Our Science

Nicotinamide Riboside: A Supernutrient for Your Cells

Nicotinamide riboside is a groundbreaking ingredient that fuels your body from within.

Your health starts with your cells. Everything you do in life depends on the constant cycle of using and regenerating energy throughout your cells. Scientists have known for decades the importance of a coenzyme (a molecule that binds with proteins) called NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) plays a vital role in the processes of your body. NAD+ helps create cellular energy and support cellular repair throughout your trillions of cells—and organs—throughout your body.

Your NAD+ supply declines with age as well as in response to stressors on your body including alcohol consumption, intense exercise, and lack of sleep. However, in 2004, Dr. Charles Brenner discovered a naturally-occurring vitamin in milk called nicotinamide riboside. This micronutrient increases NAD+ levels by 40-50%.

While nicotinamide riboside can be found naturally in certain foods, you cannot get anywhere near the amount you need through a normal diet to effectively increase NAD+. That is why we created Tru Niagen®, the only patented, broadly studied, and safety-reviewed nicotinamide riboside in the world. Niagen® has achieved regulatory acceptance for use in supplements by the US FDA. In addition to receiving approval for use in medical foods by the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA), Niagen® has also been approved for use in food supplements by the European Commission, complementary medicines by the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia (TGA), and medical foods by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Tru Niagen® has also been approved by Health Canada as a Natural Health Product.

Niagen® is backed by 25 clinical studies that demonstrate safety and/or efficacy.

Our human clinical studies provide our foundation of scientific evidence. Over 75% of registered ongoing or completed nicotinamide riboside trials use Niagen®. Here are five of our studies, just to name a few.

A clinical trial published in Scientific Reports in 2019

Niagen® safely and effectively elevated NAD+ levels in healthy overweight adults.

Read More

A study published in Nature Communications in 2018

Nicotinamide riboside safely and effectively elevated NAD+ levels in 60 healthy men and women aged 55-79.

Read More

A study published in Cell Reports in 2019

Nicotinamide riboside increased human skeletal muscle NAAD, a sensitive marker of increased NAD+ metabolism.

Read More

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2018

2000mg of daily nicotinamide riboside supplementation appeared safe and showed an increase in NAD+ metabolites in urine samples.

Read More

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2020

Nicotinamide riboside modestly improved body composition and acetyl carnitine (a fatty acid transporter) concentrations in skeletal muscle and increased metabolic rate during sleep.

Read More

ONE OF THE MOST WELL RESEARCHED PATENTED SUPPLEMENTS ON THE MARKET**; BACKED BY:

2
Nobel Prize Winners
40+
Patents
300++
Published Scientific Studies
275+
Global Research Collaborations

“The power of this form of vitamin B3 to raise NAD+ impressed me back in 2004 when I discovered it. Now, 14 years and 42 publications on NAD+ later, its unique ability to restore balance in the face of metabolic stress continues to amaze me.”

Charles Brenner, Ph.D., ChromaDex’s Chief Scientific Advisor The scientist who discovered nicotinamide riboside's utility as a micronutrient.

A new clinical study shows that Niagen® safely and effectively elevates NAD+ levels.

34 healthy and overweight adults were chosen at random to take NIAGEN® or a placebo for eight weeks. The study proves Niagen® (300mg daily) increases NAD⁺ levels by 40-50%.


Want to dive deeper into the science behind Tru Niagen and NAD+?

Rob Fried Op-Ed Published in Natural Products Insider

Rob Fried, ChromaDex CEO and founder of Tru Niagen, wrote an important op-ed on the state of the dietary supplement industry.

Explore More

The Importance of Balanced Methylation and Its Relationship to NAD+

Methylation is a vital cellular process that affects nearly every essential function in the body. Discover how it works and ways to optimize it.

Explore More