NAD+ Research Guide

Compound Guide

NAD+ — Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide

1000mg Pre-filled Pen · reusable pen included · ready to use — no reconstitution · SubQ · Injectable form not FDA-approved

Quick Start

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NAD+ is Not a Peptide

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme, not a peptide. It is grouped with research peptides in many injectable research contexts due to its availability as a lyophilised injectable powder. It is the same molecule regardless of formulation; "buffered NAD+" simply contains a pH stabiliser that reduces injection-site stinging.

What It Is

NAD+ is an essential coenzyme found in every cell. It is the primary electron carrier in cellular respiration (ATP production), a substrate for PARP DNA repair enzymes, and a regulator of sirtuin (SIRT1-7) longevity pathways. Cellular NAD+ levels decline with age, which is one rationale for NAD+ supplementation research.

Routes of Administration

Research studies use multiple routes: SubQ injection (50–100 mg 2–3× per week), IV infusion (250–1,000 mg per session, clinic-administered), IM injection, intranasal, oral precursors (NMN or NR — the strongest published human RCT base), and pre-mixed injection pens. Oral NR and NMN are the most evidence-supported delivery routes for systemic NAD+ elevation.

Regulatory Status

Injectable NAD+: not FDA-approved. Oral NR (Nicotinamide Riboside): classified as GRAS/NDI supplement in the US. Oral NMN: the FDA excluded NMN from the dietary supplement definition in 2022–2023. No WADA ban on NAD+ itself. For injectable research purposes only.

Dosing by Route

Route	Dose	Frequency	Notes
SubQ (injectable)	50–100 mg	2–3× per week	Most accessible injectable route; some injection-site stinging common
IV Infusion	250–1,000 mg	Weekly or biweekly	Clinic-administered; fastest delivery; common nausea side effect at high doses
Oral NR	300–1,000 mg	Once or twice daily	Strongest human RCT base; GRAS supplement; converts to NAD+ in cells
Oral NMN	250–600 mg	Once daily	600 mg shows largest NAD+ rise (Yi 2022 dose-response RCT); excluded from supplements 2022–23

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Buffered vs Unbuffered NAD+

Buffered NAD+ contains a pH stabiliser (e.g. sodium bicarbonate) that reduces the injection-site stinging experienced with unbuffered NAD+. The molecule and biological effects are identical. If stinging is significant with unbuffered, buffered formulations are worth exploring.

Using Your Pre-filled Pen

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Ready to Use — No Reconstitution

The LA LAB NAD+ 1000mg Pre-filled Pen ships pre-filled and pre-mixed in a reusable dial-a-dose pen — no powder to mix, no BAC water, no drawing up. Attach a pen needle, dial your researched dose and inject SubQ. Each pen holds 1000 mg NAD+; at a typical 50–100 mg SubQ research dose that is roughly 10–20 doses per pen. Kit includes the reusable pen (pre-filled), 10 alcohol wipes and 5 pen needles.

Step-by-Step

Bring to room temperature

Take the pen from the fridge a few minutes before use and wipe the pen tip with an alcohol swab (10 included).

Attach a pen needle

Screw on a fresh pen needle (5 included). Remove the outer and inner caps and keep the outer cap for safe removal later.

Prime (first use)

On first use, dial a 1–2 unit test dose and press until a droplet appears at the needle tip — this clears any air from the pen.

Dial your dose

Turn the dial to your researched dose per the Dosing-by-Route table above. NAD+ can sting on injection — a buffered pen feels smoother.

Inject slowly, SubQ

Swab the site, pinch a fold of skin, insert at 90°, press the plunger fully and hold ~10 seconds before withdrawing. Inject SLOWLY — a fast NAD+ push increases stinging and flushing.

Remove needle & refrigerate

Unscrew and safely discard the needle after each use (never store the pen with a needle on). Re-cap the pen and store at 2–8°C, protected from light.

Mechanism of Action

ATP Production

NAD+ and NADH cycle as electron carriers in the mitochondrial electron transport chain. NAD+ accepts electrons from glycolysis and the TCA cycle, then donates them to Complex I, driving ATP synthesis via oxidative phosphorylation.

DNA Repair (PARP)

PARP-1 (poly-ADP ribose polymerase) uses NAD+ as a substrate to add poly-ADP ribose chains to DNA repair proteins at strand-break sites. Low NAD+ impairs this DNA damage response.

Sirtuins (SIRT1-7)

NAD+-dependent deacylases that regulate gene expression, metabolism, and stress response. SIRT1 deacetylates PGC-1α (mitochondrial biogenesis), FOXO transcription factors, and NF-κB. Sirtuin activity requires NAD+.

CD38 Consumption

CD38, an enzyme expressed on immune cells, is the primary consumer of NAD+ in aged tissue. CD38 levels increase with age and chronic inflammation, contributing to the age-associated decline in tissue NAD+.

Key Human Studies (Oral Precursors)

Study	Compound	Design	Key Finding
Martens 2018	NR (Niagen)	RCT; 12 adults; 6 weeks	Whole blood NAD+ elevated 60% vs baseline; well tolerated
Conze 2019	NR	RCT; dose-response	Dose-dependent NAD+ elevation; up to 2.7× at 1,000 mg/day
Dollerup 2018	NR	RCT; 40 obese adults; 12 weeks	NAD+ elevated; no significant metabolic effect at this dose
Yi 2022	NMN	RCT; dose-response (100/300/600 mg)	600 mg/day produced largest NAD+ rise; dose-response relationship confirmed
Brakedal 2022	NR	RCT; Parkinson's disease; 12 weeks	Significantly elevated brain NAD+ on MRS; tolerated in neurodegenerative disease context

Storage

State	Temperature	Duration	Notes
Pre-filled pen (sealed)	2–8°C (refrigerator)	Per batch expiry on the pen	Store upright, protected from light; do not freeze the pre-filled pen
Pre-filled pen (in use)	2–8°C (refrigerator)	Until finished, within batch expiry	Store with NO needle attached; re-cap between doses; keep out of light
Short-term (travel)	<25°C	Up to 48 hours	NAD+ is more heat-sensitive than typical peptides; minimise time at room temperature

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Disclaimer

This document is an educational research reference only. Injectable NAD+ is not FDA-approved. Oral NR and NMN have published human RCT evidence for NAD+ elevation but not for specific therapeutic outcomes. By purchasing from LA LAB you confirm you are 18+ and that products are for research purposes only.

Side Effects & What People Report

NAD+ by injection or infusion is widely used in clinics and almost entirely unstudied in proper trials. Most published human work is on the oral precursors (nicotinamide riboside, NMN) rather than on injected NAD+ itself.

Reported	Detail
Flushing, warmth, chest tightness during infusion	Very common, and dose-rate related. The reason IV NAD+ is given slowly — pushing it fast is genuinely unpleasant.
Nausea	Common, again rate-related.
Injection-site reactions	For subcutaneous use.
Headache	Reported.
Cramping or anxiety during infusion	Reported; typically settles when the rate is reduced.

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Go slowly — the side effects are about speed, not dose

Nearly every unpleasant report about NAD+ comes from administering it too quickly. If you feel flushing, tightness or nausea, that is the signal to slow down or stop, not to push through.

Who Should Avoid NAD+

Situation	Why
Active cancer, or a recent history	Caution and a specialist conversation. NAD+ is central to cell energy metabolism, and its role in tumour growth is genuinely debated in the literature in both directions.
Pregnancy or breastfeeding	Avoid. No data.
Under 18	Avoid. No data.
Expecting it to reverse ageing	The human evidence for NAD+ precursors raising NAD+ levels is reasonable. The evidence that this produces the claimed anti-ageing outcomes is not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Injection, infusion or oral?
Most published human research is on oral precursors — nicotinamide riboside and NMN — which do raise blood NAD+ levels in trials. Injected NAD+ is common in clinics and has very little trial evidence behind it.

Why does the drip feel awful?
Rate. Given too fast it causes flushing, chest tightness and nausea. Slower is the entire answer.

Does it help with energy?
Users commonly report it. Trials of precursors have shown NAD+ levels rise but have generally struggled to show consistent benefit on outcomes people actually care about.

Is NMN the same thing?
NMN is a precursor the body converts to NAD+. Different molecule, taken orally, with more human trial data than injected NAD+.

How often?
Protocols vary widely. There is no established schedule from human trials.

Can I combine it with MOTS-c or SS-31?
People do, under the mitochondrial banner. No combination has been studied.

Sources & Research

Martens CR et al. Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD+ in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Nat Commun 2018;9:1286.

Trammell SA et al. Nicotinamide riboside is uniquely and orally bioavailable in mice and humans. Nat Commun 2016;7:12948.

Rajman L, Chwalek K, Sinclair DA. Therapeutic Potential of NAD-Boosting Molecules: The In Vivo Evidence. Cell Metab 2018;27:529–547.

Note — the trials above are on oral precursors. Injected NAD+ has not been through comparable trials.

Regulatory status — not approved as a medicine. Precursors are sold as supplements in many countries.

Educational reference only

This document is a research reference, not medical advice and not a treatment plan. Most human evidence concerns oral NAD+ precursors, not injected NAD+, which has not been through comparable trials. Dose decisions belong to you and your prescriber. Independent certificates of analysis for every LA LAB batch are published under Research → Lab Results, with the Janoshik task number and verification key so you can check them yourself.