It’s amazing to stop and think of all the technological advances that have been made just in the last quarter century or so. The internet barely existed, certainly not in anything resembling the form we know it as today. The advances are even more astonishing in the medical field. It’s gotten to the point where we’re not even overly cynical when we hear that the Fountain of Youth may have been discovered.

In 2013, Harvard Medical School researcher Dr. David Sinclair uncovered the anti-aging possibilities of a chemical compound called Nitotinamide Riboside. It’s since been patented and is being developed and sold with the trademarked name of Niagen by a company called ChromoDex.

When we talk about Niagen, we’re talking about an ingredient that can be found in several different products made by several different supplement companies. The one gaining the most traction seems to be be Niagen by Live Cell Research, so that’s the one we’re focusing on in this review. But the information holds true for other Niagen supplements as well. Just check the dosage of whatever brand you’re using so you can make a fair comparison.

What Is Niagen?

Niagen is the proprietary name of a substance called Nicotinamide Riboside, which is a precursor to a substance called Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleoitide, or NAD+. NAD+ is present in your body naturally. Niagen, as a precursor, helps your body produce more.

NAD+ is involved in the transfer of electrons from one cell to another to produce energy. It also controls the communication between the nucleus of the cell out to the mitochondria. And it’s actually just that simple.

As we get older, the communication between and within our cells slows down due to, among other things, the diminishing amount of NAD+. This diminishing is related to age as well as oxidative damage caused by free radicals over time. Niagen helps build NAD+ levels back up, allowing a rejuvenation of sorts for your cells.

Niagen Benefits

By restoring youthful communication, Niagen claims to basically turn back the clock. You’ll feel more youthful and vitalized. You’ll get a better night’s rest. Your metabolism will speed up. Your thinking will become more clear, your memory more vivid. Niagen can lower cholesterol and may help prevent age related cognitive decline.

Basically, you will look and feel younger and healthier if the claims are to be believed.

Niagen Ingredients

There’s only one ingredient in Live Cell Research Niagen, and that’s 250 mg of Nicotanimide Riboside. Again, that’s what Niagen is. It’s a pure form of Nicotanimide Riboside, made by ChromaDex. Supplement companies license it from ChromaDex for use in their own supplements. At that point, those companies can combine it with what they want and package it how they please.

Live Cell Research leaves it alone and delivers 250 mg of Niagen to be taken once a day in the morning with a glass of water.

Clinical Research

One of the exciting things about Niagen is that it actually has been the subject of clinical studies, and the research continues. The study that started it all in 2013 was conducted at Harvard Medical School by Dr. David Sinclair. His study involved mice who took Niagen for only one week. When the week was up, body tissue from 2 year old mice resembled that of tissue from 6 month old mice.

In human terms, that’s like a 60 year old showing up with the body tissue of a 20 year old. Pretty astounding, right? But there are some caveats to consider. These mice were injected with a 400 mg daily dose of Niagen. A Live Cell Research Niagen pill contains only 250mg.

Think for a second about how big of a dose a 200 pound guy would need to take to reach the equivalent of what the mice took. The typical mouse weighs about an ounce. Our 200 pound human male would need to take a dose 3200 times bigger than what the mouse took to achieve the same ratio. That’s 1,280,000 mg, or 1.28 kg per day… over 5000 times more than what is offered in each Niagen pill.

Who Is Live Cell Research?

The company that makes the Niagen supplement is Live Cell Research. This is a relatively new outfit out of Southern California. They make Niagen along with a couple other products. Their stated philosophy is one of promoting overall health by way of cellular health. They believe in using whole foods and daily exercise to maintain health. But they understand that that lifestyle isn’t always possible for everyone, which leads to a need for supplements that work on that cellular level to maintain and restore health.

They pride themselves not only on well researched, safe, and effective supplements, but also on superior customer service. They offer a 90 day return policy on all their supplements, and their customer service is available for from 9am to 9pm daily.

Niagen Reviews

There’s a lot of customer feedback available online about Niagen, and truthfully, it’s a very mixed bag. If you look, you’ll find dozens of happy customer reviews on Amazon.com. Here’s a sample of a typical positive review:

“The first day of taking this supplement, I immediately felt a difference. I had extra energy and focus for the entire day, and I even slept better that night. I have been taking it (250 mg per day) for about 5 days now and it feels great! I do very few product ratings on here, and I buy a lot of merchandise from Amazon, but this product is definitely worth posting about.”

But not everyone is pleased with their results. In fact, a few customers have noted side effects:

“Accelerated pulse, muscular aches, skin aches, affects sleeping patterns, mostly extending sleep. The claims that everybody can take Niagen, that it would be beneficial to anybody, and that there are no known side effects are highly questionable, and possibly irresponsible. I experienced side effects that ultimately made me stop taking Niagen, even one pill a day.”

Then there are the complaints about the customer service received from Live Cell Research:

“I ordered the minimum and was charged at a $200+ rate twice and canceled immediately. However, I was told to select the “right” buttons next time, but I did select the one month button and they tried to take me.”

Certainly, there’s room for differing opinions on a product and on a company, but in the case of Niagen, the feedback is all over the map.

Niagen Pros and Cons

Advantages of Niagen

• It’s a single ingredient, so you know what you’re getting.
• It’s been clinically studied, and definitely shows promise.

Disadvantages of Niagen

• It’s way under-dosed compared to what’s been studied.
• Some of the clinical trials involving humans haven’t been as successful as the ones conducted on mice.
• There’s some negative feedback on Live Cell Research as a company.

Where to Buy

You can order Niagen through Live Cell Research or on Amazon.com. A 30 day supply on the website is $46.99 with discounts for ordering more than one bottle at once. The Amazon price is close at $43.99. Live Cell Research offers a 90 day money back guarantee, but save your empty bottles because you’ll have to return them to get your money.

Conclusion

Niagen has promise. The study on mice had some astounding results. But the dosing was massive compared to what you get in these pills, and testing hasn’t demonstrated that this stuff even has a strong potential to work in humans. I recommend you skip Niagen for now, but keep your eye out for further developments in the future.

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Author: Rob Miller

Rob Miller founded SupplementCritique.com over 7 years ago, and has been the chief editor ever since. He has a diploma in Advanced Dietary Supplements Advisor, and worked at GNC for 3 years. He KNOWS supplements, both inside and out. Rob currently resides in Jupiter, FL, with his wife of 4 years.  Learn more about him in his Bio here. Follow him on Twitter , Facebook, LinkedIn, or find him on Google +. View all posts by Rob Miller