The best nicotinamide riboside (NR) supplement brands are:
- Tru Niagen NR Supplement
- Renue By Science NR Supplement
- Thorne NiaCel NR Supplement
- Thorne ResveraCel NR Supplement
- Life Extension Cell Regenerator NR Supplement
- Life Extension Plus Resveratrol NR Supplement
- Elysium Health NR Supplement
- Designs for Health NR Supplement
- UltraHealth NR Supplement
- Cytoplan NR Supplement
Taking a good NR supplement is thought to help boost NAD+ energy production in our mitochondria and acts as a precursor.
I was interested to find out what are some of the best nicotinamide riboside supplements for me to review.
So, I went out researching online for what are some of the highest rated & most recommended nicotinamide supplement products and brands available to buy online.
The Best Nicotinamide Riboside Supplements in 2024
Tru Niagen uses Niagen® nicotinamide riboside from Chromadex, which has been shown in research studies to increase NAD+ levels by up to 50% after 2 weeks of use.
Here is a list of recommended NR supplements on the market we reviewed for you to compare.
1. Tru Niagen Nicotinamide Riboside
- Capsule Type: Vegetarian
- NR Dose: 300 mg
- Capsule Count: 60 capsules per bottle
- Vegetarian capsules are lightweight and easy to swallow
- Available in different quantity options from single bottle to packs of 2 or 3 bottles and in subscription orders
- Only has to be taken once per day
- Website is full of useful resources, and the about section details every member of their scientific advisory and leadership boards
- Nicotinamide riboside is their only product, which means all of their focus is dedicated to it
Tru Niagen uses NIAGEN, the patented NR product owned by ChromaDex,. Dr. Charles Brenner PhD. who discovered nicotinamide riboside can help raise NAD levels in 2004, is on the scientific advisory board. The Tru Niagen website offers a lot of educational insight on the science behind why nicotinamide riboside is important for cellular function. (ref)
2. Renue By Science Lipo NR Capsules
- Capsule Type: Vegetarian
- NR Dose: 300 mg
- Capsule count: 90 capsules per bottle
- Chemical Certificate Analysis found on the product page
- Used in NAD+ clinics
- Website has useful list of research links and articles
- Anti-aging supplementation is their product focus
- Have a contact telephone number and email
Renue By Science are a leading supplement brand in making various anti-aging supplements including a nicotinamide riboside supplement. The Renue By Science NR supplement uses liposomal NR as a unique feature vs the other brands we reviewed. There are also no other ingredients alongside the NR. You will find a certificate of analysis on their product page showing the results from the latest ingredient testing.
3. Thorne NiaCel 400 Nicotinamide Riboside
- Capsule Type: Vegetarian
- NR Dose: 415 mg
- TMC Dose: 85 mg
- Capsule count: 60 capsules per bottle
- Free of gluten, metallic colorants, soy, eggs, dairy, stearates, BPA, artificial preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, nuts and banned substances
- The company markets that they do four rounds of testing their supplements
- They are cGMP certified in the US and TGA certified in Australia
The Thorne NiaCel 400 formulation is a good option for someone wanting a NR supplement that combines both NR and betaine anhydrous to possibly help enhance their NAD levels. This product contains 85 mg of betaine anhydrous. (ref)
4. Thorne ResveraCel Nicotinamide Riboside
- Capsule Type: Vegetarian
- NR Dose: 415 mg
- Resveratrol Dose: 150 mg
- Quercetin Phytosome Dose: 250 mg
- Capsule count: 60 capsules per bottle
- Free of gluten, metallic colorants, soy, eggs, dairy, stearates, BPA, artificial preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, nuts and banned substances
- The company markets that they do four rounds of testing their supplements
- They are cGMP certified in the US and TGA certified in Australia
The Thorne ResveraCel formulation is another good option for someone wanting one supplement that combines both NR and flavonoids, like Quercetin Phytosome, to possibly help enhance sirtuin activity. This product contains 50 mg more resveratrol and 235 mg more quercetin per serving than the Life Extension option. Thorne use nicotinamide riboside hydrogen malate in their ingredient list. (ref)
5. Life Extension NAD+ Cell Regenerator Nicotinamide Riboside
- Capsule Type: Vegetarian
- NR Dose: 100 mg and 300 mg options
- Capsule Count: 30 capsules per bottle
- Life Extension is a well-established company with hundreds of supplements available, as well as a lab testing service and magazine
- According to self-implemented customer surveys, 98% of customers recommend their products to friends and family
- Their website is extensive, featuring health education pages, a news section, and a supplement guide
Life Extension uses NIAGEN® nicotinamide riboside in its NAD+ Cell Regenerator supplement formulation. There are two options with one containing 100 mg and the other 300 mg of NR per capsule. Life Extension is a good option as they are a brand I trust to provide the best dosages and trust their ingredients are what they state on the label. The company has been around for over 35 years and make over 350 different vitamins and supplements. (ref)
6. Life Extension Optimized NAD+ Cell Regenerator and Resveratrol Elite
- Capsule Type: Vegetarian
- NR Dose: 300 mg
- Resveratrol Dose: 100 mg
- Capsule Count: 30 capsules per bottle
The Life Extension Optimized NAD+ Cell Regenerator and Resveratrol formulation also uses NIAGEN® nicotinamide riboside. It contains the bioflavonoid, quercetin, which can help improve the absorption of resveratrol. This Life Extension supplement is a good option for those who want the benefits of taking resveratrol and NR all in one capsule.
7. Elysium Health Basis NR Supplement
- Supplement Form: Capsules
- NR-E Dose: 250 mg
- Capsule Count: 60 capsules
- Shown to Increase NAD+ Levels in an RCT Study
- Easy to find certificate of analysis on their website
- Easy to find customer support email and telephone number
- Capsule option only
- Can ship to the US and Canada
Elysium Health Basis supplement is contains a patent pending form of NR called crystalline nicotinamide riboside (NR-E). The product also contains 50mg of Pterostilbene which is said to work together with the NR to help boost NAD+ levels. The product is NSF Certified for Sport and they link to their ingredient quality lots testing results. Their products was also shown in an RCT study to increase NAD+ levels.
8. Designs for Health Mito-NR
- Capsule Type: Vegetarian
- NR Dose: 300 mg
- CoQ10 Dose: 200 mg
- GG-Gold Dose: 50 mg
- Capsule count: 60 capsules
Designs for Health is a brand that makes a unique version of NR supplement by adding CoQ10 and geranylgeraniol (GG) to their formulation which uses the Niagen form of NR. Adding GG acts as a building block in making CoQ10 and also add CoQ10 which helps mitochondrial energy. So, you can stack NR, CoQ10 and GG in one capsule.
9. UltraHealth Liposomal Nicotinamide Riboside
- Capsule Type: Vegetarian
- NR Dose: 300 mg
- Capsule count: 60 capsules
UltraHealth is a brand whose NR supplement use a patented form of NR called Ribgen® which is nicotinamide ribisode chloride. They say that their proprietary enteric capsules help the NR get absorb in the small intestine for best bioavailability. We were able to see a certificate of analysis on their product page.
10. Cytoplan Nicotinamide Riboside
- Capsule Type: Vegetarian
- NR Dose: 100 mg
- Capsule count: 60 capsules per bottle
Cytoplan is brand that is only available in the UK. Their NR supplement contains 100 mg of nicotinamide riboside. You may need to order this through an approved Cytoplan practitioner.
Buyers Guide on Nicotinamide Riboside Supplements
I know you were looking for what are the best options, but here is some more detail as to why we might need nicotinamide riboside products to help us make more NAD+.
What is Nicotinamide Riboside?
Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is a form for vitamin B3 that has been shown to increase levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (a.k.a NAD+).
Nicotinamide riboside is not the same as the other forms of vitamin B3, nicotinic acid (niacin) & nicotinamide.
Here are each of the forms in which vitamin B3 is found:
- Nicotinic acid
- Nicotinamide
- Nicotinamide riboside
Recommended Dosages
The suggested dose for nicotinamide riboside is anywhere from 1 to 200 mg per day. Higher doses have shown minimal adverse effects, but any side effects may be more prominent at higher doses. Users may notice greater differences in energy with higher doses. (ref)
What Are the Benefits of Using Nicotinamide Riboside?
The potential beneficial functions of nicotinamide riboside are as follows:
- Improves muscle function
- Fights cancer and brain diseases like Alzheimer’s
- Protects the brain, liver and mitochondria
- Decreases symptoms of diabetes
- Helps to prevent hearing loss
- Increases metabolism
- Helps with weight loss
- Extends lifespan
- Regulates the circadian rhythm, or sleep cycle
The benefits of supplementing with nicotinamide riboside appear to be numerous. Although some tests have been done, more knowledge is needed to confirm its uses. (ref)
Preclinical trials have shown NAD+ to have anti-aging properties and it helps to generate energy in tissues such as muscle, liver and brain.
Supplementing with a capsule makes it easier to get a more effective dose.
How Does Nicotinamide Riboside Work?
Nicotinamide riboside is one of NAD+ precursors and helps to bypass the enzyme called NAMPT which is a rate limiting enzyme for creating NAD+. (ref)(ref)
NAD+ is in every living cell in the human body and plays a role in metabolism, DNA repair and cell signalling.
What Is the Science Behind Nicotinamide Riboside?
The reason nicotinamide riboside is so beneficial is that it is converted into NAD+ in the body. NAD+ is important for energy, mitochondria and the sleep cycle. (ref)
It also activates the following:
- Sirtuins, which are anti-aging enzymes
- PARPs, which are involved in DNA repair
- CD38, which plays a role in insulin production
What Are the Natural Food Sources of Nicotinamide Riboside?
Nicotinamide riboside is found in:
Is Nicotinamide Riboside Safe?
Nicotinamide riboside is a naturally occurring form of vitamin B3 and is considered very safe. Even at exceptionally high doses, there is no risk of death. The only precaution is for athletes, as higher doses may negatively affect exercise performance.
Basically, all dosages are considered safe, although most nicotinamide riboside supplements have not been approved by the FDA and should be taken with caution and only after consulting with a physician.
Possible Side Effects
There is no human evidence to show any side effects from taking nicotinamide riboside; however, in animal tests, there may be a decrease in physical performance.
If this applies to humans as well, which we don’t currently know, it is only relevant for athletes or people concerned with athletic performance. Even at high doses up to 5000 mg, there is no risk of overdose or death and only minimal adverse effects have been seen once the dose is increased to 300 mg or higher. (ref)
NR Supplement Frequently Asked Questions
Nicotinamide vs Niacinamide Differences
Nicotinamide (NAM) is sometimes known as niacinamide and so they are the same thing with no difference.
What is the Best Time of Day to Take NR?
The best time of day to take a NR supplement is in the morning
Should You Take NR With Food or on an Empty Stomach?
You can take NR with or without food.
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