A Summary of a β-Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) Clinical Study by Yi et al. (2023)
Reviewed by Tamberlyn Blinsink, ND, MPH | Research & Development
Overview
The following summary reviews a dose-dependent, randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial examining oral β-nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation across three dose levels in healthy middle-aged adults. The study evaluated NMN’s effects on blood nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) concentration as the primary outcome, along with safety, tolerability, and several secondary clinical efficacy endpoints.
Summary
The Efficacy and Safety of β-Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) Supplementation in Healthy Middle-Aged Adults: A Randomized, Multicenter, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group, Dose-Dependent Clinical Trial
Published in: GeroScience
Study Design: Randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, dose-dependent clinical trial
Participants: 80 healthy adults aged 40–65 years (59% female; mean age 49.3 years), with a body mass index between 18.5 and 35 kg/m², recruited across two clinical sites in Pune, India
Dose: 300 mg, 600 mg, or 900 mg NMN orally once daily for 60 days; placebo group received matched capsules (rice flour) on the same schedule
Outcome Measures: Blood NAD concentration (colorimetric assay; total NAD⁺ + NADH in serum); six-minute walking test distance; blood biological age (Aging.Ai 3.0 calculator, using 19 clinical laboratory parameters); Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR); 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36); clinical laboratory panels (hematology, serum chemistry, urinalysis); and adverse event monitoring
What Was Studied: Researchers designed this trial to evaluate the dose-dependent effects of oral NMN supplementation on blood NAD concentration in healthy middle-aged adults of both sexes. Participants were randomized to receive placebo, 300 mg, 600 mg, or 900 mg NMN daily for 60 days, with assessments conducted at baseline (day 0), mid-point (day 30), and end of trial (day 60). The primary analysis examined whether blood NAD concentrations increased in a dose-dependent manner across treatment groups relative to placebo and baseline. Secondary analyses assessed safety and tolerability through adverse event tracking and clinical laboratory monitoring, as well as clinical efficacy through physical performance (six-minute walking test), biological aging (blood biological age via Aging.Ai 3.0), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and self-reported health status (SF-36). Statistical analysis was conducted using a Per Protocol approach with mixed model for repeated measures (MMRM) for continuously assessed endpoints, paired t-test for biological age, and Mann–Whitney U test for HOMA-IR.
About the Reviewer
Name & Title: Tamberlyn Blinsink, Scientific Researcher at Solaray
Credentials: Naturopathic Doctor, Master of Public Health
Bio: Tamberlyn Blinsink, ND, MPH, a licensed naturopath who earned her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University and her Master of Public Health from Purdue University. In addition to her experience in private practice, Dr. Blinsink, ND, MPH is a researcher in the natural products industry. She believes in giving back and has served as a lecturer at continuing education conferences and as a board member at Naturopaths Without Borders and NC Association of Naturopathic Physicians.
Reference
Yi L, Maier AB, Tao R, et al. The efficacy and safety of β-nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation in healthy middle-aged adults: a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, dose-dependent clinical trial. GeroScience. 2023;45:29–43. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36482258/