NAD supplements change biomarkers, but wellness benefits remain uncertain
A review found consistent biochemical responses to oral precursors, while human health and function outcomes were mixed or often unchanged.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Oral nicotinamide riboside and nicotinamide mononucleotide consistently changed NAD-related metabolites in human studies, but this did not translate into consistent improvements in health or function. The review found clinical benefits for anti-aging or wellness remained uncertain. It also found no eligible trials testing wellness outcomes from intravenous or intramuscular NAD itself.
Human outcomes differed across studies, and follow-up generally lasted weeks to months. The abstract provides no pooled clinical effect estimate or evidence of long-term effectiveness.
Biological activity versus benefit
The human studies measured NAD-related compounds in blood or cells. Changes in these markers show that the compounds affected their intended biological pathway, but do not by themselves demonstrate better physical function or healthier aging.
Injection evidence was sparse
Animal studies often reported improvements, but human findings were less consistent. An intravenous precursor study mainly addressed short-term safety and biomarkers; a separate NAD infusion pilot lacked eligible clinical outcomes and was only contextual evidence.
The original publication
NAD⁺ supplementation for anti-aging and wellness: A PRISMA-guided systematic review of preclinical and clinical evidence.
Gallagher C, Emmanuel OO
Ageing Res Rev · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41655607
- Record checked
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