Nicotinamide riboside (NR) has long been revered as an efficient precursor to NAD+; however, its cousin molecule nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), featured as part of our metabolic health product Signal, has gained greater notice as an alternative.
Key Takeaways:
- Nmn Vs Nr are precursors to NAD+ that play an essential role in maintaining cell metabolism, DNA health and other metabolic processes.
- NMN and NR have distinct structures, which may impact how they enter cells and are converted to NAD+. Studies suggest different tissues within our bodies may prefer either one over the other.
- Both NMN and NR have undergone human clinical trials and demonstrated they effectively and safely increase NAD+ levels.
- Supplementation with NMN or NR can help combat the decline of NAD+ levels as we age, supporting healthy aging.
Similar Products:
Basis: These supplements combine NAD+ levels by increasing them and activating SIRT1; both components support healthy DNA by helping your cells adapt.
Signal: Contains Nmn dosage, honokiol and viniferin, ingredients which work to support metabolic aging and mitochondrial function by increasing NAD+ levels and activating SIRT3.
As with NR, NMN supplement serves as a precursor for NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide; meaning it becomes NAD+ through chemical transformation. NAD+ plays an essential role in your cells but as we age its levels naturally decline - making precursors like NMN and NR essential to ensure you maintain adequate levels of this crucial coenzyme.
NMN and NR are very similar compounds except for one major distinction; each precursor's size varies due to an added phosphate group on NMN that makes it larger than NR (see figure below). Researchers had once believed that due to this difference in size, NMN needed to first be transformed into NR before entering cells; however, new research in mice indicates otherwise; instead certain tissues express Slc12a8 transporter molecules which help NMN (but not NR) enter intact into cells where it can then be converted to NAD+ for conversion into NAD+; results of this research also suggest different tissues may show preference for either or both variants NMN/NR;
Once inside a cell, NMN is one step closer than NR to becoming NAD+; while NR first must be converted to NMN before becoming NAD+; in contrast NMN serves as the immediate precursor for this biosynthesis pathway (see figure below for NAD+ biosynthesis pathways).
Comparing NR and NMN Molecules
At present, it is difficult to draw any firm conclusions regarding the relative efficacy of both molecules as they have never been studied together in humans. Both have proven their ability to increase NAD+ levels effectively while remaining safe to consume. Studies on the effects of NR or NMN for specific aspects of human physiology or performance continue to grow rapidly, both completed and ongoing clinical trials proving positive. Supplementation with NMN was shown to promote healthy insulin sensitivity and increase aerobic capacity in two studies.
Supplementation with NAD+ precursors has recently been shown to both increase NAD+ levels in the brain and decrease levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the central nervous system, providing promising evidence for potential health Nmn benefits of supplementation with these precursors. Although initial findings rely on small cohort types and variable dosages, more extensive trials must still take place before drawing any definitive conclusions from them; but their initial findings provide compelling evidence of various health advantages associated with taking this route.
More studies will need to be completed in order to ascertain any Differences Between Nmn and Nr across tissues or species differences; further evidence for potential health advantages of taking NAD+ precursor supplements may differ depending on tissue types or tissue types; further research needs to take place as soon as possible in order to see whether any differences exist among tissues types.
