Niagen® nicotinamide riboside, the nutrient that supports cellular energy
As we age, our cells gradually lose their ability to produce energy efficiently. Patent-protected Niagen® is changing the way we address aging at the cellular level, and contributes to the growing science behind NAD+. Here's what you need to know about NAD+, why NR is the superior precursor, and why Niagen® is the science-backed gold standard.
Every cell in your body depends on NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) to function properly. This coenzyme is essential for helping convert the food you eat into ATP—the energy currency that powers all cellular activities. Without adequate NAD+, your cells can't meet their energy demands.
Scientists have identified two primary ways this molecule supports cellular health, both of which become increasingly important as we age.
Energy Production
NAD+ facilitates cellular energy creation through redox reactions, cycling between its oxidized form (NAD+) and reduced form (NADH). This process is essential for the three major metabolic pathways that produce ATP: glycolysis breaks down glucose, the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle) processes metabolic intermediates, and fatty acid oxidation breaks down fats—all generating the ATP that fuels every cellular process.
Cellular Maintenance and Repair
NAD+ also activates sirtuins—specialized enzymes that help regulate your body's cellular maintenance system. Sirtuins require NAD+ to regulate gene expression, support cellular cleanup processes (autophagy), maintain circadian rhythms, repair DNA, and coordinate stress responses.
Your body obtains NAD+ building blocks from dietary sources like tryptophan and niacin (vitamin B3), and maintains a recycling system called the salvage pathway to reuse NAD+ components. However, these natural mechanisms may not produce sufficient levels to meet your cells' increasing energy demands, especially as you age.
Research shows that NAD+ deficiency develops through three interconnected factors that intensify over time and contribute to recognized hallmarks of aging:
• Decreased cellular NAD+ synthesis
• Increased cellular NAD+ consumption
• Consistent exposure to metabolic stressors
Tissues with the greatest metabolic demands are likely to be most affected by NAD+ depletion, offering a potential explanation as to why certain age-related changes become noticeable first:
• Brain Health
• Cardiovascular Health
• Muscle Health
While your body's natural NAD+ production and recycling systems work continuously, they may become increasingly inadequate with age and metabolic stress. Not all NAD+ precursors are created equal—your cells have specific pathways and limitations for converting these molecules into usable NAD+.
Nicotinamide riboside (NR) offers a uniquely efficient route to NAD+ replenishment
Unlike direct NAD+ supplementation, which faces absorption challenges due to the molecule's size and instability, or other precursors that require multiple enzymatic steps, NR utilizes a streamlined cellular pathway. Once inside your cells, NR is efficiently converted to NAD+ through the salvage pathway via nicotinamide riboside kinases—enzymes specifically designed for this conversion.
This targeted approach to restoring NAD+ levels can help bridge the critical energy gap, leading to:
• Supported cellular energy production
• Maintenance of cellular repair
• Supported metabolic efficiency
Nicotinamide riboside: A scientifically validated NAD+ precursor
In 2004, Dr. Charles Brenner’s research identified nicotinamide riboside as an effective precursor to NAD+, revealing new pathways for cellular NAD+ biosynthesis. His groundbreaking findings showed that this naturally occurring compound effectively crosses cellular membranes and converts to bioavailable NAD+, offering advantages over direct NAD+ supplementation.
“14 years and 40 published studies on Niagen® NR later, its unique ability to restore balance in the face of metabolic stress continues to amaze me.”
Charles Brenner, Ph.D., Niagen Bioscience’s Chief Scientific Advisor | Alfred E Mann Family Foundation Chair in Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism at City of Hope
The scientist who discovered nicotinamide riboside's utility as a micronutrient
Backed by 25 years of research & innovation
We've led the way in healthy aging science, pioneering discoveries in NAD+ with Niagen®.
Regulatory recognition and third-party testing confirms safety and quality
Niagen® has received approval from leading regulatory agencies worldwide, such as Brazil's ANVISA, the European Commission, Australia's TGA, and Health Canada as a Natural Health Product. Niagen is the only NR product that has been notified to the FDA as GRAS and a New Dietary Ingredient.
Clinical research provides the scientific foundation
More than 35 clinical studies support Niagen®'s safety and efficacy, with over 65% of registered nicotinamide riboside trials utilizing this patented ingredient. These peer-reviewed, published studies form the evidence base supporting every Tru Niagen capsule.
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