What is Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN)?

NMN belongs to the family of nucleotides, organic molecules found in most of the foods we eat.

As with all nucleotides, NMN is composed of 3 parts: a nitrogenous base, a sugar, and a phosphate group.

While most nucleotides are used to build DNA, NMN is used to make nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and fine-tune energy balance [R].

The body creates NMN as an intermediate step or “precursor” to NAD. Put simply: higher NMN levels mean higher NAD levels [R].

NAD increases the body’s main energy currency (ATP), balances the circadian rhythm, and enables hundreds of enzymatic reactions – many of which delay aging. Levels of NAD, especially its NAD+ form, naturally decrease with age in many tissues [R].

Snapshot

Proponents:

• Slows aging in animals
• May improve diabetes & metabolic syndrome
• May support kidney and heart health
• More stable than nicotinamide riboside (NR)
• No observed side effects

Skeptics:

• Not studied in humans
• Expensive
• Oral form may not be bioavailable
• Long-term safety unknown

Food Sources

Because most human cells cannot directly import NAD, they have to create it from the inside. NMN, on the other hand, can quickly enter cells in the small intestine, liver, pancreas, and fatty tissue. Mice absorb NMN from the small intestine into the bloodstream within 3-5 minutes. Within 15 minutes, NMN is distributed to tissues and converted to NAD [R].

A small amount of NMN is present in some food sources, including [R, R]:

• Edamame (immature soybeans)
• Broccoli
• Cucumbers
• Cabbage
• Avocados
• Tomatoes

While NMN can be found in trace amounts in these vegetables, it would be difficult to eat enough of them to effectively boost NAD levels [R].

Potential Benefits of NMN

NAD levels naturally decline with aging; as they do, cells and organs start to function less efficiently. Low NAD levels have been associated with multiple age-related diseases. That said, the research behind the health effects of NMN, in particular, is scarce

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