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NMN Supplements (2026): What Studies Show, Cost and Testing

NMN raises NAD+ in your blood. Studies of health effects found small, mixed or no benefits. Many trials were paid for by NMN makers. On September 29, 2025, FDA said NMN is not excluded from the dietary supplement definition, which is not a safety finding.

By Erin Rose Updated October 12, 2026 Sources

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The best NMN, scoredOur 4 picks, and scores for all 11 NMN products we checked on dose, testing and cost.Which NMN is on a testing listWhich products are on an NSF or Informed Choice list, and what each list checks.What NMN costs per 500 mgEach product we score, priced per 500 mg at the brand’s list price.NMN vs NRThe one trial that compared them in people, and which one to buy.Walking and exercise trialsWhat the trials in runners and older adults measured, and what they found.Is NMN legal to sell?What FDA said on September 29, 2025, and what it did not say.

What NMN is

NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) is related to vitamin B3 (niacin). Your body can turn it into NAD+. Reviewing one maker’s NMN, Europe’s food safety panel called it “a bioavailable source of nicotinamide, a form of niacin” (EFSA 2026). That is a description, not an approval. There is no official daily amount for NMN.

The big question: does raising NAD+ do anything?

After NMN, NAD+ in the blood goes up. The open question is whether that higher number changes your health. So far, in people, the answer is mostly no. Trials that measured health results, such as blood sugar, strength or walking, found small, mixed or no effects. A 2026 review of 33 human studies put it plainly: NMN and NR “consistently” raise NAD+ markers, but effects on health were “often null” (Gallagher 2026).

Lifespan studies are in mice. No human trial we found has measured lifespan. And a higher level is not always better: in one small trial, 1,200 mg a day blocked a gain the muscles made after exercise (Yang 2026, 11 men).

What the research shows: scorecard

GoalEvidenceWhat the research shows
Blood NAD+ConsistentTrials at 250 to 900 mg a day found higher NAD+ in the blood than placebo (Okabe 2022, authors from Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences; Yi 2023, authors from Abinopharm and Aba Chemicals). A 2026 review of 33 studies says NMN and NR “consistently” raise it (Gallagher 2026). The rise varied a lot from person to person.
Blood sugar and insulinMixedReviews of 8 and 15 trials found no effect on blood sugar or insulin (Chen 2024; Yang 2026: “broad metabolic benefits were not evident”). One 10-week trial in postmenopausal women with prediabetes found a better lab measure of insulin response (Yoshino 2021; two authors hold NMN patent interests). In a small study with no placebo group, insulin after meals went up (Yamane 2023).
Cholesterol and weightMixedPooled reviews found no clear effect (Chen 2024; Yang 2026). One 28-day trial in 30 adults with overweight or obesity, at 2,000 mg a day, lowered weight (about 1.9 kg), total cholesterol (about 27 mg/dL) and LDL (about 19 mg/dL) against placebo (Pencina 2023; funded by Metro International Biotech, which makes the NMN tested).
Blood pressurePreliminaryA 2026 review of 10 trials in adults with raised blood pressure found the lower number dropped about 2 points; the top number did not change overall, but dropped about 4 points in people 60 and older. The authors call it “preliminary” (Zhang 2026). The 2,000 mg trial saw the lower number drop about 7 points (Pencina 2023).
Muscle and walkingMostly not shownA 2025 review found no support for NMN to keep muscle or strength in adults over 60 (Prokopidis 2025). Single trials were mixed: see the exercise trials.
Aging, lifespan and energyNot shown in peopleA 2026 review calls results for aging or wellness “inconclusive” (Gallagher 2026). Lifespan studies are in mice. No trial we read tested energy.
Safety in short trialsNo serious problems seenNo trial we read reported serious side effects, and a 2026 review found NMN did not raise side effects or liver enzymes (Yang 2026). Trials were small, and none we found ran longer than 24 weeks. See who should ask a doctor first.

If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, or take medicine for either, ask your doctor before trying NMN.

Most NMN trials were paid for or run by companies, several of which make or supply NMN. One 2025 review rated every trial it pooled as having some or high risk of bias. Its authors wrote that “an exaggeration of the benefits of NMN supplementation may exist” (Zhang 2025).

Walking and exercise trials

These trials were small, ran 7 days to 24 weeks, and found little. Each trial names a main test before it starts; a side result is less reliable.

  • Runners (Liao 2021): 48 recreational runners took 300, 600 or 1,200 mg a day for 6 weeks while training. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2max) did not change in any group. Some breathing-threshold measures rose more at 600 and 1,200 mg. No industry ties were reported.
  • Middle-aged adults (Yi 2023): 80 people aged 40 to 65 took 300, 600 or 900 mg a day for 60 days. All three groups walked farther in a 6-minute walk test than the placebo group. Some authors work for Abinopharm and Aba Chemicals.
  • Older adults, 250 mg a day: in one trial the main test, a stepping test, showed no difference; at 12 weeks the NMN group took less time on a 4-meter walk test and scored better on a sleep questionnaire, both side results (Morifuji 2024, 60 people; authors from Meiji). In another, everyone improved on a sit-to-stand test, including the placebo groups (Kim 2022, 108 people; authors from Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences). A third found small gains in walking speed and grip that it said need larger studies (Igarashi 2022, 42 men; Mitsubishi). In 14 older men with diabetes, 24 weeks changed neither grip nor walking speed (Akasaka 2023; funded by Teijin).
  • High dose (Pencina 2023): 2,000 mg a day for 28 days did not change strength, muscle fatigue, aerobic fitness or stair-climbing power (the weight and cholesterol results are above). Funded by Metro International Biotech, which makes the NMN tested.
  • A possible downside (Yang 2026): in 11 untrained men, 1,200 mg a day for 7 days blocked a rise in muscle mitochondria after exercise. It is one tiny trial, but worth knowing if you exercise to get fitter.

How much NMN the trials used

Trials in healthy adults gave 250 to 1,250 mg a day (the 1,250 mg trial ran 4 weeks; Fukamizu 2022). Drug-company trials gave 2,000 mg a day for up to 28 days. Most trials ran 12 weeks or less; the longest ran 24 weeks. Two NMN makers’ FDA filings name up to 600 mg a day for no more than about 2 months; one of them names 300 mg a day for ongoing use. A third names up to 400 mg a day. These are the makers’ own conditions, not FDA limits. Europe’s food safety panel judged one maker’s NMN safe at up to 300 mg a day (EFSA 2026). Our pick is a 600 mg capsule: the short-term amount in the filings, and twice what EFSA reviewed. There is no official daily amount, and we do not advise a dose.

Side effects, and who should ask a doctor first

No trial we read reported serious side effects. A 2026 review of the safety data found NMN did not raise side effects or liver enzymes (Yang 2026). But the trials were small and short: none we found ran longer than 24 weeks.

  • Pregnant or breastfeeding: EFSA’s safety opinion leaves you out, and so do two makers’ FDA filings. In a rat study, high doses affected reproductive organs (EFSA 2026). Do not take NMN unless your doctor says to.
  • Children: every maker’s FDA filing we read covers adults only.
  • Cancer: a 2020 review raised a theoretical concern that raising NAD+ could help tumors grow (Braidy 2020). There is no human data either way. If you have or had cancer, talk to your doctor first.
  • Medicines or a health condition: the sources we read do not cover NMN with medicines. If you take any, or have diabetes or high blood pressure, ask your doctor first.

In 2022 FDA said NMN was excluded from the dietary supplement definition, because it had first been studied as a drug. FDA said on September 29, 2025 that NMN is not excluded from the dietary supplement definition. This answered a petition from the Natural Products Association and the Alliance for Natural Health.

Makers still have to notify FDA, because NMN is a new dietary ingredient, and FDA’s acceptance of a notification is not a safety finding: FDA calls it “a procedural matter.” FDA did not approve NMN or say it is safe, and it can still act against an unsafe product. In Europe, EFSA’s panel found one maker’s NMN safe for adults at up to 300 mg a day (May 2026). That is a safety opinion, not EU approval.

Which NMN to buy

Our pick is at the top of the page. It is on Informed Choice (checked September 22, 2026), a banned-substance program; we found nothing saying it checks how much NMN is in the capsule. For an outside check that the contents match the label, Codeage Liposomal NMN Platinum is on NSF/ANSI 173. One lab study of NMN and urolithin A products found amounts from 28.6% above the label to none at all (Sandalova 2024). By need:

Figure 1. What 500 mg of NMN costs, at list price
0 0.3 0.6 0.9 1.2 Renue By Science NMN Powder 500 mg in 1 scoop (0.5 g) $0.27 Neurogan Beta NMN 900 mg 900 mg in 1 capsule $0.43 Transparent Labs NMN 600 mg 600 mg in 1 capsule · Informed Choice $0.83
Renue By Science NMN Powder costs the least per 500 mg. Transparent Labs, our pick, is the highlighted bar; it costs more but is on a testing list. Source: Each brand’s own list price, checked October 12, 2026.
Figure 1. What 500 mg of NMN costs, at list price
ItemValue
Renue By Science NMN Powder$0.27
Neurogan Beta NMN 900 mg$0.43
Transparent Labs NMN 600 mg$0.83

See the best NMN, scored, or see which NMN is on a testing list.

How we checked this

Products. We read 16 NMN products. We score 11 of them (10 capsules, 1 powder). 5 more have labels we could not confirm, so we do not score them. Scores updated October 12, 2026. See the scores.

Cost per 500 mg. The bottle’s list price divided by the NMN it holds, times 500. Capsules and powder are scored apart.

Prices. Each brand’s own list price, checked October 12, 2026. Transparent Labs’s own store showed our pick sold out that day; we used its list price. Amazon’s price can differ.

Testing lists. NSF/ANSI 173, NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Choice list NMN products; USP Verified and Informed Sport list none we score. 3 of the 11 we score are on a list. Informed Choice checked September 22, 2026.

Studies. We read the abstract of each study cited, the FDA letters in full and the EFSA opinion’s abstract. We found no NIH page on NMN.

Sources

  1. US Food and Drug Administration. Response to citizen petition FDA-2023-P-0872 (Natural Products Association and Alliance for Natural Health USA), September 29, 2025. regulations.gov FDA-2023-P-0872-2754. FDA filing letters: Inner Mongolia Kingdomway, NDI notification 1259, December 2, 2025 (“a procedural matter”; up to 400 mg a day); SyncoZymes, NDI 1265, and Effepharm, NDI 1444, January 28, 2026 (up to 600 mg a day for up to about 2 months; Effepharm 300 mg a day for ongoing use).
  2. EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens. Opinion on β-NMN as a novel food (abstract). EFSA J. 2026. PubMed 42125559
  3. Okabe K, et al. Front Nutr. 2022. PubMed 35479740 (authors from Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences). Yi L, et al. GeroScience. 2023. PubMed 36482258
  4. Gallagher, et al. (review of 33 human studies of NAD+ precursors). Ageing Res Rev. 2026. PubMed 41655607
  5. Yang, et al. (meta-analysis of 15 trials). Nutrients. 2026. PubMed 42514320. Chen F, et al. Curr Diab Rep. 2024. PubMed 39531138. Yoshino, et al. Science. 2021. PubMed 33888596. Yamane, et al. (single-arm study). 2023. PubMed 37344088. Fukamizu, et al. Sci Rep. 2022. PubMed 36002548 (authors from Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences)
  6. Zhang, et al. (blood pressure meta-analysis). Nutrients. 2026. PubMed 41901064. Zhang, et al. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2025. PubMed 39116016
  7. Prokopidis, et al. (muscle meta-analysis). J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2025. PubMed 40275690
  8. Exercise trials: Liao B, et al. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021. PubMed 34238308. Morifuji M, et al. GeroScience. 2024. PubMed 38789831. Kim M, et al. Nutrients. 2022. PubMed 35215405. Igarashi M, et al. NPJ Aging. 2022. PubMed 35927255. Akasaka, et al. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2023. PubMed 36443648. Pencina, et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2023. PubMed 36740954. Yang, et al. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2026. PubMed 41705654
  9. Braidy N, Liu Y. (review of NAD+ precursor risks). 2020. PubMed 31917996
  10. Sandalova, et al. (lab tests of NMN and urolithin A products). GeroScience. 2024. PubMed 38935229

This page is for information. It is not medical advice.