Commonly marketed as an anti-aging product, nicotinamide riboside is a form of vitamin B3 with few side effects. It may help to protect brain cells and lower the risk of heart disease.

Every year, Americans spend billions of dollars on anti-aging products.

While most anti-aging products are used to reverse signs of aging on your skin, nicotinamide riboside is promoted to reverse signs of aging from inside your body.

Within your body, nicotinamide riboside is converted into NAD+, a helper molecule that’s made throughout your body and supports many aspects of healthy aging.

This article explains everything you need to know about nicotinamide riboside, including its benefits, side effects and dosage.

Nicotinamide riboside is a form of vitamin B3, also called niacin.

Like other forms of vitamin B3, nicotinamide riboside is converted by your body into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a coenzyme or helper molecule.

NAD+ helps to promote many key biological processes, such as:

  • converting food into energy
  • repairing damaged DNA
  • fortifying cells’ defense systems
  • setting your body’s internal clock or circadian rhythm

However, the amount of NAD+ in your body naturally falls with age.

Low NAD+ levels have been linked to health concerns like aging and chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and vision loss.

Nicotinamide riboside supplements have quickly become popular because they appear to be effective at raising NAD+ levels.

Nicotinamide riboside is also found in trace amounts in cows’ milk, yeast and beer.

Here are some potential health benefits of nicotinamide riboside.

Easily converted into NAD+

NAD+ is a coenzyme, or helper molecule, that takes part in many biological reactions.

While it’s essential for optimal health, research shows that NAD+ levels continue to fall with age. Low NAD+ levels are linked to a variety of harmful diseases.

One way to raise NAD+ levels is to take in NAD+ precursors — the building blocks of NAD+ — such as nicotinamide riboside.

Animal and human studies show that nicotinamide riboside efficiently and consistently raises blood NAD+ levels. What’s more, it’s more readily converted by your body than other NAD+ precursors.

Activates enzymes that may promote healthy aging

Nicotinamide riboside helps increase NAD+ levels in your body.

In response, NAD+ activates certain enzymes that may promote healthy aging.

One group is sirtuins, which appear to improve lifespan and overall health in animals. Studies indicate that sirtuins may repair damaged DNA, reduce inflammation and offer other benefits that promote healthy aging.

May help protect brain cells

NAD+ plays a key role in helping your brain cells age well.

Within brain cells, NAD+ helps control the production of PGC-1-alpha, a protein that appears to help protect cells against oxidative stress.

Researchers believe that oxidative stress is linked to age-related brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

However, it’s still unclear how helpful raising NAD+ levels is in people with age-related brain disorders. More human studies are needed.

May lower heart disease risk

Aging is a major risk factor for heart disease, which is the world’s leading cause of death. It can cause blood vessels to become thicker, stiffer, and less flexible.

Such changes can raise blood pressure levels and make your heart work harder.

Research shows that nicotinamide riboside may help raise NAD+ levels, helped reduce blood vessel stiffness, and reduce the chance of high blood pressure.

That said, more human research is needed.

Nicotinamide riboside is likely safe with few — if any — side effects.

In human studies, taking 1,000 mg per day had no harmful effects.

However, most human studies are short in duration and have very few participants. For a more accurate idea of its safety, more robust human studies are needed.

Some people have reported mild to moderate side effects, such as nausea, fatigue, headaches, diarrhea, stomach discomfort and indigestion.

Nicotinamide riboside is available in tablet or capsule form under its own name or with the brand name Niagen.

It is available at select health-food stores and online retailers.

Nicotinamide riboside supplements typically contain just nicotinamide riboside, but some manufacturers combine it with other ingredients like Pterostilbene, which is a polyphenol — an antioxidant that is chemically similar to resveratrol.

Most nicotinamide riboside supplement brands recommend taking 250–300 mg per day, the equivalent of 1–2 capsules per day depending on the brand.

Nicotinamide riboside is a form of vitamin B3 with few side effects. It is commonly marketed as an anti-aging product.

Your body converts it into NAD+, which helps chemical processes throughout your body.

However, most research on nicotinamide riboside and NAD+ is in animals. More high-quality human studies are needed before recommending it as a treatment.