A pilot study finds supplementation with nicotinamide riboside (500 mg, twice a day) improves blood pressure and arterial health particularly in individuals with mild hypertension (compared to placebo). The decrease in blood pressure could translate to a 25% reduction in heart attack risk.
The study also found that 1,000 mg daily of nicotinamide riboside boosted levels increased NAD+ by 60%.
Nicotinamide riboside is a form of vitamin B3 that is converted into NAD+. NAD+ is a cofactor for many metabolic enzymes and becomes depleted across various tissues as we age. This causes the mitochondria to suffer and mitochondrial decay is also thought to also be a key driver of aging.
To learn more about the role of nicotinamide riboside and NAD+ in aging…check out my conversation with Dr. Eric Verdin. Click on the timeline for the exact time point when we discuss nicotinamide riboside.
Dr. Eric Verdin Episode: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/eric-verdin
Dear Rhonda, thank you for all the valuable information you’re putting out here.
I’ve read claims that most of orally ingested nicotinamide riboside is broken down in the gut into niacinamide and ribose, but as a layman I haven’t been able to determine if this is true or not. If it’s the case, wouldn’t it be just as beneficial to supplement with these two significantly cheaper products instead? From my searches it seems nicotinamide riboside is roughly 30 times the price of niacinamide and ribose combined, so this would be an interesting alternative for people who just can afford an expensive supplement.
My second question is about nicotinamide mononucleotide. From my understanding this supplement hasn’t been commercially available until recently, but it’s now available from a few brands. Since it’s one step closer to NAD+ than nicotinamide riboside, would that make it superior as a supplement?
It would be awesome if you could share your thoughts on these things. Thanks again for your great website and podcast.