NMN, or nicotinamide mononucleotide, is a wondrous little compound with a remarkable ability to slow—and potentially even reverse—the effects of time on the human body. Little surprise, then, that supplementing with NMN is the latest, greatest tool in the anti-aging arsenal of so many. But as manufacturers bring NMN products to the market in myriad forms, from capsules and powders to sublingual and liposomal formulations, one question continues to arise: what’s the best form of NMN delivery? Really, the better question is what form of NMN increases its bioavailability, thereby ensuring you get the most of your NMN supplement? That’s what we’re continuing to investigate here at Wonderfeel. Here’s what the research says to date.
Understanding sublingual NMN: Benefits and usage
Before we jump into NMN delivery forms, let’s quickly clarify that the goal of supplementing with NMN in any form is to deliver it directly to the cells, where it’s converted to NAD, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. This essential little coenzyme is involved in over 500 enzymatic processes in your body, so it’s pretty non-negotiable—you need it, desperately. As we age, however, our NAD production slows and that’s when you begin noticing that your body just doesn’t function the way it used to. Maybe you’re lower on energy these days. A little fuzzy when it comes to memory and focus. Stiffer and lower to recover from physical activity. Supplementing with NMN, an NAD precursor, is the simplest way to naturally increase NAD levels so you feel sharper, brighter and better overall.
Now, what form of NMN is best?
When you’re talking about the most prevalent method for drug delivery in general, oral administration reigns—roughly 60% of established drug products are taken this way. Sublingual administration isn’t quite as common, though it’s occasionally recommended for specific compounds, which can be rapidly absorbed with high permeability through the mucous membranes beneath the tongue. Sublingual administration also bypasses digestive aids like gastric acid and enzymes in the intestines, which avoids what researchers call “drug destruction.” But while the sublingual route is actually one of the earliest modes of systemic drug delivery, it became less common as time passed. And let’s keep the focus where it counts—there are little to no clinical studies that specifically evaluate the efficacy of sublingual NMN which, of course, is our focus here. Data to date is specific to oral NMN administration, and no leading research institute has or is currently using sublingual or liposomal NMN to boost NAD levels. In fact, at this point, we can say with certainty that sublingual NMN isn’t the best approach, largely due to the fact that its efficacy is nothing but speculation. Put another way, we have no way of knowing whether any NMN is actually absorbed into the bloodstream or if it just hangs out in your mouth.
The science behind liposomal NMN capsules: What to know?
Liposomal products have been having a bit of a moment recently, with everything from prenatal vitamins to yes, NMN supplements touting their benefits. Basically, NMN is packaged inside capsules in liposomes, or teensy little fat-like bubbles, which are designed to protect them on their journey through the digestive tract to your cells. While it certainly sounds pretty good, there are quite a few drawbacks to this technology.
A 2024 study highlighted the problems of liposomal drug technology, including low stability and a limited circulation time. Liposomes are prone to leakage when they’re stored or used, compromising their efficacy and making the entire point of supplementation moot—you can’t enjoy the benefits if you aren’t actually accessing the product. Plus, it raises the very real question of what’s happening with these products over time. Worse, liposomes often have a limited circulation time in the bloodstream and require modifications to prolong their stability. They’re also highly sensitive to temperature, pH levels and enzymatic activity, which can lead to structural compromises during use—again, not really what we want in a supplement.
While liposomes themselves are often quite biocompatible, there are valid concerns about the potential toxicity of the stabilizers used, including surfactants and phospholipids. And then there’s this sticking point from another study: “As with any foreign particle that enters the body, liposomes encounter multiple defense systems aimed at recognition, neutralization, and elimination of invading substances.”
Like sublingual NMN, liposomal NMN suffers from a dearth of data. And in the case of liposomal NMN, there’s a valid reason why. “The field of drug delivery methods, especially liposomal and sublingual delivery, is very complicated,” says Dr. Andrew Salzman, a Harvard MD, veritable NAD expert and advisor here at Wonderfeel. “There are all kinds of different results depending on the drug. You can’t compare a liposomal delivery of drug X to another drug. To understand the effectiveness of liposomal and sublingual delivery methods, one needs to perform dissolution studies and permeability studies and measure different species’ and human intestinal uptake ability, as well as ADME studies,” he adds. An ADME study, short for human radiolabeled absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, offers a quantitative and comprehensive overall picture of the disposition of a drug, including excretion pattern and metabolite profiles in circulation and excreta. In other words, it’s wildly in depth and, as you might imagine, incredibly time-consuming.
We’ll take a minute here to address a paper that is quite complimentary to liposomal NMN. There are a few details worth understanding. First, it’s not a study but rather an opinion written by the owner of a company that sells liposomal NMN. Second, the specific claim in the paper—that liposomal NMN provides faster, more efficient absorption—is nothing but a theory, with no actual data to back it up.
That’s not to say that there are no successful drugs using liposomal technology. That scenario is indeed possible after a lengthy and wildly expensive (often north of one million dollars) R&D process and rigorous testing with published reports. But it has yet to be done with NAD, NMN or NR, and the success of one molecule doesn’t indicate similar success for another. If liposomal delivery was successful across the board, well, the entire field would have converted 20 years ago. The fact that liposomal technology isn’t particularly widespread is a clue that it doesn’t always work.
Comparing sublingual vs. liposomal NMN: Which is better?
Well, if you’re comparing sublingual NMN to liposomal NMN, both are in the same boat. No scientist has any idea what’s going on with them, their efficacy or their bioavailability, because there are no studies into these particular forms of delivery. And that brings us to the NMN form that has been studied.
Why oral capsules are the best form of NMN
Right now, oral NMN capsules are the most efficient form of delivery. This is the form widely used in all research institutes. Several recent human clinical trials, including the largest NMN study to date, have confirmed that NMN has stellar absorption properties in the human digestive system and can effectively boost blood NAD concentration. It’s right there in the data—oral NMN capsules do indeed increase NAD levels.
From a practical level, oral capsules come out ahead as well, certainly far in front of sublingual sprays and liquids. They’re convenient and non-invasive, neatly avoiding the nightmare of trying to hold liquid beneath your tongue without swallowing for 60 seconds or longer. Oral NMN also delivers a gradual elevation of NAD levels in the body, which makes it perfectly safe for long-term use. Really, at this point, all signs point to oral NMN capsules for efficacy, bioavailability, ease of use and convenience.
The takeaway
We’ll keep this short and sweet—if you’re considering an NMN supplement and debating the most efficient form of delivery, let the research guide you. The data will take you by the hand and lead you straight to oral NMN capsules, like our own Wonderfeel Youngr™. If the goal is to feel like you’ve rolled the clock back a few decades, our patented formula combines a clinically-proven dose of NMN with resveratrol, hydroxytyrosol, and ergothioneine to activate sirtuins and turbo-charge cellular delivery. And really, swallowing two capsules a day? It doesn’t get easier than that!