Discover the connection between NMN and NAD, understand how they work regarding cellular energy production, and what makes them essential for optimal mitochondrial health.
How Long Does NMN Take to Work? Timelines & Unique Insights
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NMN supplements, like most others, need some time to work. Taking NMN without knowing when to expect results might make you quit before the effects of NMN begin. So, how long until NMN supplementation begins showing results? We’ll provide the timeline below, but to make sense of it, we must start at the beginning.
What is NMN?
NAD, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, powers every living cell in our body. It drives critical energy production by pushing processes that create ATP – the molecule that provides energy to all cellular functions. ATP acts as the cell’s essential power source, and without sufficient NAD, the production of ATP would stall, leaving cells unable to perform their vital tasks.
NAD also plays a key role in DNA repair and controlling genes linked to aging and metabolism. These processes are crucial for preventing mutations and ensuring proper cellular function over time. NAD’s involvement influences how the body manages stress, repairs damage, and adapts to changes.
In energy metabolism, NAD moves electrons through complex biochemical pathways such as glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. These pathways are responsible for converting nutrients into usable energy.
When NAD levels drop, cellular energy production and mitochondrial function weaken, causing our body’s internal systems to slow down. This reduction leads to decreased ATP output, weakened cell function, and slower recovery from cellular damage. Over time, these effects contribute to fatigue, loss of vitality, and the progression of age-related conditions.
What is NMN?
All life is based on biochemical reactions that require energy. The cells in our body use mitochondrial function to convert food into it. A coenzyme called NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) is crucial in helping other enzymes and proteins to produce the needed energy.
One of the clearest signs of the aging process are decreased NAD levels in our cells. We can gain some of it back, mostly in the oxidized form of NAD+, naturally. Vitamin B3 and some foods, such as broccoli, are common sources, but you’d need to consume extreme amounts to balance the NAD decline old age brings.
That’s where NMN supplements come into play. NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) is the immediate precursor of NAD, or in simpler terms, the cells in our body use NMN to create NAD. You can’t increase NAD levels directly since this coenzyme is too big to pass through membranes straight into cells.
NMN is one of the most efficient ways to increase NAD levels in our bodies, and it plays a role in hundreds of metabolic reactions. That’s why there are so many NMN benefits linked to increased NAD levels:
- More energy
- Better cardiac function
- DNA repair
- Reduced brain fog and fatigue
- Decreased risk of diabetes
- Improved metabolism
- Slowing of other aging signs
It should be noted that NMN studies on humans are still ongoing, and most research has been carried out on animals. The information we already have shows that NMN benefits are promising and can also be supported by how NMN supplementation works.
How Does NMN Work?
Our cells need NAD for DNA repair, mitochondrial function, and other crucial measures to slow down the aging process. Once NAD levels drop, the signs of aging start to show. Taking NMN supplements is one of the most efficient ways to boost NAD synthesis because, even at relatively small doses, it affects cells directly.
NMN uses specialized transporter proteins (Slc12a8) in the gut and another NAD precursor — nicotinamide riboside (NR), as a pathway into the cells (1). To simplify, NMN is converted to NR, which then enters the cell membranes and is converted back to NMN. It’s then transported across the cytoplasm to boost energy production.
NMN supplementation is an indirect way to improve your cell metabolism, DNA repair function, and solve a number of other issues that increasingly appear when the body ages. A lot of it is due to the activation of other proteins that cannot function without NAD+, such as sirtuins.
Sirtuins are a family of seven proteins crucial for gene expression, DNA repair, mitochondrial function metabolism, and resilience against age-related diseases. These proteins are NAD-dependent, meaning they cannot function without NAD, which NMN supplements activate.
How Long Does It Take for NMN to Work?
Function and Role
Most of the effects of NMN supplements are indirect since the production of NAD is responsible for the benefits. It’s one of the reasons why we must evaluate a rather long timeline to judge when NMN starts to work. Effects range from immediate ones to those clinically studied only after a couple of months.
Immediate Effects (Hours After Intake)
Studies show (2) that once you take an NMN supplement orally, it reaches your gut biome and is transported to remain in the bloodstream for 2-3 minutes. In just about 15 minutes, NMN reaches tissues, so you may experience the first effects of NMN rather quickly.
They appear as a short-term energy and alertness boost that further improves for about an hour as NAD levels increase after intake. That’s why NMN is often recommended to be ingested in the morning. To gain an energy boost, you’ll need an appropriately high dose of NMN supplement, at least 250-500mg.
Short-Term Effects (1-2 Weeks)
Do you feel more energized after taking NMN supplements for only a few weeks? Well, you are not alone. Some other self-reports indicate that the increase in initial energy and alertness persists during the following few weeks of NMN supplementation.
Other related effects, such as mood improvement, mental clarity, and physical endurance, are also found in user reports only after a few weeks of using NMN supplements. This can be somewhat backed up by research since it’s reported that NAD levels consistently increase from the start of supplementation (3).
Yet, one to two weeks is a short time for most clinical trials to experimentally prove such reports as they are still sporadic. If you want to be sure, it’s best to continue taking NMN supplements for at least one month.
Medium-Term Effects (1-3 Months)
Fighting against low physical endurance and poor skin health when the years pass by? Reduced NAD levels might be the cause, and positive results are recorded after one to three months of NMN supplementation.
Clinical trials in human runners showed that over the course of six months of NMN supplementation, the oxygen uptake increased to a higher degree compared to the placebo group (4). This is likely due to increased NAD levels, which result in better physical endurance when running.
Trials for skin health recorded similar improvements. Boosting NAD levels rejuvenates skin cells, promotes collagen production, and aids in treating aging-related hyperpigmentation (5). These effects can already be measured in the medium term up to three months.
Long-Term Effects (3-6 Months)
Most benefits of NMN appear after taking the supplements for a longer period. Improved lifespan, cognition capacity, sight, and immune response to diseases have all been found in trials on mice. Often, there are no such long-term human trials because they require exceptional monitoring while administering NMN supplementations (6).
For example, a 12-month-long study with mice reported NMN supplementation’s impact on weight loss, metabolism, and fighting age-associated physiological decline in mice. The study required constant monitoring of genes, skeletal muscle, and organs of mice (7).
One three-month-long study on humans performed physiological and laboratory tests while administering NMN to healthy volunteers. It found no obvious adverse effects, and NAD levels increased, which suggests that NMN is a safe and practical way to boost NAD levels in humans (8).
Findings on animal and human subjects combined show that most positive effects of NMN supplements are recorded at least after three months and that this timeframe is safe for humans to use NMN supplements. This is a great guidepost on how long to stay on NMN supplements for all the effects to work.
There are examples of those, such as Dr. David Sinclair, who admitted to using NMN in high doses for even longer periods of time without many, if any, negative side effects. Every person is different, and it’s best to monitor your body or consult a physician if you have doubts about your medical condition.
Factors That Influence Results
Wondering how long NMN will take to work, as the above timeline doesn’t seem to apply to you? There are a couple of factors that might influence how NAD levels rise in our bodies. They can be grouped into individual differences and lifestyle factors.
Individual Differences
Findings from human skin samples show that NAD levels start to decline around the age of 30 and continue to deteriorate. The older you are, the larger doses of NMN supplement you will need, as young adults are likely to be less deficient in NAD (9).
Gender plays a role as well, as some studies show that, on average, men have a higher count of NAD than women (10). This is often overshadowed by preexisting health conditions that create a variation in NMN effects. The most relevant are those that impact the absorption of the NMN through the pathways into the cells (11).
- Gut microbiota – evidence suggests that gut microbiome can affect the metabolism of NMN conversion to NAD.
- Functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and liver – certain conditions might impact these areas, making the body slower in absorbing the NMN supplements.
- Genetics – certain genetic conditions might affect the metabolic pathways involved in NMN uptake and efficient conversion to NAD.
Lifestyle Factors
You might already know that supplements can only aid an active lifestyle and proper diet. If you aren’t taking steps to improve your lifestyle, the impact of NMN supplementation might be less noticeable. Some studies (12) research NMN administration together with physical exercise to boost NAD levels.
It’s also known that some foods with Vitamin B3 impact NAD levels. Compared to NMN, it’s a simpler compound and follows a different metabolic pathway. Caloric restriction and a diet rich in NAD-supporting nutrients are likely to increase the effectiveness of NMN supplements.
Other supplements, such as resveratrol or NR, might boost the efficiency of NMN supplements. Many studies highlight that the timing and dosage of NMN and related supplements might also influence efficiency for certain tasks. For example, taking higher doses in the morning impacts the physical performance of athletes (13).
Dosage and Safety Tips
Suggested Dosage
Current clinical research (14) is based on trials from 250mg doses of NMN supplement. Some other studies suggest that doses of as high as 1,200 milligrams per day are likely to be healthy as well. Previously mentioned individual differences and lifestyle factors play an important role in what will be effective for increasing NAD levels.
Our recommendation is to start with a lower dosage of 250-500mg for at least a few weeks and then gradually increase the NMN supplement as time passes. As with all supplements, it’s crucial to also follow a healthy lifestyle and follow the signs of your body for the best results.
Is NMN Safe?
NMN is generally accepted as a safe supplement with little to no side effects at moderate doses. The consensus seems to be well established, given that NMN is a precursor to NAD, which can acquired from various foods. Since NMN is a relatively new way to increase NAD levels, the impact of long-term usage on humans is rather limited.
Studies on animals, mostly mice (15), haven’t found any negative side effects of NMN and confirm that it successfully increases NAD levels. Overviews of existing human clinical trials suggest that oral NMN usage is safe and that more research is needed for higher dose treatments, variations in human groups, and usage forms (16).
When to Take NMN?
Prepared to take NMN supplements for their long-term benefits? The last thing to figure out is timing your NMN intake for the best results. Most sources recommend taking NMN in the morning on an empty stomach.
Consuming NMN on an empty stomach is likely to reduce the competition with other nutrients and quicken its absorption into the bloodstream. This makes the energy production needed for cellular repair more effective.
Since NMN supplements give an initial boost of energy and alertness, you’ll get the most productivity out of your day by taking it early in the morning. Some prefer NMN supplements at least half an hour before working out to boost their exercise.
If you are planning to practice it, consider adjusting NMN intake so as not to disrupt your sleep rhythm. Every person is different, so there’s some room for experimentation and finding the best time for you.
Wrapping Up
Research on NAD, its precursor NMN, and NMN supplements has revitalized our fight against aging. Before you rush to increase your NAD levels with NMN, be prepared that consistent benefits will appear only after three months. This estimation is based on how NMN works and other factors that might influence its effectiveness.
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