Is NAD+ worth it?
NAD+ has an important role in cellular metabolism. Whether a treatment improves your energy, focus or recovery is a separate question, and the published studies below do not establish those benefits for the injections or nasal sprays offered here.
What has actually been studied?
A small 2019 pilot followed blood and urine metabolites during an IV NAD+ infusion in 11 men, eight receiving NAD+. It was not a trial of day-to-day energy, athletic recovery or longevity. It also used a different route from a subcutaneous injection or nasal spray.
Read: Grant et al. NAD+ metabolism during a six-hour IV infusion.
Do supplement studies settle the question?
No. Trials of nicotinamide riboside, or NR, study a precursor rather than NAD+ itself. One randomized trial increased NAD-related measures in middle-aged and older adults. A change in a blood marker does not by itself establish a noticeable benefit or prove another formulation works.
Read: Martens et al. Nicotinamide riboside in middle-aged and older adults.
A useful way to decide
Start with the problem you want addressed, what else could explain it and what would count as meaningful improvement. Ask what evidence applies to the exact formulation and route, what it costs over the intended course, and when to reassess. Do not let an indefinite subscription stand in for a clear plan.
Sources
- Grant et al. NAD+ metabolism during a six-hour IV infusion
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2019. Small human metabolite pilot, not an energy or recovery efficacy trial.
- Martens et al. Nicotinamide riboside in middle-aged and older adults
Nature Communications, 2018. Oral NR, a different molecule from NAD+.
- FDA: Compounding questions and answers
The distinction between compounded medications and FDA-approved drug products.
