The NAD-brain pharmacokinetic study of NAD augmentation in blood and brain using oral precursor supplementation.

Berven H, Svensen M, Eikeland H, Tvedten N, Sheard EV, Af Geijerstam SA, Søgnen M, McCann A, Arnsten L, Årseth O, Skjeie V, Hjellbrekke A and 7 more

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Skeie GO, Torres Cleuren YN, Nido GS, Haugarvoll K, Riemer F, Tzoulis C, Dölle C

iScience27 Jan 2026Cited by 5 (Europe PMC)

PMID41858901PMCIDPMC12996706DOI10.1016/j.isci.2026.114764PepBankPUB-41858901

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Summary

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) augmentation therapy (NAD-AT) is increasingly explored in clinical trials across multiple indications, especially neurological diseases, yet its human pharmacokinetic profile remains incompletely defined. We report findings from a phase I pharmacokinetic trial assessing systemic and cerebral responses to oral NAD precursors in healthy individuals (n = 6) and persons with Parkinson's disease (n = 6) receiving 1,200 mg/day nicotinamide riboside or nicotinamide mononucleotide. Blood NAD increased slowly, plateauing after approximately two weeks of treatment, and declined with similarly slow kinetics following treatment discontinuation. Cerebral NAD levels increased measurably after four weeks of treatment. NAD-related metabolites showed faster increase and washout dynamics compared to NAD itself. Collectively, these data suggest that effective NAD-AT requires sustained oral administration over at least 2-4 weeks and that once-daily dosing is sufficient to maintain stable NAD levels. NAD responses exhibited considerable interindividual variability, but were not influenced by disease status or sex, indicating broad applicability.

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

Results from this study6

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Studies that did not test the peptide alone6

In this study, NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide).

01HumanNot a test of NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) aloneNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In healthy participants and participants with Parkinson's disease, pooled NAD precursors slowly raised blood NAD to a plateau after approximately two weeks, with slow decline after discontinuation.
In plain wordsPooled oral NAD precursors, including NMN, slowly raised blood NAD, which declined slowly after treatment stopped.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
MixedBlood NAD kinetics
Study
n = 12
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Measurements
Time to blood NAD plateau
≈ 2 weeks
pooled oral NAD precursors (NR or NMN)
Source sentences
Summary
Blood NAD increased slowly, plateauing after approximately two weeks of treatment, and declined with similarly slow kinetics following treatment discontinuation.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We report findings from a phase I pharmacokinetic trial assessing systemic and cerebral responses to oral NAD precursors in healthy individuals (n = 6) and persons with Parkinson's disease (n = 6) receiving 1,200 mg/day nicotinamide riboside or nicotinamide mononucleotide.
In this study, NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4185890101
02HumanNot a test of NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) aloneNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In healthy participants and participants with Parkinson's disease, pooled NAD precursors increased cerebral NAD after four weeks.
In plain wordsPooled NAD precursors, including NMN, increased brain NAD after four weeks.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
IncreaseCerebral NAD
Study
n = 12
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Source sentences
Summary
Cerebral NAD levels increased measurably after four weeks of treatment.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We report findings from a phase I pharmacokinetic trial assessing systemic and cerebral responses to oral NAD precursors in healthy individuals (n = 6) and persons with Parkinson's disease (n = 6) receiving 1,200 mg/day nicotinamide riboside or nicotinamide mononucleotide.
In this study, NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4185890102
03HumanNot a test of NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) aloneNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In participants receiving pooled NAD precursors, NAD-related metabolites increased and washed out faster than NAD itself.
In plain wordsWith pooled NAD precursors, including NMN, related metabolites increased and cleared faster than NAD itself.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
MixedNAD-related metabolite kinetics
Study
n = 12
Comparator
NAD itself
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Source sentences
Summary
NAD-related metabolites showed faster increase and washout dynamics compared to NAD itself.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We report findings from a phase I pharmacokinetic trial assessing systemic and cerebral responses to oral NAD precursors in healthy individuals (n = 6) and persons with Parkinson's disease (n = 6) receiving 1,200 mg/day nicotinamide riboside or nicotinamide mononucleotide.
In this study, NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4185890103
04HumanNot a test of NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) aloneNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In participants receiving pooled NAD precursors, NAD responses showed considerable interindividual variability.
In plain wordsWith pooled NAD precursors, including NMN, NAD responses varied considerably between people.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
Direction not reportedInterindividual NAD response variability
Study
n = 12
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Source sentences
Summary
NAD responses exhibited considerable interindividual variability, but were not influenced by disease status or sex, indicating broad applicability.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We report findings from a phase I pharmacokinetic trial assessing systemic and cerebral responses to oral NAD precursors in healthy individuals (n = 6) and persons with Parkinson's disease (n = 6) receiving 1,200 mg/day nicotinamide riboside or nicotinamide mononucleotide.
In this study, NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4185890104
05HumanNot a test of NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) aloneNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In participants receiving pooled NAD precursors, disease status did not influence NAD responses.
In plain wordsWith pooled NAD precursors, including NMN, disease status did not influence NAD responses.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
No significant changeDisease-status influence on NAD response
Study
n = 12
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Source sentences
Summary
NAD responses exhibited considerable interindividual variability, but were not influenced by disease status or sex, indicating broad applicability.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We report findings from a phase I pharmacokinetic trial assessing systemic and cerebral responses to oral NAD precursors in healthy individuals (n = 6) and persons with Parkinson's disease (n = 6) receiving 1,200 mg/day nicotinamide riboside or nicotinamide mononucleotide.
In this study, NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4185890105
06HumanNot a test of NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) aloneNon-randomized trialPharmacokinetics
In participants receiving pooled NAD precursors, sex did not influence NAD responses.
In plain wordsWith pooled NAD precursors, including NMN, sex did not influence NAD responses.
Peptide
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
Outcome
No significant changeSex influence on NAD response
Study
n = 12
Outcome group
Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
Source sentences
Summary
NAD responses exhibited considerable interindividual variability, but were not influenced by disease status or sex, indicating broad applicability.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We report findings from a phase I pharmacokinetic trial assessing systemic and cerebral responses to oral NAD precursors in healthy individuals (n = 6) and persons with Parkinson's disease (n = 6) receiving 1,200 mg/day nicotinamide riboside or nicotinamide mononucleotide.
In this study, NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4185890106

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

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

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

Subjects

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