Head to Head Comparison of Short-Term Treatment with the NAD(+) Precursor Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) and 6 Weeks of Exercise in Obese Female Mice.

Uddin GM, Youngson NA, Sinclair DA, Morris MJ

Frontiers in pharmacology19 Aug 2016Cited by 83 (Europe PMC)

PMID27594836PMCIDPMC4990541DOI10.3389/fphar.2016.00258PepBankPUB-27594836

Summary

Obesity is well known to be a major cause of several chronic metabolic diseases, which can be partially counteracted by exercise. This is due, in part, to an upregulation of mitochondrial activity through increased nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)). Recent studies have shown that NAD(+) levels can be increased by using the NAD(+) precursor, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) leading to the suggestion that NMN could be a useful intervention in diet related metabolic disorders. In this study we compared the metabolic, and especially mitochondrial-associated, effects of exercise and NMN in ameliorating the consequences of high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity in mice. Sixty female 5 week old C57BL6/J mice were allocated across five groups: Chow sedentary: CS; Chow exercise: CEX; HFD sedentary: HS; HFD NMN: HNMN; HFD exercise: HEX (12/group). After 6 weeks of diet, exercise groups underwent treadmill exercise (15 m/min for 45 min), 6 days per week for 6 weeks. NMN or vehicle (500 mg/kg body weight) was injected (i.p.) daily for the last 17 days. No significant alteration in body weight was observed in response to exercise or NMN. The HFD significantly altered adiposity, glucose tolerance, plasma insulin, NADH levels and citrate synthase activity in muscle and liver. HEX and HNMN groups both showed significantly improved glucose tolerance compared to the HS group. NAD(+) levels were increased significantly both in muscle and liver by NMN whereas exercise increased NAD(+) only in muscle. Both NMN and exercise ameliorated the HFD-induced reduction in liver citrate synthase activity. However, exercise, but not NMN, ameliorated citrate synthase activity in muscle. Overall these data suggest that while exercise and NMN-supplementation can induce similar reversal of the glucose intolerance induced by obesity, they are associated with tissue-specific effects and differential alterations to mitochondrial function in muscle and liver.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study6

6 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In obese female mice, NMN did not significantly alter body weight.
In plain wordsIn obese female mice, NMN did not significantly change body weight compared with sedentary high-fat-fed mice.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
No significant changeBody weight
Study
mousen = 24
high-fat-fed female C57BL6/J mice
Comparator
HFD sedentary group
Outcome group
Body weight · Metabolic and weight
Studied dose
500 mg/kg body weight · intraperitoneal · 17 daysAs given in this study (mouse).
Source sentences
Summary
No significant alteration in body weight was observed in response to exercise or NMN.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Sixty female 5 week old C57BL6/J mice were allocated across five groups: Chow sedentary: CS; Chow exercise: CEX; HFD sedentary: HS; HFD NMN: HNMN; HFD exercise: HEX (12/group).
Summary · context
NMN or vehicle (500 mg/kg body weight) was injected (i.p.) daily for the last 17 days.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2759483601
02AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In high-fat-fed female mice, NMN significantly improved glucose tolerance compared with the HFD sedentary group.
In plain wordsIn high-fat-fed female mice, NMN improved glucose tolerance compared with sedentary high-fat-fed mice.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
IncreaseGlucose tolerance
Study
mousen = 24
high-fat-fed female C57BL6/J mice
Comparator
HFD sedentary group
Outcome group
Glycemic control · Metabolic and weight
Studied dose
500 mg/kg body weight · intraperitoneal · 17 daysAs given in this study (mouse).
Source sentences
Summary
HEX and HNMN groups both showed significantly improved glucose tolerance compared to the HS group.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Sixty female 5 week old C57BL6/J mice were allocated across five groups: Chow sedentary: CS; Chow exercise: CEX; HFD sedentary: HS; HFD NMN: HNMN; HFD exercise: HEX (12/group).
Summary · context
NMN or vehicle (500 mg/kg body weight) was injected (i.p.) daily for the last 17 days.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2759483602
03AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In obese female mice, NMN significantly increased muscle NAD levels.
In plain wordsIn obese female mice, NMN increased muscle NAD levels compared with sedentary high-fat-fed mice.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
IncreaseMuscle NAD levels
Study
mousen = 24
high-fat-fed female C57BL6/J mice
Comparator
HFD sedentary group
Outcome group
Mitochondrial function · Musculoskeletal
Studied dose
500 mg/kg body weight · intraperitoneal · 17 daysAs given in this study (mouse).
Source sentences
Summary
NAD(+) levels were increased significantly both in muscle and liver by NMN whereas exercise increased NAD(+) only in muscle.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Sixty female 5 week old C57BL6/J mice were allocated across five groups: Chow sedentary: CS; Chow exercise: CEX; HFD sedentary: HS; HFD NMN: HNMN; HFD exercise: HEX (12/group).
Summary · context
NMN or vehicle (500 mg/kg body weight) was injected (i.p.) daily for the last 17 days.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2759483603
04AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In obese female mice, NMN significantly increased liver NAD levels.
In plain wordsIn obese female mice, NMN increased liver NAD levels compared with sedentary high-fat-fed mice.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
IncreaseLiver NAD levels
Study
mousen = 24
high-fat-fed female C57BL6/J mice
Comparator
HFD sedentary group
Outcome group
Mitochondrial function · Liver
Studied dose
500 mg/kg body weight · intraperitoneal · 17 daysAs given in this study (mouse).
Source sentences
Summary
NAD(+) levels were increased significantly both in muscle and liver by NMN whereas exercise increased NAD(+) only in muscle.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Sixty female 5 week old C57BL6/J mice were allocated across five groups: Chow sedentary: CS; Chow exercise: CEX; HFD sedentary: HS; HFD NMN: HNMN; HFD exercise: HEX (12/group).
Summary · context
NMN or vehicle (500 mg/kg body weight) was injected (i.p.) daily for the last 17 days.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2759483604
05AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In obese female mice, NMN ameliorated the HFD-induced reduction in liver citrate synthase activity.
In plain wordsIn obese female mice, NMN improved liver citrate synthase activity compared with sedentary high-fat-fed mice.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
IncreaseLiver citrate synthase activity
Study
mousen = 24
high-fat-fed female C57BL6/J mice
Comparator
HFD sedentary group
Outcome group
Mitochondrial function · Liver
Studied dose
500 mg/kg body weight · intraperitoneal · 17 daysAs given in this study (mouse).
Source sentences
Summary
Both NMN and exercise ameliorated the HFD-induced reduction in liver citrate synthase activity.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Sixty female 5 week old C57BL6/J mice were allocated across five groups: Chow sedentary: CS; Chow exercise: CEX; HFD sedentary: HS; HFD NMN: HNMN; HFD exercise: HEX (12/group).
Summary · context
NMN or vehicle (500 mg/kg body weight) was injected (i.p.) daily for the last 17 days.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2759483605
06AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In obese female mice, NMN did not ameliorate muscle citrate synthase activity.
In plain wordsIn obese female mice, NMN did not improve muscle citrate synthase activity compared with sedentary high-fat-fed mice.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
No significant changeMuscle citrate synthase activity
Study
mousen = 24
high-fat-fed female C57BL6/J mice
Comparator
HFD sedentary group
Outcome group
Mitochondrial function · Musculoskeletal
Studied dose
500 mg/kg body weight · intraperitoneal · 17 daysAs given in this study (mouse).
Source sentences
Summary
However, exercise, but not NMN, ameliorated citrate synthase activity in muscle.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Sixty female 5 week old C57BL6/J mice were allocated across five groups: Chow sedentary: CS; Chow exercise: CEX; HFD sedentary: HS; HFD NMN: HNMN; HFD exercise: HEX (12/group).
Summary · context
NMN or vehicle (500 mg/kg body weight) was injected (i.p.) daily for the last 17 days.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2759483606

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

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Version 2Current
21 Oct 2026, 15:58 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
21 Oct 2026, 12:50 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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