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Types of Nicotinamide Riboside (NR): Forms & Bioavailability

Evidence:Moderate
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This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary — consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Full disclaimer

Forms Comparison

FormBioavailabilityBest For
Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride (Niagen)Moderate-HighStandard supplementation — the patented form used in most clinical trials with extensive safety data
NR Capsules (generic)ModerateCost-effective option — non-branded NR at lower price points

Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride (Niagen)

Bioavailability: Moderate-High. Best for: Standard supplementation — the patented form used in most clinical trials with extensive safety data.

NR Capsules (generic)

Bioavailability: Moderate. Best for: Cost-effective option — non-branded NR at lower price points.

Full Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) Guide

References

  1. RCTMartens CR, Denman BA, Mazzo MR, et al. (2018). Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD+ in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Nature Communications. DOI PubMed
  2. RCTElhassan YS, Kluckova K, Fletcher RS, et al. (2019). Nicotinamide riboside augments the aged human skeletal muscle NAD+ metabolome and induces transcriptomic and anti-inflammatory signatures. Cell Reports. DOI PubMed
  3. Thomas S, Ben-Davies R, Cetinkaya-Fisgin A, Hu X, et al. (2026). Evaluation of Nicotinamide Riboside in Prevention of Small Nerve Fiber Axon Degeneration and Promotion of Nerve Regeneration.. Journal of the peripheral nervous system : JPNS. DOI PubMed
  4. RCTShoji M, Kato H, Koshizaka M, Kaneko H, et al. (2025). Nicotinamide Riboside Supplementation Benefits in Patients With Werner Syndrome: A Double-Blind Randomized Crossover Placebo-Controlled Trial.. Aging cell. DOI PubMed
  5. Ahmadi A, Valencia AP, Begue G, Norman JE, et al. (2025). A Pilot Trial of Nicotinamide Riboside and Coenzyme Q10 on Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in CKD.. Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN. DOI PubMed
  6. Lin Y, Zeidan RS, Lapierre-Nguyen S, Costello HM, et al. (2025). Nicotinamide riboside combined with exercise to treat hypertension in middle-aged and older adults: a pilot randomized clinical trial.. GeroScience. DOI PubMed
  7. RCTWu CY, Reynolds WC, Abril I, McManus AJ, et al. (2025). Effects of nicotinamide riboside on NAD+ levels, cognition, and symptom recovery in long-COVID: a randomized controlled trial.. EClinicalMedicine. DOI PubMed
Show 4 more references
  1. Bhandari R, Lukas K, Lee K, Shamunee J, et al. (2025). Feasibility of telehealth exercise and nicotinamide riboside supplementation in survivors of childhood cancer at risk for diabetes: A pilot randomized controlled trial.. Pediatric blood & cancer. DOI PubMed
  2. Wu CY, Kupferschmid AC, Chen L, McManus AJ, et al. (2025). Cognitive and Alzheimer's disease biomarker effects of oral nicotinamide riboside (NR) supplementation in older adults with subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment.. Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.). DOI PubMed
  3. Szarvas Z, Reyff ZA, Peterfi A, Pinto CB, et al. (2025). Effects of NAD+ supplementation with oral nicotinamide riboside on vascular health and cognitive function in older adults with peripheral artery disease: Results from a pilot 4-week open-label clinical trial.. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. DOI PubMed
  4. RCTTrammell SAJ, Schmidt MS, Weidemann BJ, et al. (2016). Nicotinamide riboside is uniquely and orally bioavailable in mice and humans. Nature Communications. DOI PubMed