NMN for Athletic Performance: What Does Science Say?

Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has become popular in the world of performance supplements, catching the attention of athletes who want to boost their exercise endurance, recovery, and overall performance. But what does scientific research actually say about NMN’s effectiveness beyond all the marketing claims?

This article gives you a straightforward look at what we know about NMN for athletic performance, how it works in the body, and whether it might be worth adding to your training routine. We’ll examine the science and share what research reveals about this interesting molecule.

NMN’s Role in Energy Production

NMN is a naturally occurring molecule that your body converts into NAD+, an essential coenzyme found in every cell. NAD+ fuels key cellular processes including energy production, DNA repair, gene expression, and stress responses.

You can find small amounts of NMN in foods like milk, cucumbers, and edamame, but these quantities are too small to significantly boost your body’s NAD+ levels. This is why many people, especially athletes, turn to supplements.

NAD+ is particularly valuable for athletes because it powers mitochondria—the energy generators in your cells. As a key component in the electron transport chain, NAD+ helps create ATP, the energy currency your muscles need during exercise.

By supporting mitochondrial function, NAD+ helps your muscles have enough energy for peak performance.

What Studies Show About NMN and Athletic Performance

Several clinical trials have investigated NMN’s effects on various aspects of physical performance, with some promising results.

Aerobic Capacity in Amateur Runners

A six-week study with 48 amateur runners showed NMN supplements significantly improved aerobic capacity. 

The study tested three doses (300, 600, and 1200 mg/day) against a placebo and found that oxygen uptake (VO₂), percentages of maximum oxygen uptake (VO₂max), and power at ventilatory thresholds improved in the medium and high dose groups¹. 

Interestingly, NMN didn’t affect maximum oxygen uptake (VO₂max), O₂-pulse, VO₂ related to work rate, or peak power.

This suggests NMN mainly helps with submaximal exercise performance (moderate intensity) rather than peak output – an important point for endurance athletes.

Enhanced Walking Performance

Another clinical trial tested NMN supplements up to 900 mg per day and found that people taking NMN could walk significantly farther during six-minute walking tests than those taking placebo².

This study also showed that NMN supplements increased blood NAD+ levels based on dosage, with 600 mg per day working best.

Systematic Review Findings

A systematic review of 10 randomized controlled trials with 437 participants (average age 58) found that NMN supplements (150-1200 mg daily) improved physical performance³.

While grip strength showed minor improvements (from 29.9 kg to 30.5 kg), most studies found these changes weren’t statistically significant.

How NMN Supplements Might Enhance Athletic Performance

Several mechanisms explain how NMN may enhance athletic performance, and understanding these can help us grasp why it might be beneficial for certain types of athletes and training styles.

Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Function

Taking NMN helps create new mitochondria through a process called mitochondrial biogenesis. It works by activating SIRT1, which then boosts PGC-1α, the main controller of mitochondrial production. 

This leads to more mitochondria in cells, which is crucial for endurance exercises that need aerobic energy. Research published in the journal Nature supports this mechanism of action⁴.

Oxygen Utilization and Endurance

The improvement in aerobic capacity observed in clinical trials appears to come mainly from better oxygen use in skeletal muscles. 

NMN helps create new blood vessels (angiogenesis), which increases blood flow and delivers more nutrients to muscles during exercise⁵. This provides muscles with enough oxygen to work efficiently and maintain endurance during long workouts.

Efficient Energy Management

NMN supplements activate enzymes that help with lipolysis⁶, which lets athletes burn fat more efficiently during exercise. This helps save glycogen stores, which are crucial for long-lasting endurance.

This metabolic flexibility especially benefits endurance athletes who need to manage their energy well during extended training or competitions.

Recovery and Anti-inflammatory Effects

NMN supplements may speed up recovery after exercise by helping muscle repair, lowering inflammation, and fighting oxidative damage. Research in mice showed that giving NMN reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines⁷, suggesting it has anti-inflammatory benefits that could help athletes recover faster between workouts. 

Exercise vs. NMN: Complementary Effects?

Research comparing exercise and NMN supplementation shows important interactions athletes should know about.

Both exercise and NMN increase NAD+ levels, but in different tissues. Exercise mainly boosts NAD+ in muscles, while NMN supplementation increases it in both muscles and liver.

Exercise intensity affects NAD+ differently: moderate aerobic exercise increases the NAD+/NADH ratio, while high-intensity workouts may decrease it because of increased glycolysis.

A mouse study found that exercise and NMN supplementation both improved glucose tolerance in subjects on high-fat diets. Exercise had stronger effects on muscle mitochondrial function, while NMN worked better in the liver⁸.

Researchers noted: “Given that NMN treatment resulted in greater changes in markers of mitochondrial function in liver than muscle, NAD precursor-based therapies may be more effective for treatment of obesity-associated liver diseases.”

Combining exercise with NMN supplementation creates synergistic effects on aerobic capacity and endurance, suggesting benefits for athletes who use both training and NMN in their routines.

Dosage, Safety, and Comparisons

If you’re considering NMN supplementation for athletic performance, here are some practical aspects to consider.

Effective Dosage

Scientists have studied NMN dosages ranging from 150 mg to 1200 mg per day, finding that medium to higher doses may work better:

• Health benefits begin at daily doses of 250 mg NMN
• A 600 mg daily dose shows the best results for physical performance and increasing blood NAD+⁹
• Researchers have used doses up to 1200 mg daily with no major safety concerns

Safety Profile

NMN has demonstrated a favorable safety profile in human clinical trials:

• Research has shown doses up to 1200 mg daily are safe to consume
• Clinical trials confirmed NMN is safe and well-tolerated with oral dosing up to 900 mg daily
• No serious adverse effects have been observed in controlled studies
• Blood NAD+ concentrations increase in a dose-dependent manner with NMN supplementation

NMN vs. Other Performance Supplements

NMN differs from other athletic supplements like creatine in several key ways:

• Creatine has stronger scientific evidence showing it builds strength and muscle, making it better for pure athletic performance
• NMN is more oriented toward general health, longevity, and anti-aging effects
• While early NMN studies look promising, creatine has decades of human clinical research to back it up

Athletes should think about their specific performance goals when deciding which supplement to use or potentially using them for different purposes.

For those interested in the benefits of creatine supplementation, check out our starter guide to creatine.

Is NMN Worth Considering for Athletic Performance?

Science currently suggests NMN supplements may improve specific athletic performance areas – especially aerobic capacity, endurance, and recovery.

This improvement comes from increasing NAD+ levels and supporting mitochondrial function. The most reliable benefits show up in regular exercise performance rather than peak performance measures.

Doses of 600-1200 mg daily appear most effective, with safety confirmed across multiple clinical trials. Combining exercise with NMN might produce better results than either alone, suggesting benefits for athletes using both approaches.

The research is still developing, with some limitations and mixed results pointing to the need for better long-term human studies.

Athletes thinking about taking NMN should consider the current evidence against their specific goals, understanding that while promising, NMN’s effects aren’t yet as well-documented as established supplements like creatine.

FAQs: NMN for Athletes

What is the recommended dosage of NMN for athletes?

According to clinical studies, 600 mg daily appears most effective. Researchers examined doses from 150-1200 mg, with medium to higher amounts (600-1200 mg) yielding the best athletic performance results. Lower doses (around 250 mg) still offer health benefits but might not be ideal for boosting performance.

Is NMN better than creatine for athletic performance?

Creatine has more solid research backing its ability to increase strength and muscle mass, making it potentially better for athletic performance, particularly in strength sports. NMN appears to focus more on endurance, recovery, and health/longevity benefits. Depending on their goals and training focus, many athletes might find value in taking both supplements.

How long does it take to see athletic benefits from NMN supplementation?

Studies showing benefits from NMN supplementation typically last 4-12 weeks. The six-week study on amateur runners showed clear improvements in aerobic capacity during this period. However, people may respond differently, and some mitochondrial function improvements may take longer to fully develop.

Does NMN supplementation work better for certain types of athletes?

Research indicates NMN may particularly help endurance athletes by boosting aerobic capacity, oxygen use, and metabolic efficiency. The benefits appear stronger for submaximal exercise performance rather than peak output, suggesting NMN works better for longer activities than short, explosive efforts.

Can NMN help with recovery between training sessions?

Evidence indicates NMN supplements may enhance recovery after exercise by supporting muscle repair, decreasing inflammation, and reducing oxidative damage. In animal studies, NMN reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines, which could help athletes recover more quickly between intense workouts. More human research specifically examining recovery metrics is needed to confirm these effects.

Referenced Sources

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34238308/ ↩︎
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36482258/ ↩︎
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11365583/ ↩︎
4. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-87759-x ↩︎
5. https://hms.harvard.edu/news/rewinding-clock ↩︎
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10151261/ ↩︎
7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891584924000546 ↩︎
8. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2016.00258/full ↩︎
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36482258/ ↩︎