Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) As an Anti-aging Health Product - Promises and Safety Concerns

Overview

Journal J Adv Res

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2022 May 2

PMID 35499054

Authors

Harshani Nadeeshani

Jinyao Li

Tianlei Ying

Baohong Zhang

Jun Lu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Elderly population has been progressively rising in the world, thus the demand for anti-aging heath products to assure longevity as well as to ameliorate age-related complications is also on the rise. Among various anti-aging health products, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has been gaining attentions of the consumers and the scientific community.

Aim Of Review: This article intends to provide an overview on the current knowledge on promises and safety concerns of NMN as an anti-aging health product.

Key Scientific Concepts Of Review: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) levels in the body deplete with aging and it is associated with downregulation of energy production in mitochondria, oxidative stress, DNA damage, cognitive impairment and inflammatory conditions. However, NMN, as the precursor of NAD, can slow down this process by elevating NAD levels in the body. A number of studies have indicated affirmative results of therapeutic effects for various age-induced complications with NMN supplementation. One preclinical and one clinical study have been conducted to investigate the safety concerns of NMN administration while a few more human clinical trials are being conducted. As there is a large influx of NMN based anti-aging products on the market, proper clinical investigations are urgently needed to find out the effectiveness and safety of NMN supplementation.

Citing Articles

Citrulline regulates macrophage metabolism and inflammation to counter aging in mice.

Xie Z, Lin M, Xing B, Wang H, Zhang H, Cai Z Sci Adv. 2025; 11(10):eads4957.

PMID: 40053596 PMC: 11887811. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ads4957.

β-Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Reduces Oxidative Stress and Improves Steroidogenesis in Granulosa Cells Associated with Sheep Prolificacy via Activating AMPK Pathway.

Cai Y, Yang H, Xu H, Li S, Zhao B, Wang Z Antioxidants (Basel). 2025; 14(1).

PMID: 39857368 PMC: 11762531. DOI: 10.3390/antiox14010034.

Harnessing lactic acid bacteria for nicotinamide mononucleotide biosynthesis: a review of strategies and future directions.

Kong L, Li X, Liu T, Yao Q, Qin J Front Microbiol. 2024; 15:1492179.

PMID: 39735184 PMC: 11681623. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1492179.

NAD Boosting Strategies.

Rice J, Lautrup S, Fang E Subcell Biochem. 2024; 107:63-90.

PMID: 39693020 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-66768-8_4.

Mentha haplocalyx Briq. (Mint): a comprehensive review on the botany, traditional uses, nutritional value, phytochemistry, health benefits, and applications.

Tang H, Zhu E, Bai Q, Wang S, Wang Z, Wang M Chin Med. 2024; 19(1):168.

PMID: 39663516 PMC: 11636048. DOI: 10.1186/s13020-024-01037-2.

References

Dollerup O, Christensen B, Svart M, Schmidt M, Sulek K, Ringgaard S . A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of nicotinamide riboside in obese men: safety, insulin-sensitivity, and lipid-mobilizing effects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018; 108(2):343-353. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy132. View

Rolfe H . A review of nicotinamide: treatment of skin diseases and potential side effects. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2014; 13(4):324-8. DOI: 10.1111/jocd.12119. View

Knip M, Douek I, MOORE W, Gillmor H, McLean A, Bingley P . Safety of high-dose nicotinamide: a review. Diabetologia. 2000; 43(11):1337-45. DOI: 10.1007/s001250051536. View

Wang X, Hu X, Yang Y, Takata T, Sakurai T . Nicotinamide mononucleotide protects against β-amyloid oligomer-induced cognitive impairment and neuronal death. Brain Res. 2016; 1643:1-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2016.04.060. View

Camacho-Pereira J, Tarrago M, Chini C, Nin V, Escande C, Warner G . CD38 Dictates Age-Related NAD Decline and Mitochondrial Dysfunction through an SIRT3-Dependent Mechanism. Cell Metab. 2016; 23(6):1127-1139. PMC: 4911708. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.05.006. View

Miao Y, Cui Z, Gao Q, Rui R, Xiong B . Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Supplementation Reverses the Declining Quality of Maternally Aged Oocytes. Cell Rep. 2020; 32(5):107987. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107987. View

Marinescu G, Popescu R, Dinischiotu A . Size Exclusion Chromatography Method for Purification of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) from Bacterial Cells. Sci Rep. 2018; 8(1):4433. PMC: 5849608. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22806-8. View

Hou Y, Lautrup S, Cordonnier S, Wang Y, Croteau D, Zavala E . NAD supplementation normalizes key Alzheimer's features and DNA damage responses in a new AD mouse model with introduced DNA repair deficiency. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018; 115(8):E1876-E1885. PMC: 5828618. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1718819115. View

Lu L, Tang L, Wei W, Hong Y, Chen H, Ying W . Nicotinamide mononucleotide improves energy activity and survival rate in an model of Parkinson's disease. Exp Ther Med. 2014; 8(3):943-950. PMC: 4113526. DOI: 10.3892/etm.2014.1842. View

10.

Yang Y, Sauve A . NAD(+) metabolism: Bioenergetics, signaling and manipulation for therapy. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016; 1864(12):1787-1800. PMC: 5521000. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2016.06.014. View

11.

Hwang E, Song S . Possible Adverse Effects of High-Dose Nicotinamide: Mechanisms and Safety Assessment. Biomolecules. 2020; 10(5). PMC: 7277745. DOI: 10.3390/biom10050687. View

12.

Dellinger R, Santos S, Morris M, Evans M, Alminana D, Guarente L . Repeat dose NRPT (nicotinamide riboside and pterostilbene) increases NAD levels in humans safely and sustainably: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. NPJ Aging Mech Dis. 2017; 3:17. PMC: 5701244. DOI: 10.1038/s41514-017-0016-9. View

13.

Canto C, Menzies K, Auwerx J . NAD(+) Metabolism and the Control of Energy Homeostasis: A Balancing Act between Mitochondria and the Nucleus. Cell Metab. 2015; 22(1):31-53. PMC: 4487780. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.023. View

14.

Grozio A, Mills K, Yoshino J, Bruzzone S, Sociali G, Tokizane K . Slc12a8 is a nicotinamide mononucleotide transporter. Nat Metab. 2019; 1(1):47-57. PMC: 6530925. DOI: 10.1038/s42255-018-0009-4. View

15.

Mendelsohn A, Larrick J . Interacting NAD and Cell Senescence Pathways Complicate Antiaging Therapies. Rejuvenation Res. 2019; 22(3):261-266. DOI: 10.1089/rej.2019.2218. View

16.

Kawamura T, Mori N, Shibata K . β-Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, an Anti-Aging Candidate Compound, Is Retained in the Body for Longer than Nicotinamide in Rats. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2016; 62(4):272-276. DOI: 10.3177/jnsv.62.272. View

17.

Mills K, Yoshida S, Stein L, Grozio A, Kubota S, Sasaki Y . Long-Term Administration of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Mitigates Age-Associated Physiological Decline in Mice. Cell Metab. 2017; 24(6):795-806. PMC: 5668137. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.09.013. View

18.

Imai S . Dissecting systemic control of metabolism and aging in the NAD World: the importance of SIRT1 and NAMPT-mediated NAD biosynthesis. FEBS Lett. 2011; 585(11):1657-62. PMC: 3104082. DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2011.04.060. View

19.

Fang E, Hou Y, Lautrup S, Borch Jensen M, Yang B, SenGupta T . NAD augmentation restores mitophagy and limits accelerated aging in Werner syndrome. Nat Commun. 2019; 10(1):5284. PMC: 6872719. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13172-8. View

20.

Uddin G, Youngson N, Sinclair D, Morris M . Head to Head Comparison of Short-Term Treatment with the NAD(+) Precursor Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) and 6 Weeks of Exercise in Obese Female Mice. Front Pharmacol. 2016; 7:258. PMC: 4990541. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2016.00258. View