Coenzyme reference
NAD+
Last reviewed · Written by the PepCycle team
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme present in every living cell, central to energy metabolism. It is not a peptide — it contains no amino acids — but it is sold and logged alongside peptides, typically in vials of 100 mg to 1,000 mg, which is orders of magnitude larger than a peptide vial.
What NAD+ is
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is a coenzyme found in all living cells, where it shuttles electrons in the reactions that convert food into usable energy. It exists in an oxidised form (NAD⁺) and a reduced form (NADH), and it is also consumed as a substrate by several families of enzymes involved in DNA repair and cellular signalling. Its levels are the subject of a large and active ageing-biology literature.
It is included in this reference for one practical reason: people who track peptides frequently track NAD+ in the same log, and every assumption carried over from peptide vials is wrong. It is not a peptide, its vials are vastly larger, and its precursor products are sold in an entirely different format.
- Coenzyme
- A small molecule that an enzyme requires in order to work. Unlike a peptide, it is not built from a chain of amino acids — NAD+ is built from two nucleotides joined through their phosphate groups.
NAD+ versus NMN and NR
Three related names circulate together and are constantly conflated:
| Name | What it is | Usual format |
|---|---|---|
| NAD+ | The coenzyme itself | Lyophilised vial, or an IV/clinic infusion |
| NMN | Nicotinamide mononucleotide, a direct precursor | Oral capsule or powder |
| NR | Nicotinamide riboside, another precursor | Oral capsule, sold as a supplement |
In a log, treat all three as separate compounds. Collapsing them into one entry called "NAD" destroys the only information that would let you interpret the record later.
How it is supplied and stored
Injectable NAD+ is supplied as a lyophilised powder in vials that dwarf peptide vials — 100 mg at the small end, 500 mg and 1,000 mg commonly. Clinic-administered NAD+ is usually an intravenous infusion prepared and given by staff, in which case the record you keep is of an appointment rather than a vial.
- A 1,000 mg vial is 200 times the mass of a 5 mg peptide vial. Concentration figures land in mg/mL, not mcg/mL.
- Reconstituted solution is typically refrigerated and protected from light.
- Because vials are large and used over long periods, the reconstitution date is the single most important thing to record.
- Clinic infusions should be logged with the clinic name, the stated amount and the duration, not converted into vial arithmetic.
Research context and status
NAD+ biology is a legitimate and very active research field, with a substantial literature on declining NAD+ levels in ageing tissue and on precursor supplementation. Human trials of oral precursors such as NR and NMN have been conducted and generally report that they raise blood NAD+ markers; what that translates into clinically remains under investigation.
Injectable and infused NAD+ is a different matter: it is not an approved treatment for the indications it is marketed for, the evidence base is much thinner than the marketing suggests, and infusion practice varies widely between clinics. Regulatory status of oral precursors also differs by country and has changed in recent years — check current rules where you live.
What to record
- Which form it was — vial, IV infusion, or oral precursor — as three separate compound entries.
- Vial mass in mg and the water volume, for the lyophilised form.
- For infusions: provider, stated amount, start and end time. Duration is often the most notable variable.
- Anything you noticed during or shortly after, with timestamps.
PepCycle accepts vial masses into the thousands of milligrams and supports non-injection entries, so infusions, capsules and vials can sit in one timeline without being forced into the wrong shape.
Frequently asked questions
Is NAD+ a peptide?
No. NAD+ is a dinucleotide coenzyme built from two nucleotides, with no amino acids and no peptide bonds. It is grouped with peptides commercially, not chemically.
What is the difference between NAD+, NMN and NR?
NAD+ is the coenzyme itself. NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) and NR (nicotinamide riboside) are precursors that the body converts along the pathway toward NAD+, and both are typically sold as oral supplements. They are three different products and belong in a log as three different compounds.
Why can't my tracker accept a 1,000 mg vial?
Many peptide trackers hard-code an upper limit on vial mass around 50 mg because that covers common peptide vials. NAD+ breaks that assumption immediately. PepCycle has no vial-size ceiling, so the label figure goes in as printed.
How do I log a clinic NAD+ infusion?
As an appointment-style entry: date, provider, the amount stated on the paperwork, and the infusion duration. Do not run it through reconstitution arithmetic — you did not prepare the vial, so a derived concentration would be a guess.
Related pages
Track NAD+ without re-doing the maths
Enter the vial once — mass, diluent volume, lot, date — and every entry after that converts automatically between mcg, mL and syringe units, with the vial counting down as you log.
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