Taking NMN
How Much NMN Do I Need To Take For It To Be Effective?
Most rodent studies showing NMN’s effectiveness in preventing age-related ailments use dosages of about 300 mg/kg. So, for a 75 kg (about 165 pounds) person, this would equate to 22,500 mg (22.5 g). Given the cost of NMN, this would likely cost over $100 per dose and, if taken once daily, over $35000 per year.
But larger organisms like humans don’t need such high doses to be effective. There is a scientific concept called “volume of distribution” that says rodents like mice need higher substance doses by a factor of 12.3 compared to humans. So, a 300 mg/kg dose in mice would equal a 24.39 mg/kg dose in humans with a 75 kg person needing about 1.829 grams for the same effect. Keep in mind that the 300 mg/kg dose in mice is considered a “huge” dose and that it probably provides more than enough NMN for effectiveness. The question then becomes, “How much NMN does a person need to take for it to have a significant effect?”
A study in mice showed that 100 mg/kg per day mitigated most age-related physiological decline. Based on that dosage, for an average adult weighing 62 kg (about 137 pounds), an optimal dosage would be about 500 mg per day. This calculation is based on dividing the human dosage by a factor of 12.3 to match the rodent “volume of distribution.” In the same manner, larger adults weighing 90 kg should take about 750 mg per day.
What NMN Doses Have Been Used in Human Studies?
A research team from Japan ran a human clinical study testing the safety of oral doses of NMN up to 500 mg and found no alterations in physiological measurements like heart rate or blood pressure. Results from this study support that one NMN dose of up to 500 mg is safe and well-tolerated.
A study from scientists at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis showed that oral 250 mg doses per day of NMN for 10 weeks improves older women’s muscle insulin sensitivity and structure. These findings show that more affordable NMN doses of 250 mg per day can be safe and effective in improving muscle insulin sensitivity.
Another study from the University of Tokyo has shown that 250 mg per day oral doses of NMN for 12 weeks improves muscle function in men over age 65. NMN supplementation improved walking speed, the ability to rise from a chair, and grip strength in the aged men.
In addition, ongoing clinical trials are measuring NMN’s safety with long-term administration for up to 24 weeks with doses ranging from 200 to 300 mg/day. NMN’s efficacy in improving cardiometabolic function, glucose metabolism, and other health parameters are also being tested in middle-aged and elderly people with age-related diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and malnutrition.
How Much Should I Take?
Taking the human and animal studies of efficacy and safety into consideration and calculating optimal NMN doses, the recommended dose that adults between 30 and 60 years old take is 500 mg per day. People over age 65 can safely take 750 mg per day to maximize NMN’s benefits.
How Much NMN Would a Scientist Take?
Harvard professor David Sinclair who studies aging has talked about taking NMN to stay healthy and prevent aging. Dr. Sinclair has said that he takes 1 gram of NMN daily, along with resveratrol, metformin, and aspirin with no adverse effects.