NAD+

Not FDA-approved Evidence grade C — small or uncontrolled human studies / case series Updated 2026-10-20

This page describes published research and public regulatory records. It is not medical advice. SoluneFit does not sell, supply, or recommend any compound. The SoluneFit app includes a private, on-device tracker for people who want a record of what they and their clinician have already decided — the app neither suggests compounds nor doses.

Also known as: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NAD, beta-NAD, coenzyme I, diphosphopyridine nucleotide, DPN.

Regulatory status

Not FDA-approved for any use. NAD (and NADH) are in 503A category 1, 'under evaluation', on FDA's 14 May 2026 list; FDA says it does not intend to act against 503A pharmacies compounding with category 1 substances if the guidance conditions are met, pending a bulks-list decision (not an approval or a safety finding). It was not among the seven July 2026 PCAC peptides. A separately nominated salt (beta-NAD disodium trihydrate) sits in category 3 [1][2][7].

What it is

Coenzyme, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (a nucleotide, not a peptide).

NAD+ is a coenzyme present in every cell, central to energy metabolism and to enzymes such as sirtuins and PARPs; levels fall with age. It is sold for IV drips and injections in wellness clinics and compounded by pharmacies, but no regulator has approved it as a drug and there are no outcome trials of injected NAD+.

What the published research shows

For NAD+ itself by injection: one 11-man IV pharmacokinetic pilot and animal work only. A 2026 systematic review found 33 human studies of NAD-related compounds (mostly oral precursors NR and NMN) and no outcome trial of IV or IM NAD+.

Published human studies and reports (these describe trial populations, not SoluneFit claims):

IV infusion pharmacokinetics (Grant et al., Front Aging Neurosci 2019): 8 healthy men received 750 mg NAD+ in saline over 6 h (about 2 mg or 3 µmol per minute), 3 received saline. Plasma NAD+ did not rise for the first 2 h (rapidly cleared); urinary NAD+ and methylnicotinamide rose by 6 h. No adverse events were seen.
Systematic review of NAD-boosting in humans and rodents (Gallagher & Emmanuel, Ageing Res Rev 2026): 113 studies (33 human, 80 rodent), 2010–2025: oral NR and NMN raise NAD markers with mixed or null functional results; no eligible trial of IV or IM NAD+ for anti-ageing or wellness outcomes.
Intranasal NAD+ in mice (Yoo et al., Exp Mol Med 2026): In mice with chemically induced loss of smell, intranasal NAD+ improved smell tests and repair of the olfactory lining; no human intranasal study was found.
Intramuscular NAD+ toxicology (Gu et al., Biomed Pharmacother 2026): GLP animal studies: repeated-dose no-adverse-effect level 100 mg/kg/day IM for 4 weeks in rats; in dogs, 10–30 mg/kg IM raised heart rate and lowered blood pressure (3 mg/kg without effect).

Mechanism, as reported

Carries electrons in energy-producing reactions and is consumed by signalling enzymes (sirtuins, PARPs, CD38). In the one human IV study, infused NAD+ vanished from plasma at first and its breakdown products pointed to rapid enzymatic cleavage outside cells; whether intact NAD+ reaches tissues is not established.

Practical record

Studied routes: intravenous, intramuscular, intranasal.
Typical supply: Compounded vials for IV infusion or IM/SC injection from 503A pharmacies and clinics, and nasal sprays (no approved product). No published study of subcutaneous NAD+ was found.

Safety signals on record

Reported adverse events: No adverse events in the one IV pilot at 3 µmol/min (bilirubin rose slightly). Systematic human safety data for injected NAD+ are lacking. In dogs, higher IM doses raised heart rate and lowered blood pressure.
Contraindications: None established (no label).
Interactions: None documented.
Notes: Compounded and clinic products are not FDA-approved and not FDA-reviewed for quality. Oral precursors (nicotinamide riboside, NMN) are a different product class with more human data.

Sources

General wellness education, not medical advice. Unapproved compounds have no established dosing, purity standard, or safety profile.

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