NMN vs NR and the 500 mg question
The NAD precursor people actually mean when they say longevity supplement. How NMN relates to NR and NAD+, what 99.9% purity implies, and why we chose 500 mg in one capsule.
People say "longevity supplement" and usually mean NMN — β-Nicotinamide Mononucleotide — the step before NAD+.
This is the honest version of that story: what NMN is, how it relates to NR (nicotinamide riboside), what a purity number like 99.9% does and does not prove, and why we put 500 mg in one capsule.
One capsule, one ingredient, nothing else in the bottle. Two-capsule little bottles do not need a second capsule.
The 30-second picture
Your cells make NAD+ to run energy metabolism. NMN is the immediate precursor your body turns into NAD+. NR is the neighbour that also feeds NAD+ via a different route. Both raise NAD+ in humans. Neither is magic.
The reason we chose NMN at 500 mg:
- The modern NMN literature uses 250–500 mg/day in middle-aged and older adults.
- 500 mg sits inside the published habit window while still being a single, specifiable, testable dose.
- 99.9% purity is the batch number on the label, not a health claim.
NMN vs NR — the fair comparison
| NMN | NR | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Direct precursor to NAD+ | Precursor that becomes NMN on the way |
| Dose window in trials | 250–500 mg | 250–1000 mg |
| What is measured | Blood NAD+, NAD metabolites | Blood NAD+, NAD metabolites |
| What is not measured | Lifespan | Lifespan |
| What the parallel trials actually show | Raise NAD+, small performance/metabolic signals | Raise NAD+, small performance/metabolic signals |
If a brand tells you one always beats the other, they are ahead of the data they are citing.
Why 500 mg and why one capsule
A capsule takes real estate. 500 mg fits cleanly in an HPMC capsule with no excipient load worth printing around. Two capsules for the same job would be habit cost without benefit.
One important detail: there is no established Daily Value for NMN. The Supplement Facts will therefore show ** when daily value is not established. That is not hiding anything — it is stating that no official % exists to calculate against.
Purity: 99.9% means what, exactly?
It means the batch's NMN content, as measured, is 99.9% of the weighed active by method of assay. It does not by itself prove bioavailability, synthesis route, or that the capsule will do a named job in your body. It is a specification, and we print it because the number is the product.
Who this is for, bluntly
- Someone who already eats small, moves daily, and wants one more lever that is measurable — not mystical.
- Someone who understands this is one piece of a stack, not a stack.
- Someone who will keep their diet and movement in place, rather than swapping them out.
Who should skip or ask first
Talk to your clinician if you are pregnant, nursing, under 18, or managing a condition or prescription. Do not exceed the serving. Keep out of reach of children. As with any daily capsule, tell your clinician what you take so interactions can be checked.
If you want this exact habit: Spark — 500 mg NMN in one capsule. One capsule a day, with a glass of water. The label is printed the same way.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
FAQ
NMN or NR? Either can raise NAD+. We chose NMN because the single-active spec at 500 mg is clean and testable. If you are already steady on NR, there is no reason to switch for philosophy.
Why not higher than 500 mg? Because the published window is 250–500 mg and more has not clearly meant better in humans.
When to take it? Same time most days — morning or with lunch. Pick the slot you will actually keep.
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