9 Top Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) Supplements Backed By Science [2023 Review]

Looking for your fountain of youth?

Anti-aging and longevity celebrity Dr. David Sinclair brought nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) into the limelight.

Here’s what you might not know though: scientists discovered NAD in the early 20th century. Why is it making a comeback?

It’s the energetic currency keeping your body functioning at its peak. NAD deficiency dramatically speeds up how fast you age.

Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) is one of the most popular biohacks because it directly quenches low NAD levels.

Fix that deficiency, and maintain youthfulness longer.

Today’s post will give you essential background on the best Nicotinamide Riboside products on the market, and what makes each of these products stand out.

For quick reference…

The Best Nicotinamide Riboside Supplements of 2023

Best Overall NR: Ultra Health 300C Bulk

Trending NR: Ultra Health Nicotinamide Riboside

Most Recommended NR: Tru Niagen

Best All-in-One NR Formula: Life Extension NAD+ Cell Regenerator with Resveratrol

Highest Quality NR: Thorne Research ResveraCel Nicotinamide Riboside

Best NR Powder: Botany Biosciences Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride

On to the background and then product comparison.

What is Nicotinamide Riboside?

Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is a form of vitamin B3 (also called niacin or nicotinic acid). Unlike the other forms, research shows that NR increases levels of NAD+, a key central metabolism regulator. Core functions of NAD include:

• Converting food to energy
• Repairing DNA
• Creating androgen hormones
• Building muscles
• Recovery
• Activating a group of seven essential longevity proteins called sirtuins

Over 500 different enzymes rely on NAD and without it, you'd die in 30 seconds. Click To Tweet

You’ll live with suboptimal NAD levels. But you’ll age faster and have difficulty performing at your peak.

Supplementing with nicotinamide riboside is an insurance policy against low cellular energy.

Benefits of Nicotinamide Riboside Supplementation

NR works primarily to increase the energy available to the body’s many organs and cellular processes. It slows down the aging of tissues throughout the body most susceptible to degenerative disease.

Using NR as a longevity compound is new and we need more studies to fully elucidate uses and effects. Much of the current understanding is based on animal models.

Powerful Nicotinamide Riboside benefits include:

1. Improved muscle function
2. Cellular energy generation
3. Overcoming jet lag
4. Boosts physical and mental energy
5. Repairing DNA faster
6. Restores exercise capacity
7. Fighting diseases of the brain and body (like Alzheimer’s)
8. Protecting the brain, liver, and mitochondria
9. Reducing blood pressure
10. Decreasing symptoms of diabetes
11. Helping prevent hearing loss
12. Increasing metabolism
13. Enhances blood sugar control
14. Improving weight loss
15. Mitigating damage from oxidative stress
16. Regulating your sleep/wake cycle, (known as the circadian rhythm)
17. Extending lifespan

Research suggests that taking Nicotinamide Riboside to optimize NAD will restore systems affected by a cellular energy deficit. I always recommend boosting NAD levels naturally and with the precursors first.

Natural Ways to Boost NAD

You can increase your levels via two primary strategies:

1. Adding boosting supplements
2. Making your body more efficient with the current process (salvage pathway)

You’ll get better, longer-lasting results from the latter.

Natural ways to boost your NAD levels without NR or NMN include:

• Raw honey
• Fermented foods
• Sauna sessions
• Pau D’ Arco tea
• Fasting

Certain foods contain trace amounts of nicotinamide riboside:

• Cow’s milk
• Brewer’s yeast

Before you run to the grocery store and stock up: you won’t be able to chug enough milk to get appreciable amounts of NR.

I wrote a mega-guide to naturally boosting your NAD here.

Once you’ve optimized the salvage pathway and are looking for more, these are the best products.

Most NR Supplements Are Fake or Dangerous?

Heavy metals, impurities, and other banned ingredients regularly contaminate supplements. Third-party reports across brands and ingredients have found outright fraud: some products contain absolutely zero of the stated ingredient but rather another unrelated compound instead.

Since it’s new, supplement manufacturers and commercial sources have only begun appearing in the last few years. Suppliers cannot match the demand spike. The market and online stores have become littered with fake (and expensive) NAD boosters.

The Top NR Products Currently Available

The brands I trust most have either been directly used in clinical studies, or undergone strict third-party testing. Below is a list of some popular nicotinamide riboside products.

NR Questions & Answers

Each of the above products should boost your NAD levels. But here is some additional information to help you make the best-informed choice for your specific situation.

Should You Supplement Nicotinamide Riboside?

Nicotinamide riboside is one of the best and most effective NAD boosters available (though longevity scientists like David Sinclair prefer NMN supplements).

Anti-aging biohackers have reported reversing their “biological age” and dramatic energy improvements from this new supplement.

Start with free NAD+ boosters.

Depending on your genes and lifestyle (see my review of SelfDecode, the top DNA analytics software to easily understand your genes), you may benefit tremendously from taking either NR or NMN. SelfDecode will tell you if supplementation is a waste of money or crucial.

After signing up, check your results from these two genes:

• RS1319501 (NAMPT)
• RS9770242 (NAMPT)

Beware of the many fake and adulterated products that have flooded the NAD supplement market. Using a contaminated product will do more harm than good. Choose one of the products above to slow aging, increase your energy, and feel your best.