In a market newly flooded with NAD+ supplements promising "longevity" benefits, consumers may be purchasing products that fail to deliver what's promised on the label. This troubling reality comes to light in the latest market surveillance report from Tru Niagen's parent company, Niagen Bioscience, which tested 21 of the most popular NAD+ products sold on Amazon.
Niagen Bioscience’s Market Surveillance Program published a March 2025 white paper that revealed a startling fact: more than three-quarters of tested NAD+ supplements contain significantly less NAD+ than claimed—with 57% containing virtually none at all. This widespread quality problem raises serious concerns as consumers increasingly turn to NAD+ supplementation to support cellular health and combat age-related decline.
"These findings highlight the overall poor quality of NAD+ products available on the Amazon marketplace," states the report. The analysis underscores Niagen Bioscience's dedication to transparency and scientific integrity in the rapidly expanding NAD+ supplement industry. By doing so, the company aims to build consumer trust around the safety of rigorously quality-tested, third-party verified supplement products in the rapidly growing NAD+ space, like Tru Niagen.
Key Study Findings
Niagen Bioscience's Market Surveillance Program conducted a quantitative analysis of 21 popular NAD+ products purchased from Amazon between August 2024 and February 2025. Using validated High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methodology with UV-Vis detection, the analysis revealed:
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Only 5 products (24%) fully met or exceeded their label claims for NAD+ content (≥100% of label claim)
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4 products (19%) contained significantly less NAD+ than claimed (1-89% of label claim)
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12 products (57%) contained virtually no NAD+ (less than 1% of label claim), with 11 products having no detectable NAD+ whatsoever
The study also identified concerning patterns across product formats:
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All nine softgel products tested contained no detectable levels of NAD+
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Capsules proved more reliable, with five products meeting their label claims
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All products with label claims higher than 500 mg failed to meet those claims
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The single liquid product tested contained 86% of its labeled amount
Issues with Liposomal NAD+ Products
The study identified eleven products that advertised their ingredients as liposomal NAD+, spanning various formats including capsules and softgels. The results showed:
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Eight of the liposomal softgel products contained no detectable NAD+
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Two capsule products marketed as liposomal did contain NAD+, but these formulations simply include sunflower oil or sunflower lecithin ingredients—components of liposomes—not actual liposomal structures
As the white paper explains, these liposomal claims are inherently misleading. Genuine liposomes require a liquid environment to maintain the integrity of their phospholipid bilayer structure. Therefore, dried powdered material typical of capsule products cannot provide intact liposomes and thus cannot deliver the promise of enhanced bioavailability. Read more about the “myth” of liposomal NAD+ products in our recent article.
Bioavailability Concerns with NAD+ Supplements
Even among the few NAD+ products that met their label claims, the consumer benefits of taking NAD+ supplements are limited. NAD+ is a large molecule (it is a dinucleotide with two phosphate groups) that cannot enter cells directly when introduced into the bloodstream via oral supplements, intravenous (IV) infusions, or injections.
NAD+ itself is not bioavailable; it must first break down into precursors like nicotinamide riboside (NR) before entering cells and increasing NAD+ levels. With NAD+ IV, studies suggest that intact NAD+ may causes an acute immune inflammatory response, which may be responsible for the uncomfortable side effects associated with NAD+ IV and injection.
Why This Matters
The Niagen Bioscience white paper emphasizes the need for greater transparency and regulatory enforcement in the NAD+ supplement industry to prevent this widespread misbranding from further damaging consumer trust.
These findings demonstrate that consumers seeking NAD+ benefits may be receiving dramatically less active ingredient than expected—or in many cases, virtually none at all.
This study is the third in Niagen Bioscience's Market Surveillance Program series, following previous reports on nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) products in 2021 and nicotinamide riboside (NR) products in February 2025.
The February report on NR supplements generated significant industry attention, with NutraIngredients-USA covering the findings in an article highlighting that "only 13% of NR dietary supplements tested actually meet or exceed their label claims."
This ongoing initiative by Niagen Bioscience continues their efforts to evaluate product quality across the NAD+ precursor supplement category and promote transparency in the industry.
For more information and detailed findings, visit the Niagen Bioscience Market Surveillance Program page.
References:
Niagen Bioscience Market Surveillance Program. (2025, March). "Quantitative Analysis of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) Consumer Products." Retrieved from https://investors.niagenbioscience.com/investor-resources/Market-Surveillance/default.aspx
Niagen Bioscience Market Surveillance Program. (2025, February). "Quantitative Analysis of Nicotinamide Riboside Consumer Products and Counterfeit Tru Niagen® Products." Retrieved from https://investors.niagenbioscience.com/investor-resources/Market-Surveillance/default.aspx