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NAD⁺ delivery comparator

NAD⁺ is sold four ways — oral NR, oral NMN, injection, and IV — with a 20× spread in price and a wide gap in evidence. Tell us what matters most to you, and see which format actually fits, with the honest data on every option.

What matters most to you?

Best for strongest evidence

Oral NR

A daily capsule or powder. NR is converted to NAD⁺ in the body and reliably raises blood NAD⁺ in randomized trials.

Worth knowing: Raises a biomarker (NAD⁺); anti-aging outcomes remain unproven.

  1. 1

    Oral NR

    Clinical data

    Nicotinamide riboside (e.g. Tru Niagen)

    A daily capsule or powder. NR is converted to NAD⁺ in the body and reliably raises blood NAD⁺ in randomized trials.

    Evidence
    The most clinically-studied precursor; RCTs show it raises NAD⁺ (on surrogate markers).
    Typical cost
    ~$44–$116/mo
    Convenience
    Daily pill at home
    Dose delivered
    Low (oral, gut-limited)

    Caveat: Raises a biomarker (NAD⁺); anti-aging outcomes remain unproven.

  2. 2

    Oral NMN

    Clinical data

    Nicotinamide mononucleotide (capsule/sublingual)

    A daily capsule, powder or sublingual tab. NMN also raises NAD⁺ in human trials and is popular in the longevity community.

    Evidence
    Human trials show NMN raises NAD⁺ too — but with an unresolved FDA supplement-status question.
    Typical cost
    ~$50–$85/mo
    Convenience
    Daily pill/sublingual at home
    Dose delivered
    Low–moderate (oral/sublingual)

    Caveat: The FDA has disputed NMN's status as a dietary supplement; outcomes unproven.

  3. 3

    Injection

    Preclinical

    Subcutaneous / IM NAD⁺ (telehealth Rx)

    Prescription NAD⁺ shipped home for self-injection after a telehealth consult. Delivers a larger dose than oral, bypassing the gut.

    Evidence
    No controlled outcome trials for the marketed wellness uses; compounded, not FDA-approved.
    Typical cost
    ~$340/mo
    Convenience
    Self-injection, telehealth plan
    Dose delivered
    High (bypasses the gut)

    Caveat: Compounded and unapproved; needles and a prescription required.

  4. 4

    IV infusion

    Preclinical

    In-clinic or mobile NAD⁺ IV drip

    A 1–2 hour intravenous infusion at a clinic or via a mobile nurse. Delivers the highest dose directly into the bloodstream.

    Evidence
    Highest dose, weakest data: no outcome RCTs, and infused NAD⁺ is cleared from plasma quickly.
    Typical cost
    ~$625–$999/session
    Convenience
    Clinic visit or mobile drip, hours long
    Dose delivered
    Highest (straight to bloodstream)

    Caveat: Most expensive, least evidenced; rapidly cleared, can cause infusion discomfort.

Evidence grades are editorial and conservative. The honest pattern: oral precursors have the strongest human data and the lowest cost, while IV is the most expensive with the weakest outcome evidence. See the precursor evidence guide and NAD⁺ IV review, then compare providers in our NAD⁺ roundup.

The honest throughline

Across all four formats, one pattern holds: the evidence ranking is roughly the inverse of the price ranking. Oral precursors (NR and NMN) reliably raise blood NAD⁺ in randomized trials, cost the least, and are the most convenient. Injections deliver more for more money but lack outcome trials. IV delivers the most, costs the most, and has the weakest evidence — infused NAD⁺ is cleared quickly and no controlled trial shows it produces the marketed benefits. And a caveat that applies to every route: raising NAD⁺ is proven; slowing aging by doing so is not. Read the full evidence in our NR vs NMN guide and NAD⁺ IV review, and see where to get each in our NAD⁺ provider roundup.

Common questions

What's the best form of NAD⁺ to take?
For most people weighing evidence and cost, an oral precursor — nicotinamide riboside (NR) or NMN — is the most sensible choice: both reliably raise blood NAD⁺ in randomized trials, cost the least, and are the most convenient. NR (e.g. Tru Niagen) is the most clinically-studied and avoids the regulatory question hanging over NMN. Injections and IV deliver more, but cost far more and lack controlled outcome evidence.
Is IV NAD⁺ better than oral?
Not on the evidence. IV delivers the highest dose directly into the bloodstream, but it's the most expensive route (hundreds to thousands per month), infused NAD⁺ is cleared from plasma quickly, and there are no controlled outcome trials showing it produces the benefits marketed for it. The cheapest oral option has the strongest human data — the evidence ranking is roughly the inverse of the price ranking.
What about NMN vs NR?
Both are oral NAD⁺ precursors that raise blood NAD⁺ in human trials. NR (nicotinamide riboside) is the more clinically-researched and, as an NR product, sidesteps the FDA's ongoing dispute over whether NMN qualifies as a dietary supplement. NMN is hugely popular in the longevity community and well-studied for raising NAD⁺, but the regulatory status is less settled.
Does raising NAD⁺ actually slow aging?
That's the open question. Oral precursors clearly raise blood NAD⁺ levels in trials, but whether that higher NAD⁺ translates into anti-aging or healthspan outcomes has not been demonstrated in humans. So 'raises NAD⁺' is well-supported; 'slows aging' is not yet proven for any NAD⁺ product, in any delivery form.