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NMN: An on-trend ‘fountain of youth’ ingredient for anti-ageing products

Dubbed an “on-trend fountain of youth ingredient” by Mintel, NMN is booming in anti-ageing ingestible products in Asia – but regulatory roadblocks are thwarting NPD efforts elsewhere, say experts.

Ever since Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber used IV drips with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) in a 2022 episode of The Kardashians, the co-enzyme and its precursors have been hot property in the health and wellness world for their alleged anti-ageing benefits.

One of these precursors is nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a form of vitamin B3 that is increasingly being used in supplement form as a way of boosting levels of NAD+ in the body.

In its A Year of Innovation in VMS 2025 report, Mintel described both NAD+ and NMN as “on-trend ‘fountain of youth’ ingredients” and noted that they are trending in the beauty and VMS space, tapping into longevity beauty trends.

Goldman Laboratories, a UK-based developer and manufacturer of supplements and pharmaceuticals, confirmed that this viral TikTok craze is indeed translating to real-life market demand.

“Demand for NMN and related products has increased a lot between 2023 and 2025,” founder Jordi Mascio told Ingredients Network.

NMN: Asia leads geographical markets

Mascio said that Asia is seeing the most traction, with countries like Japan, South Korea, and the broader Asian region leading in terms of sales growth during 2023 and 2024.

Examples of products being marketed in these territories include Fracora Proteoglycan + NMN (Japan), a skincare product; Invity Ultimate NMNH (Singapore), a supplement that claims to improve beauty sleep quality and enhance cognition on waking; and for youth’s The Repair (South Korea), which is formulated to combat ageing at the cellular level.

Beyond dietary supplements, Mascio said that more NMN products are being marketed in the functional food category, with ready-to-drink beverages and powdered mixes the main applications.

He predicted that North America is set to become the next growth engine, following a September ruling by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that NMN can be used in dietary supplements.

“On 29 September, the FDA made a change where NMN is no longer restricted by the ‘drug preclusion clause’. Companies must still register for NDI [New Dietary Ingredient] though, which brings challenges,” he said.

In Europe, Mascio said that interest is high, but regulations do not yet recognise NMN, so it is considered an unauthorised novel food.

“In Europe, selling these products comes with risks since they are not approved as novel foods. Distributors who sell NMN in Europe could face serious issues,” he said.

In the UK, the situation is slightly different: NMN is not approved but nor is it banned – while NMN undergoes a regulatory review process by bodies like the Food Standards Agency (FSA), NMN supplements are still legal to buy and sell.

The UK pharmacy chain Boots, for example, stocks a 500mg dose supplement made by NMN Bio.

Asked what types of products NMN is appearing in, Mascio said: “People are using dietary supplements like capsules, powders, or blends that include glutathione, resveratrol, or multivitamins.”

The reason that companies are combining NMN with resveratrol is that the two ingredients are thought to work synergistically to enhance cellular health – NMN boosts NAD+ levels and resveratrol activates the sirtuin proteins that require NAD+ to function.

Similarly, glutathione and NMN are believed to work together, with glutathione providing antioxidant protection for the NAD+ molecules.

Doses under discussion

Most NMN supplements contain a dose somewhere between 125 and 500mg, with the most popular products in the 250 to 500mg bracket, reflecting the doses that have demonstrated NAD+ level boosts in clinical studies, according to Mascio.

Available forms include β-NMN powder, microgranules used in capsules, liposomal NMN, and sublingual options, he said.

“Companies are promoting liposomal and sublingual delivery methods as ways to improve absorption, allowing for smaller doses, though the bioavailability comparisons across the various forms are still unclear. Researchers are still working out the best dose, which will probably depend on the goal, for example, targeting a specific biomarker or functional result, and the type of formulation,” he added.

Indeed, there are still lots of unknowns around NMN – particularly in relation to its functionality and efficacy.

The science behind NMN as an active ingredient is that it serves as a precursor to NAD+. Boosting levels of NAD+ in cells is thought to help maintain mitochondrial health, activate sirtuins, support DNA repair, and drive other processes that rely on NAD+.

According to Mascio, the concept is well supported, but solid proof of lasting health improvements in humans is still being built.

“Animal and lab models offer solid evidence for how it works, and clinical studies in humans are increasing, although they remain limited in size and length,” he said.

Demonstrating a causative effect between improved NAD+ levels and health outcomes is another area where clinical evidence is currently lacking, he explained.

“So far, human studies show small benefits in markers tied to NAD+ metabolism and some areas like physical abilities and metabolism in short and small trials. But there are no big long-term trials yet to see if it prevents disease, reduces death rates, or slows ageing,” he added.

“The general takeaway? The signs from biomarkers and physical improvements look hopeful, but solid proof from long-term studies isn’t here yet.”