NMN “Ban” Update
by Nils Osmar. Nov. 13, 2022. Medical Disclaimer
Questions and answers
- Has NMN actually been banned? Not exactly. The USFDA has stated that it may not be legal to sell it as a supplement, but has not yet issued a ban order.
- Does the ban (such as it is) apply to all NMN; or just to beta NMN? Unclear. It may just apply to a particular form of NMN, or even a particular form of beta NMN, .
- Is the ban worldwide? At this point, no. A ban order would only apply to the United States. The USFDA has no authority elsewhere. There have been rumors of other countries issuing bans but at this point they are only rumors.
- If the FDA issues a ban order, will companies be allowed to sell off their existing stock? Probably. They have been allowed to in similar cases in the past.
- Was David Sinclair’s company behind the ban? (Was it all a plot on their part to get NMN banned?) Unlikely. They were trying to get their own product containing NMN approved as a supplement.
- Has the FDA ordered companies in the United States to stop selling NMN? They may do so, but they have not done so yet.
- If I’m in the United States, can I still buy it (at the time of this writing)? Some companies have stopped selling it to customers in the United States. But at the time of this writing, there are still places to buy it.
Where can I still buy NMN (at this time)?
- At the time of this writing, you can still buy it from DoNotAge; ProHealth; RenuebyScience; and many other major sellers. I’m currently buying mine from DoNotAge.
- It’s also available from dozens of companies on Amazon, thought it’s important (IMO) to note that not all NMN sold through Amazon is actual NMN. (Independent tests have shown that much of it is fake or adulterated.) (See this article.)
Why is there a (possible) ban? Is it because NMN may be harmful?
- No. According to the FDA statement, it’s because NMN is being investigated as a possible pharmaceutical drug. Drugs can’t be sold as supplements.
If it really is banned, are there alternative ways of raising NAD+ levels?
Yes. Other precursor supplements include:
- NR (nicotinamide riboside) (NR is available from several companies, including Charles Brenner’s company (ChromaDex) and DoNotAge. (Note: If the ban on NMN holds, the same logic could be used to ban NR.)
- NA (nicotinic acid) (niacin). However, people taking niacin should be aware that (1) It’s less effective (per gram) at raising NAD+ than NMN or NR, and that (2) It has some side effects, including that it raises blood glucose and causes a red/prickly niacin flush. In large doses, NA has been actually been found to (sometimes) trigger the onset of diabetes in non-diabetics.
- NAM (niacinamide/nicotinamide). It does raise NAD levels, but like niacin, raises blood glucose, and, according to some studies, shuts off the sirtuin genes.
- We can also raise NAD+ levels by taking apigenin, eating large amounts of parsley, or drinking chamomile tea. However, these are not precursors; they don’t increase NAD+, as much as they prevent an enzyme in the body from destroying the NAD+ that’s already been formed.
What I’m doing (and will be doing):
- If is actually ends up banned, and companies are allowed to sell off their stock, this may be our last chance to stock up. So I’ll be doing so. I recently bought a year’s supply of NMN and will be keeping it in the refrigerator to make it last. I may buy more.
- If NMN becomes totally unavailable, I’ll either switch to taking NR or niacin. (I won’t take niacinamide because of the sirtuin-suppression problem)
- If I should end up taking NR: For a number of reason, I won’t be taking the version of NR sold by Brenner’s company. I would most likely buy NR from DoNotAge, which also sells it.
- I would imagine that more companies will start selling independent brands of NR to fill in the gap.
- If I take niacin: I’ll be taking it along with berberine, to circumvent its tendency to raise blood sugar, and will start monitoring my blood sugar more closely.
Not medical advice
This article is not intended as, and should not be taken as, medical advice. I’m not advising that people eat any particular diet or take any particular supplements, just reporting on what I’m doing. All supplements can have side effects; I would encourage people to research both possible benefits and side effects before starting on any supplementation regimen. See full Medical Disclaimer
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