NAD+: nootropics and compounds | sci-wiki

Pterostilbene

Pterostilbene is a naturally occurring stilbenoid closely related to resveratrol, from which it differs by carrying two methoxy groups in place of hydroxyl groups. It is found chiefly in blueberries, grapes, and the heartwood of certain trees, where it serves as a defensive phytoalexin. The methoxy substitution makes it substantially more lipophilic, metabolically stable, and blood-brain-barrier permeable than resveratrol; in Alzheimer's-model mice it improved cognition and reduced neuroinflammation at dietary doses that were ineffective for resveratrol, apparently acting through PPAR-alpha rather than the sirtuins. It has been studied in humans in combination with nicotinamide riboside to raise NAD+ levels, and is sold as a dietary supplement rather than an approved medicine.

2 outlets

Senolytic

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a stilbenoid polyphenol produced by several plants as a defensive compound, or phytoalexin, in response to injury or infection. It occurs in the skins of grapes, in red wine, in peanuts, and in berries, and is extracted commercially from Japanese knotweed for use in supplements. It became widely known through research linking it to sirtuin enzymes and the so-called French paradox; in animal studies, activation of the SIRT1 and AMPK pathways induced mitochondrial biogenesis, increased running endurance, and protected against diet-induced metabolic disease. Its relevance in people remains uncertain, as oral bioavailability is very low and at least one trial found that it blunted the cardiovascular benefits of exercise training in older men.

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Blend

5-Amino/MIC

5-Amino/MIC is a combination formulation that pairs the NNMT inhibitor 5-Amino-1MQ with the classic lipotropic trio MIC, namely methionine, inositol, and choline. It is designed to attack body fat from two directions at once; 5-Amino-1MQ reprograms fat-cell metabolism by raising NAD, while the MIC lipotropics support the liver's handling and export of fat. Popular in physique and weight-management circles, it bundles a modern metabolic target with time-tested fat-metabolism cofactors in a single stack.

1 outlet

Blend

Lipo-MIC + NAD+

Lipo-MIC + NAD+ is a lipotropic injectable that pairs the fat-metabolizing MIC nutrients (methionine, inositol, and choline) with NAD+, the coenzyme at the center of cellular energy production. The MIC compounds help the liver package and export fat rather than store it, while NAD+ fuels mitochondrial energy metabolism and activates sirtuins involved in fat handling. Combining lipid support with a foundational energy coenzyme, it is a modern take on the classic lipotropic injection for those pursuing fat loss and vitality.

1 outlet

Mitochondrial

NMN

Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is a nucleotide derived from vitamin B3 and a direct biosynthetic precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a coenzyme essential to energy metabolism and cellular repair. Because NAD+ levels fall with age, NMN has been widely promoted as a longevity supplement intended to restore them. Animal studies report broad metabolic and anti-aging effects, while human trials are still early and have mainly examined safety and specific measures such as insulin sensitivity.

2 outlets

Supplement

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Vitamin B3 is an essential water-soluble nutrient that exists in two main forms, nicotinic acid (niacin) and nicotinamide (niacinamide), both of which the body converts into the coenzymes NAD+ and NADP+ that drive hundreds of redox reactions in energy metabolism. A prolonged dietary lack causes pellagra, the deficiency disease classically remembered by the "three Ds" of dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia. In pharmacologic doses nicotinic acid favorably shifts blood lipids (raising HDL while lowering LDL, triglycerides, and lipoprotein(a)) and produces the characteristic warm "niacin flush," whereas nicotinamide has neither the flush nor the lipid effects and is used mainly in dermatology. It is distinct from the dedicated NAD-boosting precursors nicotinamide riboside (NR) and NMN, which are covered in their own entries.

2 outlets

Mitochondrial

5-Amino-1MQ

5-Amino-1MQ (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) is a selective, orally active small-molecule inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), the metabolic enzyme increasingly targeted for fat loss and metabolic health. By blocking NNMT it raises cellular NAD and shifts fat cells toward burning rather than storing energy, which in preclinical work translated into reduced body weight, smaller fat cells, and lower cholesterol without suppressing appetite. It has become one of the most talked-about research compounds in the metabolic and longevity space.

6 outlets

Mitochondrial

NAD+

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a foundational coenzyme found in every living cell and a centerpiece of modern longevity science. It powers the redox reactions that generate cellular energy and serves as the essential fuel for the sirtuins and PARPs that govern DNA repair, metabolism, and healthy aging [1][2]. Because NAD+ pools decline with age, restoring them through precursor supplementation has become one of the most actively researched strategies for metabolic and neurological health [1].

7 outlets

Mitochondrial

Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AKG)

Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), the conjugate base of alpha-ketoglutaric acid, is a five-carbon dicarboxylic acid that serves as a central intermediate of the citric acid (Krebs) cycle and a hub of amino acid and nitrogen metabolism. Beyond its metabolic role, it acts as a required cofactor for a large family of enzymes that regulate collagen formation and the epigenetic marking of DNA and histones. It is also sold as a dietary supplement, typically as calcium, arginine, or ornithine salts, and has drawn research interest for possible effects on aging and healthspan [1][4].

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Supplement

FAD

Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) is a redox-active coenzyme derived from riboflavin (vitamin B2) that many enzymes rely on to carry out oxidation and reduction reactions. It serves as the tightly bound helper molecule for a large family of proteins called flavoproteins, which are central to energy metabolism. FAD works by cycling between oxidized and reduced chemical forms as it shuttles electrons.

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Supplement

FMN

Flavin mononucleotide (FMN), also called riboflavin-5'-phosphate, is a coenzyme made from riboflavin (vitamin B2) that helps enzymes carry out electron-transfer reactions. It acts as the working partner, or prosthetic group, for a range of oxidoreductase enzymes, and it is the form in which riboflavin is first activated inside the body. FMN is also used as an orange-red food coloring.

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Nootropic

NADH

NADH is the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a coenzyme found in all living cells that carries electrons in the reactions of energy metabolism. By shuttling reducing equivalents into the mitochondrial electron transport chain, it is central to the production of ATP, the cell's energy currency. NADH is also sold as a dietary supplement, most often promoted for energy and fatigue, although clinical evidence for oral supplementation is limited and mixed.

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Mitochondrial

NR

Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is a form of vitamin B3 and a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), the coenzyme central to cellular energy metabolism. Like the related molecule NMN, it is marketed as a longevity and energy supplement on the premise that boosting NAD+ counteracts age-related decline. Human trials show that oral NR is well absorbed and reliably raises NAD+ levels, although evidence that this produces meaningful clinical benefits is still developing.

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Mitochondrial

Oxaloacetate

Oxaloacetate is a four-carbon organic acid that occupies a central place in cellular metabolism. Best known as a key intermediate of the citric acid cycle, also called the Krebs cycle, it combines with acetyl-CoA to form citrate at the start of the cycle and also feeds gluconeogenesis, the making of new glucose, and the synthesis of several amino acids. Beyond its metabolic role, a stabilized supplement form has been studied for effects such as lowering blood glutamate levels reaching the brain and mimicking aspects of calorie restriction, though these uses remain investigational.

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Nootropic

P7C3

P7C3 is an investigational neuroprotective compound of the aminopropyl carbazole class, studied only in laboratory and animal research. It is proposed to work by boosting cellular NAD+ through activation of the enzyme NAMPT, which helps preserve the survival of newly formed and stressed neurons. In animal models it has shown protective effects in conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegeneration, but it is not an approved medicine.

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Supplement

Trigonelline

Trigonelline is a plant alkaloid, the N-methylated betaine of niacin (vitamin B3), that exists as a zwitterion. It is found in many foods, notably fenugreek seeds, from which it takes its name, and coffee beans, where roasting breaks it down into niacin and aroma compounds. Trigonelline has drawn research interest for effects on blood sugar and, more recently, as a natural precursor that can raise cellular NAD levels [1][2].

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