Longevity science has made it clear that NMN, or nicotinamide mononucleotide, is working wonders. Its claim to fame is its ability to boost NAD in our cells — a pretty big deal. Since NAD is known as the fundamental driver of our health and a substance that begins to decline as we age, it’s not an exaggeration to call NMN one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs of our time. But it gets better. To date, no studies or anecdotal evidence have hinted at any sort of health risk or off-putting side effects. If you’re wondering about the safety of NMN, it’s all good.
NMN and safety, according to science.
A mix of rodent and human studies has raised approximately zero red flags when it comes to safety concerns (and tons of great news for fighting the hallmarks of aging). Let’s review:
- A human clinical toxicity study conducted at Keio University in 2020 specifically focused on safety and concluded that NMN can be safely administered to people. Study participants took a daily dose of 100, 250, or 500 mg of NMN over a three-year span, with no negative side effects on physiological measurements like heart rate or blood pressure.
- In 2021, a study looked at the effects of NMN and exercise on amateur runners over a six-week trial. There were three dosage groups of 300 mg, 600, and 1,200 mg per day. While this trial didn’t focus on safety, there were no negative side effects at any dosage. Incidentally, the biggest takeaway here was that aerobic capacity improved in the medium and high groups, which averages out to 900 mg daily as an optimal amount of NMN.
- Another 2021 study from the University of Tokyo looked at the impact of 250 mg of NMN daily for 12 weeks. There were a number of improvements noted, but again, no negative side effects.
- A study from the School of Medicine at Washington University also analyzed the effects of 250 mg of NMN per day, this time over a 10-week window. The older women who made up the participants in this trial had noticeable health changes for the better.
- One of the most recent clinical trials – results will be published in 2022 – administered placebo, 300, 600, and 900 mg doses to people in four groups. No signs of toxicity were observed at any amount, and those in the 900 mg group experienced the most positive effects.
There are also several rodent studies showing that the administration of even high doses of NMN pose no toxicity or side effects. That’s notable, because a high dose of just about any drug on mice almost always causes immediate side effects. The fact that NMN poses no issues can be considered quite reassuring.
Finally, let’s check in with the experts in the field. There’s Professor David Sinclair from Harvard Medical school, a leading authority in NMN and NAD science, who notes that “human studies with NAD boosters are on-going and so far, there has been no toxicity, not even a hint of it.”
Here at Wonderfeel, our own Andrew Salzman MD, who has developed pharmaceuticals treating cancer cells thanks to his discoveries in the field of cellular science, confirms that NMN is a very safe molecule for humans to take as a supplement.
The takeaway.
Of course, we’re not suggesting that endless amounts of NMN are perfectly fine. While people have a tendency to assume that more is always better, moderation is almost always a wiser strategy. After all, too much of just about anything, even water, can be harmful. (You can read about the optimal dose here.) And when it comes to NMN, the scientific research to date and leading authorities in the field of longevity science have all drawn the same conclusion — there is no evidence of any untoward side effects in reasonable doses, which means you can take your daily Wonderfeel NMN without worry. Wonderful news, isn’t it?