On this page we answer the most common questions about NR and share our top tips for taking NR, PLUS the common things to avoid.
Your most common questions about NR answered
How to take NR
NR (Nicotinamide Riboside) is a longevity and anti-aging supplement that is taken orally. When in capsule form, NR can be taken with or without food.
How to take NR powder
The preferred method of taking NR Powder is sublingually. Taking NR sublingually is as simple as placing your preferred dose under the tongue and letting it dissolve for 20 or more seconds. If you have purchased NR in capsules and would like to take it sublingually, simply break open the capsule and pour the contents under the tongue.
How much NR to take daily
Most people take either 300mg or 600mg per day. This is because 300mg has been used in the safety studies that have been done to establish NR as a recognised supplement by the European Food Commision.
When to take NR?
NR is best taken in the morning. This is so that any cognitive and physiological effects are benefited from during the day. Taking NR in the evening or at night is not advised as these same effects may disrupt sleep.
How long does NR take to work?
The most common question we get is “how long does it take for NR to work”. Like any supplement, NR takes time to enter your system and get to work. The time it takes will depend on your preferred method of taking it. Once in your system, recent studies have shown that NR is absorbed very quickly from the gut. It was found to be in the blood circulation within 2–3 minutes and then into body tissues within 15 minutes.
How much NR to take?
Most people take either 300mg or 600mg per day. This is because 300mg has been used in the safety studies that have been done to establish NR as a recognised supplement by the European Food Commision.
Do I have to take TMG with NMN?
Taking TMG with NR is not essential but is advisable. TMG can support the body's methylation process which can be burdened when taking NR. We recommend a ratio of 1 gram of TMG to 1 gram of NR. In addition to supporting NR absorption, TMG lowers homocysteine levels. This is important for longevity enthusiasts because homocysteine is recognised as a risk factor for disease and seen as a predictor of potential health problems such as cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s.
How to store NR
Keeping your NR fresh is as simple as storing it in a cool dark place. Storing it in a refrigerator is not essential for amounts that you will use in a month or so. If you have purchased a large amount then keeping it in a refrigerator is sensible. This is because NR degrades over time, especially if left in warm light spaces.
Our Top Tips for taking NR
Tip 1:
It seems almost silly to say... but don't forget to take your supplement! The best way to ensure you remember to take your NR is to add it to a routine/ritual that you already do. For example, if you have a cup of coffee as soon as you get up in the morning, then put your NR on top of your coffee so you can’t miss it.... if you DO miss a day don't think your hard work is all undone. If it's just a day or two you can catch up by increasing your dosage slightly the following few days. Although, clearly don't miss a week and then take 8 days of doses in one day! Many of our customers take 2 or 3 grams per day so you’re not going to over do it by having a gram and a half for 3 days.
Tip 2: Take your NR sublingually. At Longevity Box, we subscribe to the principle of taking NR sublingually. This simply means that instead of immediately swallowing it or mixing it with food/drink, you put it under your tongue and let it dissolve for 20 or so seconds. There have not yet been scientific studies on whether sublingual or oral administration of NR is better but the process of sublingual administration has been shown to increase the absorption of medications because it bypasses the gastric tract.
Tip 3:
We get asked this all the time and can confirm that, if you have purchased one month's supply of NR, then storing it in a cool and dark place is fine. If you have purchased more we recommend you store it in the fridge. NR is sensitive to light and heat but will degrade weeks and months, not hours and days. So it’ll be fine if you pack it in your suitcase to go on holiday or leave it out in the kitchen for a day or so.
Top things to avoid when taking NR
Things to avoid 1: Don’t take NR before bed. Some people experience significant energy and cognition boats when taking NR. This may have an impact on your ability to fall asleep. Besides, it would be a shame to not leverage all that extra energy during the day :) We recommend that NR is taken in the morning. You can take it before or after meals are both fine.
Things to avoid 2:
Many supplement brands add unnecessary fillers, binders, preservatives and additives to their supplements. They are added to bulk up products that are in most cases not needed and add no value to your health. If you are following the above tip about storage then they are not required in longevity supplements and therefore should be avoided.
Things to avoid 3:
Quality and purity is everything. Unfortunately not all companies agree with us. Whilst Amazon is the world's marketplace and you can find every supplement under the sun on it (including ours), don't take it as given that every supplement on Amazon is pure and tested for quality. Sadly, you will find the cheapest, best selling supplements on Amazon are very often unscrupulous Chinese sellers with very questionable quality. Put simply, they are the best sellers because they are the cheapest. To build (unfounded) credibility they pay 3rd parties for dozens of fake reviews, which gives audiences the perception that hundreds of other consumers are enjoying and benefiting from their product. Sure, there will be authentic reviews also, but for the low/no quality brands that we are talking about here, these are due to the placebo effect.
Of course, this is not always the case and many mainstream vitamins and supplements are purchased on Amazon hundreds of thousands of times a month and therefore some of the best sellers have the economies of scale to be able to offer great value and great quality. But it’s safe to say that for the less well known categories, like longevity supplements, this is not the case and therefore the cheapest products are not what they say.
At Longevity Box, every product we develop is more than 99% pure (as pure as it gets) and we test every batch. You can find our latest certificate for each product on Amazon and our website.
Follow these tips and avoid these things to ensure you are getting the most from your investment in your long term health. If you have any questions, please check out the product pages on our website for more FAQ’s on NR or drop us a line at CustomerService@LongevityBox.co.uk