NR (nicotinamide riboside) and NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) are both NAD+ precursors: compounds the body can use to make NAD+, a coenzyme involved in turning food into cellular energy. They're closely related. In the body, NR is converted into NMN, and NMN is then converted into NAD+. The main differences are their size, where they sit in that pathway, and how much human research exists on each.
You'll find strong opinions online about which one "wins." This article doesn't pick a side. It explains what each compound is, how they connect, and what the published human studies have measured.
What's the difference between NR and NMN?
The main difference between NR and NMN is where each enters the NAD+ pathway. NR (nicotinamide riboside) is a form of vitamin B3 that cells convert into NMN. NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) is then converted into NAD+. NMN is the larger molecule because it carries a phosphate group. Human studies show both can raise blood NAD+ levels.
| NR | NMN | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicotinamide riboside | Nicotinamide mononucleotide |
| What it is | A form of vitamin B3 | NR plus a phosphate group |
| Step to NAD+ | Converted to NMN, then NAD+ | Converted to NAD+ inside cells |
| Molecule size | Smaller | Larger |
| On labels | A named salt, e.g. NR chloride | "NMN" or nicotinamide mononucleotide |
| Human studies | Raised blood NAD+; well tolerated | Raised blood NAD+; well tolerated |
What is NAD+?
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme that tissues throughout the body make and use. It shuttles electrons in the reactions that turn nutrients into usable energy, and more than 400 enzymes depend on it. Cells build NAD+ from smaller precursors. NR and NMN are two of those precursors. Niacin (nicotinic acid), nicotinamide and the amino acid tryptophan are others.
What is nicotinamide riboside (NR)?
Nicotinamide riboside is a form of vitamin B3. It's nicotinamide joined to a ribose sugar. A 2004 study in Cell showed its route to NAD+ in yeast and identified the human enzymes (NR kinases) that start that route, and it has since been studied in a series of human trials, mostly looking at whether it raises NAD+ levels in blood and whether it's well tolerated.
On a supplement label, NR is usually listed as a specific salt: NR paired with another compound, as it's supplied for manufacturing. Nicotinamide riboside chloride is the form used in the 2018 human trial described below. Other salts exist, including Nicotinamide Riboside Hydrogen Malate. When a label lists a salt, the milligram figure refers to that named compound as declared. Results from a study of one salt shouldn't be assumed to apply to another.
What is NMN?
NMN is nicotinamide riboside with a phosphate group attached. That one difference makes it a slightly larger molecule and puts it one step closer to NAD+.
How NMN gets into cells is still debated. A 2016 study in mammalian cells reported that NMN is converted to NR outside the cell, taken up as NR, and then converted back. A 2019 study, largely in mice, reported a transporter in the small intestine that moves NMN into cells directly. Both findings appear in the scientific literature, and the question isn't fully settled.
How the body turns each into NAD+
The simplified route looks like this:
NR → NMN → NAD+
- Inside the cell, enzymes called NR kinases add a phosphate group to NR, turning it into NMN.
- Another group of enzymes (NMNATs) then converts NMN into NAD+.
NMN enters the route at step 2. NR enters at step 1. Both end at the same place.
What the human research covers
Human studies on both compounds are real but still limited in size and length. The two below are often cited.
| NR study (Martens et al., 2018) | NMN study (Igarashi et al., 2022) | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover (6 weeks on NR, 6 weeks on placebo) | Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel groups |
| Participants | 30 healthy men and postmenopausal women, aged 55–79, randomized; 24 completed | 42 healthy men, aged 65 and over, randomized; 12-week results from 20 (10 per group) after a supplement mix-up |
| Dose | 500 mg nicotinamide riboside chloride, twice daily (1,000 mg/day) | 250 mg NMN per day |
| Duration | 6 weeks | 12 weeks |
| NAD+ finding | NAD+ in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (a group of white blood cells) about 60% higher than with placebo | NAD+ and related metabolites significantly higher in whole blood |
| Tolerability | Well tolerated; no serious adverse events reported | Well tolerated; no serious adverse events reported |
NR: In the 2018 Nature Communications trial, participants took nicotinamide riboside chloride, 500 mg twice a day, for six weeks and placebo for six weeks, in random order. The researchers reported that NR was well tolerated and raised NAD+ levels in a group of white blood cells by about 60% compared with placebo. The authors also noted that the dose they tested was higher than the label-recommended dose of the commercial product used, and described it as investigational.
NMN: In the 2022 trial, healthy men aged 65 and over took 250 mg of NMN or placebo daily for 12 weeks. The researchers reported that NMN was well tolerated and significantly increased NAD+ and related compounds in whole blood. A supplier error swapped some participants' supplements at the 6-week visit, so the 12-week blood results come from 20 of the 42 men who started.
What these studies measured is mainly blood NAD+ levels and tolerability over weeks. They used different compounds, doses, durations, populations and blood measurements. Neither was designed to compare NR with NMN, so neither can tell you which is better.
What the research hasn't established
It's easy to read more into these studies than they show:
- Blood levels aren't the whole story. Both studies measured NAD+ in blood. A higher blood level doesn't, on its own, tell you what's happening in other tissues or what a person will notice, and it isn't proof of broader health outcomes.
- The studies were small and short. Each finished with fewer than 30 participants, over 6 to 12 weeks. That's a starting point, not a final answer, and the evidence base is still developing.
- Doses and forms differ from many products. The NR trial used 1,000 mg a day of nicotinamide riboside chloride. Products on shelves use different compounds and amounts, so results don't transfer automatically from one to another.
- Direct head-to-head human comparisons are limited. Without them, claims that NR or NMN is clearly superior go beyond the evidence. If you see one, look for the study behind it.
If you're pregnant or nursing, have a medical condition, or take medication, talk with your healthcare professional before taking an NAD+ precursor supplement.
Reading labels: compound names and salt forms
A practical tip when you compare NAD+ products: read the exact name on the Supplement Facts panel.
- "Nicotinamide riboside chloride 300 mg" and "Nicotinamide Riboside Hydrogen Malate 500 mg" are different compounds, declared as different weights.
- Don't assume two products are equivalent just because they both say "NR". And don't try to convert one salt's milligrams into another's from a label alone.
- If a product combines NR with other ingredients, each should be listed with its own amount.
Why some formulas pair precursors with TMG, resveratrol and CoQ10
Some NAD+ formulas include more than a precursor. Common partners are TMG (trimethylglycine, also called betaine anhydrous), a methyl donor; resveratrol, a polyphenol found in grape skins; and coenzyme Q10, a compound involved in mitochondrial energy production. Each is there for its own role. They're not substitutes for a precursor.
Where Nutriveska fits
Nutriveska NAD+ Cellular Energy Support uses NR in the form of Nicotinamide Riboside Hydrogen Malate, 500 mg per 2-capsule serving. It does not contain NMN. The 2018 trial above used nicotinamide riboside chloride, a different salt, so its results shouldn't be read as results for this product. The formula also includes 150 mg Resveratrol, 100 mg Coenzyme Q10, 250 mg TMG (Betaine Anhydrous) and 100 mg Vitamin C, to support NAD+ levels, cellular energy production and antioxidant activity.* You can see the full Supplement Facts on our NAD+ supplement with nicotinamide riboside page, and read more about how we formulate.
FAQ
Is NR or NMN better?
The research doesn't show that either is better overall. Both are NAD+ precursors that have raised blood NAD+ levels in human studies. They differ in structure, in where they enter the NAD+ pathway, and in how much research exists on each.
Does NR turn into NMN?
Yes. Inside cells, NR is converted to NMN by NR kinase enzymes, and NMN is then converted to NAD+.
Can you take NR and NMN together?
Some people do, but we don't recommend combining products without advice. If you're considering it, or you take medication or have a health condition, talk with your healthcare professional first.
What is nicotinamide riboside hydrogen malate?
It's a form of nicotinamide riboside: NR as a specific salt. It's the NR form listed on the Nutriveska NAD+ Supplement Facts label, at 500 mg per serving.
Are NR and NMN the same as niacin?
No. Niacin (nicotinic acid) is another form of vitamin B3 and another NAD+ precursor, but it's a different compound. Nicotinic acid in supplemental amounts can cause skin flushing.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Sources
- Bieganowski P, Brenner C. Discoveries of nicotinamide riboside as a nutrient and conserved NRK genes establish a Preiss-Handler independent route to NAD+ in fungi and humans. Cell. 2004;117(4):495–502.
- Martens CR, et al. Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD+ in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Nat Commun. 2018;9:1286.
- Igarashi M, et al. Chronic nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation elevates blood nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide levels and alters muscle function in healthy older men. NPJ Aging. 2022;8:5.
- Ratajczak J, et al. NRK1 controls nicotinamide mononucleotide and nicotinamide riboside metabolism in mammalian cells. Nat Commun. 2016;7:13103.
- Grozio A, et al. Slc12a8 is a nicotinamide mononucleotide transporter. Nat Metab. 2019;1:47–57.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Niacin: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
