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FoundMyFitness · February 9, 2026 · 119m
NAD Metabolism: What Actually Boosts NAD in Humans
Dr. Charles Brenner cuts through the crowded world of NAD boosters, explaining why most supplements don't work as claimed. Only nicotinamide riboside (NR) has robust human evidence for raising NAD levels. IV NAD drips are largely ineffective.
This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.
Highlights
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NAD IV drips are largely ineffective — the molecule is degraded before reaching cells
Brenner: NAD+ administered intravenously is broken down in the bloodstream before reaching target cells. The $500-1000 drips popular in wellness clinics have no robust evidence of raising intracellular NAD.•
NR raises NAD through the salvage pathway — the only supplement with robust human evidence
Brenner: nicotinamide riboside (NR) is the only NAD precursor with multiple human clinical trials showing reliable intracellular NAD elevation. NMN has less human data and faces bioavailability challenges.Was this useful?