.

NAD+ is a relatively large and charged molecule. As a result, it is not self-evident that NAD+ is absorbed intact after oral ingestion and then ends up in exactly the right place in the cell. The body often works with smaller building materials that can be converted via its own routes.

So the problem is not that NAD+ is unimportant. The point is mainly that Taking NAD+ directly does not automatically mean that it will also arrive in your cells as usable NAD+.

What are NAD+ precursors?

A precursor substance, also called a precursor, is a substance that the body can convert into another substance. With NAD+, this means that you do not directly take NAD+ itself, but a smaller building material that the body can use within its own NAD+ production.

The best-known NAD+ precursor substances are:

• NMN — nicotinamide mononucleotide
• NR — nicotinamide riboside
• Niacin — a form of vitamin B3
• Niacinamide — also known as nicotinamide

These substances are not the same as NAD+ itself, but they are involved in pathways that allow the body to produce or recycle NAD+.

NMN as a precursor of NAD+

NMN stands for nicotinamide mononucleotide. It is a known precursor of NAD+. This means that NMN in the body can play a role in the route to NAD+.

Within longevity routines, NMN is often discussed because it is relatively close to NAD+ in the biochemical pathway. This makes NMN easier to understand for many people than NAD+ itself: you give the body a building material, instead of taking the end molecule directly.

Read more about NMN supplements and how it fits into a carefully constructed NAD+ routine

NR als alternatief voor NMN

NR staat voor nicotinamide riboside. Net als NMN is NR een voorloperstof van NAD+. Het lichaam kan NR via tussenstappen verwerken richting NMN and uiteindelijk NAD+.

NR lijkt qua doel dus op NMN, maar zit op een iets andere plek in de route. Daarom wordt NR vaak gezien als een van de meest logische alternatieven voor NMN.

Dat betekent niet dat NR automatisch beter of minder goed is dan NMN. Het betekent vooral dat beide stoffen passen binnen hetzelfde bredere thema: het ondersteunen van het NAD+ metabolism via voorloperstoffen.

Niacin and niacinamide: classic vitamin B3 forms

Naast NMN and NR zijn er ook klassieke vitamine B3-vormen die betrokken zijn bij NAD+ routes. De bekendste zijn niacin and niacinamide, also called nicotinamide.

Niacin can contribute to the formation of NAD+ via another route. An important point to note is that niacin can cause a temporary flush in some people: a warm or red feeling of the skin.

Niacinamide usually does not cause a flush and is often seen as a milder B3 form. However, here too, more is not automatically better. Especially when someone combines several B3 forms, it is wise to take a close look at the total intake.

Direct NAD+ or precursor substance: what is the difference?

The main difference is in the route. Direct NAD+ contains the end molecule itself. A precursor substance provides a building material that the body can use to produce or reuse NAD+ via its own routes.

When do NAD+ precursors make more sense?

NAD+ voorloperstoffen zijn vaak logischer wanneer je het lichaam geen direct NAD+ wilt geven, maar bouwstoffen die passen binnen de eigen NAD+ aanmaak. Daarom worden NMN, NR and vitamine B3-vormen vaak besproken binnen NAD+ routines.

This makes them especially interesting for people who look critically at the form of a supplement and not just at the name “NAD+” on the label.

Within a broader longevity routine, supporting substances such as:  TMG and resveratrol worden besproken. Both supplementen zijn zelf geen NAD+ voorloperstof, maar wordt vaak gecombineerd met NMN en NR vanwege de bredere methylatiecontext.

What should you look for with NAD+ supplements?

With NAD+ supplements, it is important to not only look at the name of the product, but especially at the form, composition and quality. A clear product explains which substance it contains and why that substance fits within the NAD+ metabolism.

• Form: does the product directly contain NAD+ or a precursor substance such as NMN of NR?
• Purity: is it clear what the active substance and any excipients are?
• Dosage: is the amount per dosage clearly stated?
• Transparency: is there information about origin, quality or test dates?

Conclusion: don't just look at the name NAD+

Direct NAD+ nemen klinkt logisch, maar de opname en beschikbaarheid in het lichaam zijn minder eenvoudig dan de naam doet vermoeden. Daarom zijn voorloperstoffen zoals NMN, NR, niacin en niacinamide vaak logischer binnen een NAD+ routine.

A good NAD+ supplement does not literally have to contain NAD+ itself. It can also be a substance that the body uses as a building material within its own NAD+ pathways. It is precisely that difference that makes it important to look beyond the front of the label.