Does NAD+ cause weight gain?
There is no scientific evidence that NAD+ supplements such as NMN or NR cause weight gain. Animal research even suggests the opposite, but this has not yet been confirmed in humans.
Human studies on NAD+ supplements such as NMN and NR do not report weight gain as a side effect. However, it is worth noting that those studies were not designed to measure it, and the participant groups were small. There is simply no indication that NAD+ supplements cause you to gain weight.
Animal research actually points in the opposite direction. In mouse studies, NR supplementation protected against weight gain induced by a high-fat diet. This worked through enzymes that improve energy metabolism in the energy-producing compartments of cells. Other mouse studies showed that higher energy expenditure led to lower fat mass and protection against obesity. However, results in mice do not automatically translate to humans.
In humans, one randomised double-blind study lasting 10 weeks was conducted in postmenopausal women with prediabetes and excess weight. NMN improved insulin sensitivity in muscles, but weight was not a primary outcome. In a completely different context, in cancer patients experiencing muscle and weight loss, NAD+ supplementation through niacin (vitamin B3) actually helped limit that loss. This says nothing about weight gain in healthy individuals.
In short, there is no evidence that NAD+ supplements cause you to gain weight. The research is limited in scale and rarely measures weight as an outcome. It is too early to make a definitive statement in either direction.
Based on five claims derived from human and animal studies (PMIDs: 37068054, 22682224, 31302001, 33888596, 37012289). No meta-analyses available. Human data are scarce and not specifically designed to measure weight effects.
What is the controversy surrounding NAD+?
NAD+ supplements raise your NAD+ levels, but whether that translates into any health benefit has not been proven, and in the context of cancer (treatment) there are serious safety questions. Discuss it with your doctor if you have a cancer diagnosis or are undergoing chemotherapy.
Does NAD+ supplementation slow biological ageing?
NAD+ supplements raise your NAD+ levels in the blood, but whether that also means you age biologically more slowly has not been demonstrated in humans at this time. The question is interesting, but firm conclusions cannot yet be drawn; keep an eye on future large-scale research if you are seriously considering this.
Which supplements or medications are best not combined with NAD+?
The combination of NAD+ supplements (particularly nicotinamide) with platinum-based chemotherapy is the most concrete reason for caution; for other interactions the indications are preliminary but worth discussing with your doctor if you are using multiple substances.
Are NAD+ supplements (NMN/NR) worth it?
NMN and NR demonstrably raise NAD+ in your blood and appear to be safe, but whether you will actually notice any difference in muscle strength, heart function or memory? That is far from proven in humans. Note too: NR is authorised as a supplement in the EU, NMN is not (yet).
What is NAD+ and why does it decline as you age?
NAD+ is an indispensable energy carrier and guardian of your DNA, and your body produces less of it as you age. The mechanisms behind that decline are reasonably well understood, but what you can practically do about it is still very much under investigation.
What is NAD+ and what does it do in your body?
NAD+ is an indispensable molecule for energy, DNA repair and cell health, but the question of whether you should actively raise those levels for better health has not yet been answered for humans.