NAD+

The short answer

NAD+ is a coenzyme in every cell that helps turn food into energy. Most human trials have tested its building blocks, not NAD+ itself. In one, 1,000 mg a day of nicotinamide riboside raised NAD+ in blood cells by about 60% over six weeks. Trials of NAD+ taken by mouth are only beginning.

The form, and why it matters

There are three related things on the shelf: NAD+ itself, and the two building blocks NMN and nicotinamide riboside, which the body converts into NAD+. Ember is NAD+ itself, 500 mg in a two-capsule serving. Spark is NMN.

Typical dose

There is no established dose for NAD+ taken by mouth. The best-known precursor trial used 1,000 mg a day of nicotinamide riboside. Ember carries 500 mg of NAD+.

What the research shows

A double-blind crossover trial gave 24 healthy middle-aged and older adults 1,000 mg a day of nicotinamide riboside for six weeks. NAD+ in their blood cells rose by about 60% compared with placebo, and it was well tolerated. That is evidence about a building block, and it is the nearest good evidence there is for NAD+ supplements.

Who should be careful

Talk to your clinician first if you are pregnant, nursing, under 18, managing a condition or taking prescription medicine. Ember and Spark feed the same pathway, so pick one rather than both.

Where it sits in our formulas

Sources

• Martens et al., Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD+ in healthy middle-aged and older adults, Nat Commun

Figures checked against the sources above on 21 September 2026.