Updated November 2026. Molecule records, reviews and label facts checked on 5 November 2026, labels on each brand's own page unless "How we checked" says otherwise. Verve makes an NMN capsule, covered near the end.
NMN, NR and NAD+ are three different molecules sold under one heading, "NAD+ supplements". NMN is nicotinamide mononucleotide, labelled in the UK at 250mg or 500mg per capsule. NR is nicotinamide riboside, nearly always sold as the salt nicotinamide riboside chloride at 300mg per capsule. NAD+ is nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide itself, at 250mg or 500mg per capsule. There is no authorised health claim in Great Britain for any of the three, so this guide describes the molecules and the labels, not effects. That leaves the label: compound, form, milligrams, purity certificate and storage. This guide compares those.
The short answer
- Three molecules, one chain. In the cell, NR becomes NMN and NMN becomes NAD+. They are not three names for one thing.
- Different weights. NMN 334, NR chloride 291, NAD+ 663 g/mol. A milligram of one is not a milligram of another.
- Read the form. "Nicotinamide riboside chloride 300mg" is 300mg of the salt. About 263mg of that is NR (our calculation).
- Typical UK label doses. NMN 500mg to 1,000mg a day. NR 300mg per capsule, one or two a day. NAD+ 500mg to 1,000mg a day.
- No claim is authorised for any of them in Great Britain, so "which is better" can only be answered from the label, if at all.
- From Verve: Verve NMN 1000mg, 1000mg of NMN per two capsules, nothing else in the capsule, every batch independently lab-tested for purity, with the certificate for your batch on request, and made in the UK.
Three molecules on one pathway
NAD+ is a coenzyme found in all living cells (ChEBI definition). A 2020 review in Nutrients by Mehmel, Jovanović and Spitz describes the route NMN and NR belong to, the salvage pathway:
- Nicotinamide, one of the two forms of vitamin B3, is converted to NMN by the enzyme NAMPT.
- Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is converted directly to NMN by two kinases, NRK1 and NRK2.
- NMN is converted to NAD+ by enzymes called NMNATs.
So NR is one step from NMN, and NMN one step from NAD+. Nicotinic acid, the other form of niacin, takes a separate route, and cells can also build NAD+ from tryptophan (Nadeeshani and colleagues, 2022). That is chemistry inside a cell, not a statement about what happens when a person swallows a capsule.
NMN is a nicotinamide unit joined to ribose and a phosphate; the beta anomer is the form on labels. It occurs in vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cucumber at 0.25 to 1.88mg per 100g (Nadeeshani 2022). NR is the same without the phosphate, and occurs naturally in milk (Mehmel 2020). NAD+ is NMN joined to an adenosine unit.
What UK labels say
NMN
Labels write "nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN)", "β-NMN" or a trade name such as "Uthever NMN". None we read names a salt, so the mg figure is mg of NMN. Across the pages checked (Verve, Kiki Health, Charava, NMN Bio, Youth & Earth, Welzo and Longevity Box's powder), capsules are 250mg or 500mg and the daily serving is 500mg or 1,000mg. Eight UK products are compared by the label in best NMN supplement UK.
NR
NR is sold as nicotinamide riboside chloride, and the wording varies. Tru Niagen: "Niagen (nicotinamide riboside chloride) 300mg". Vitality Pro: "nicotinamide riboside as nicotinamide riboside chloride 300mg". Naturecan UK: "nicotinamide riboside 300mg", no salt named. In every case the figure is 300mg per capsule, one or two a day (Tru Niagen says one to three). Unless the label says otherwise, assume 300mg is the salt: about 263mg of NR and 37mg of chloride.
Naturecan's label also shows "794" in the %NRV column. NR has no NRV; the nearest is niacin's, 16mg. Our arithmetic: 300mg of NR chloride holds about 126mg of nicotinamide, and 126 divided by 16 is 788%, close to the label figure. The label does not show its working. See our guide to what NRV means.
NAD+
Charava's UK label reads "500mg nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide" per capsule, one a day; its liposomal version is 250mg per capsule, two a day. Primaforce, a US brand listed on iHerb UK, is 500mg per capsule, two a day. No NAD+ page we read stated a purity figure.
Comparing milligrams: molecular weights
Each molecule contains exactly one nicotinamide unit, but they weigh very different amounts. The NR row is the salt that appears on labels.
| Compound | Name on UK labels | Typical mg per serving on UK labels | Molecular weight (g/mol) | Place in the pathway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NMN | Nicotinamide mononucleotide, β-NMN | 500 to 1,000mg (250mg or 500mg per capsule) | 334.22 | Made from NR or nicotinamide; converted to NAD+ |
| NR | Nicotinamide riboside chloride | 300mg per capsule; 300 to 600mg a day | 290.70 as the chloride salt (255.25 as NR alone) | Converted to NMN |
| NAD+ | Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide | 500 to 1,000mg (250mg or 500mg per capsule) | 663.43 | End product of the pathway |
Our calculations from the formulas, not from any study: nicotinamide (C6H6N2O, 122.12 g/mol) is 36.5% of NMN by weight, 42.0% of NR chloride and 18.4% of NAD+. So 1,000mg of NMN holds about 365mg of nicotinamide in bound form, a 300mg NR chloride capsule about 126mg, a 500mg NAD+ capsule about 92mg. Counting molecules, 1,000mg of NMN is about 2.99 millimoles, 300mg of NR chloride 1.03, 500mg of NAD+ 0.75. These compare labels like for like and say nothing about what the body does with any of them.
Purity and certificates
Purity is the one quality figure a brand can put in front of you. On the pages we read, Kiki Health and Charava state 99.8% for NMN, Youth & Earth and Longevity Box 99%; NMN Bio and Welzo give no figure, Verve's is on the batch certificate, and no NR or NAD+ page gave one. Most say "third-party tested", and a few name the laboratory or its accreditation (Tru Niagen names Alkemist Labs; Vitality Pro cites an ISO 17025 laboratory); Kiki Health and Welzo make no testing statement. Naturecan links a certificate of analysis, Longevity Box shows an image of one, Verve and Charava supply it on request, and several pages do not mention one. A certificate should show the batch number, the assay (percentage of the named compound) and limits for heavy metals and microbes. A purity figure with no certificate behind it is one you take on trust.
Storage
NMN and NR are both sensitive to moisture and heat. A 2023 study found NMN most stable at low temperature and neutral or weakly acidic pH, with strong acids or alkalis speeding breakdown, and recommended low temperature and moisture protection (Xiang and colleagues, 2023). A 2023 review in Molecules calls NR "a reactive molecule, often unstable during its manufacturing, transport, and storage" (Biţă and colleagues). Brand advice runs from "cool, dry place, refrigeration not required" (Kiki Health, NMN Bio) to "keep refrigerated" (Youth & Earth NR). Follow the pack, keep the lid closed, keep it out of the bathroom.
Which is better?
There is no authorised health claim in Great Britain for NMN, NR or NAD+. So this guide does not rank them. What you can compare is the label: which compound, which form, how many milligrams per capsule and per day, whether purity is stated and certified, and how to store it. Whichever you pick: not suitable for children; keep out of reach of children; consult your doctor before use if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition. Do not exceed the daily dose on the pack.
Verve NMN 1000mg Capsules
Verve's capsule is NMN only. The label table reads "Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN), 1000mg per serving, NRV not established". A serving is two capsules, once a day with water, ideally before midday. The pack is 60 capsules, 30 servings. The shell is plant cellulose and there is nothing else inside. Vegan, and free from gluten, dairy and soy. Every batch is independently lab-tested for purity, and the certificate of analysis for your batch, with the purity figure on it, is available on request from hello@vavaverve.com. The product page carries the cautions above. Verve does not sell NR or NAD+. Full label on the NMN 1000mg Capsules page; for the molecule at the end of the pathway, read what NAD+ is.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the recommended daily intake.
NMN vs NR: your questions
Is NMN better than NR?
There is no authorised health claim for either in Great Britain, so this guide does not rank them. They are different molecules: in the cell, NR is converted to NMN and NMN to NAD+. On the label, NMN is 250mg or 500mg per capsule as the compound itself; NR is 300mg per capsule as nicotinamide riboside chloride, of which about 263mg is NR. Compare on those facts, purity certificates and storage.
Can you take NMN and NR together?
There is no authorised guidance on combining them. Follow each pack's directions, do not exceed either pack's daily dose, and ask a pharmacist before taking both, especially if you take any medication.
Why is NAD+ sold as NMN?
Because NMN is one of the molecules cells convert into NAD+, brands label it an "NAD+ precursor". NAD+ itself is also sold, at 250mg or 500mg per capsule. This guide does not cover what happens to either after you swallow it.
How many mg of NMN is in a capsule?
On UK labels, 250mg or 500mg. Daily servings are 500mg or 1,000mg. Verve's is 500mg per capsule, 1,000mg per two-capsule serving. Check the per-capsule figure, not the number on the front.
Is NMN the same as niacin?
No. Niacin is vitamin B3, which the NHS says comes as nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. Adults need about 16.5mg a day (men) or 13.2mg (women); the NRV on labels is 16mg. NMN is nicotinamide joined to ribose and phosphate, weighs nearly three times as much, has no NRV and is not a vitamin. The NHS line that 500mg or less a day of nicotinamide from supplements is unlikely to cause harm is about nicotinamide, not NMN.
How we checked
Molecule records: Sigma-Aldrich (β-NMN, C11H15N2O8P, 334.22), LGC Standards UK (NR chloride, 290.70), RCSB Protein Data Bank ligands NNR (255.25) and NAD (663.43), the NIST Chemistry WebBook (nicotinamide, 122.12) and ChEBI (NAD+ definition); PubChem could not be reached from our tools that day. Papers: Mehmel, Jovanović and Spitz, Nutrients 2020; Nadeeshani and colleagues, Journal of Advanced Research 2022; Biţă and colleagues, Molecules 2023; Xiang and colleagues, Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 2023 (English abstract). NHS vitamin B page. Niacin NRV: Annex XIII of retained Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, legislation.gov.uk. Labels: vavaverve.com, kiki-health.com, charava.co.uk, nmnbio.co.uk, youthandearth.com, welzo.com, longevitybox.co.uk, truniagen.com (US site), uk.naturecan.com; Vitality Pro NR and Youth & Earth NR read on UK retailers Healf and The Natural Dispensary because the brand pages would not load; Primaforce NAD+ on iHerb UK. All checked 5 November 2026. Prices are deliberately not compared. All mg and percentage calculations are ours. Verve makes the NMN capsule above.
