NMN Supplement Shelf Life - What You Need To Know

Dr. Rhonda Patrick's recent interview of Dr. David Sinclair about the NMN supplement shelf life (nicotinamide mononucleotide, an NAD+ precursor) has created quite a stir among NMN users. That's because, late into the one hour and 12 minute video (see the transcript below), Dr. Sinclair says that it's important to ensure that your NMN and another NAD+ precursor, NR (nicotinamide riboside), be kept cold.

No one had heard this before. People became concerned that their NMN potency has degraded because it was not shipped in a styrofoam container filled with ice, nor have they refrigerated their supply at home.

ProHealth got bombarded with emails and phone calls from customers worried that the NMN supplement they bought from us had a short shelf life. They wondered if their NMN supplement would be worthless after a few months sitting on the shelf? This proved to us that people really want to know more about how to store NMN and how to increase their NMN shelf life. Here’s what we have to say:

Fast answer:

The reason nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) does not lose its potency over time is because it’s in an NMN stabilized form. This means that your NMN supplements are safe, where you have your NMN storage is likely fine, and it should maintain potency for a long time.

What actually is the shelf life of NMN then? We believe that our NMN products will maintain full potency for three months or longer. Even after that, the potency should only decrease ever so slightly.

If you're wondering what I'm referring to with these acronyms, "NAD", "NMN" and "NR", here's a fast breakdown:

• NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme that's in nearly all our cells and is essential for all life to exist. It activates a family of protein-based enzymes called sirtuins that govern much of the aging process. Unfortunately, as we age, our NAD+ levels plummet.

• Because our NAD+ levels quickly decline as we get older, scientists have looked for what could, in effect, boost our NAD+. Many animal studies have shown that two molecules that do boost NAD+ (and are therefore referred to as "NAD+ precursors”) are NMN and NR.

• Human trials with NR show that it's safe and can increase NAD+ levels. Human trials are underway to test NMN's effect on humans. One recently published study shows that NMN is safe for humans, but did not test for effectiveness. Two other clinical trials — one by the Brigham and Women's Hospital near the Harvard Medical School facility, and the other by the Washington University School of Medicine — are ongoing and are expected to address if NMN boosts NAD+ in humans and has an effect on biomarkers associated with health longevity.

Now that you have some background information about NAD+ and two of its precursors, NMN and NR, check out the following transcript between longevity experts Drs. Sinclair and Patrick.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick Interviews Dr. David Sinclair About the Informational Theory of Aging, the NMN Supplement and More

This is the part of the one hour-plus interview that concerns the shelf life of the NMN supplement:

Three Reasons ProHealth's NMN Has No Potency/Shelf Life Issues

Dr. Sinclair knows more about NMN and the science of longevity than I ever will, but in the case of ProHealth's NMN, he's not accurate about how NMN degrades if not kept cold. It could be that his perception on this was formed with the NMN supplies he has received in the past for his lab experiments. NMN production techniques have improved immensely over the past few years, resulting in a very stable product, assuming it was pure NMN to begin with, such as ours. So many people ask, “does NMN need to be refrigerated?” Here is that answer based on scientific research:

The following document, NMN Stability Report, shows ProHealth's NMN supplement products remain nearly 100% pure up to three months in temperatures between 39.2° F (4°C) and 104°F (40°C). What's not shown in this particular document is that subsequent tests showed over 98% NMN supplement purity at the six month mark as well.

Not only does heat degrade the potency of supplements, so does water. Oxidation in water causes water-soluble vitamins and probiotics to degrade with time. Just as nails rust in damp air and apples turn brown when cut open, water soluble vitamins and probiotics degrade when exposed to water and oxygen.

It then makes sense, as Dr. Sinclair said that the NMN in the water used to administer it to his lab mice had to be changed weekly. Water will degrade supplements over time. If the NMN supplement you buy is pure to begin with, keep it in the container it came in.

ProHealth's NMN inventory sells out nearly as fast as we receive it, so it's always fresh when received by our customers. If you buy it and don't intend to use it in less than three months, store it in the refrigerator; otherwise, no special storage is necessary.

Your Takeaway

Remember this:

• NMN supplements have been extensively tested in mice, and have been shown to be safe and effectively reduced various biometrics associated with aging.

• NMN is used by people because they either feel its beneficial effects, or expect it to make a positive difference in healthspan, as it has in mouse models. This means that NMN supplements may have the ability to help you live longer and live better during those later years.

• To get the best results, you’ll want to take NMN supplements each morning on an empty stomach. This increases the bioavailability by decreasing the amount of stomach acid that could destroy the active ingredients.

NMN supplements have been consumed by humans, including Dr. Sinclair, his family and hundreds of ProHealth customers (including me) for years without ill effects. This point has been underscored by a just published Japanese study.

To learn more about NMN supplement shelf life and NMN longevity in general, click here.