NMN supplementation and exercise measurements in amateur runners

NMN alongside an exercise program

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined NMN supplementation during six weeks of exercise training in 48 amateur runners. It investigated cardiorespiratory measurements, rather than general rejuvenation or lifespan.

Participants were allocated to four groups: placebo, 300 mg, 600 mg or 1,200 mg of NMN per day. Each group included ten men and two women. Training took place five to six times per week, with sessions lasting approximately 40–60 minutes.

How performance was assessed

The investigators conducted cardiopulmonary exercise testing before and after the intervention. Measurements included oxygen uptake and power at ventilatory thresholds, as well as peak and maximal exercise variables.

A ventilatory threshold is a specific point in the response to increasing exercise intensity. It is not interchangeable with maximal oxygen uptake, often written as VO2max. A change in one measurement should not be described as improvement in every aspect of cardiovascular fitness.

Where changes were observed

The study reported greater improvements in selected ventilatory-threshold measurements in NMN groups, particularly at the medium and high doses, compared with the control group. The authors discussed improved oxygen utilization in skeletal muscle as a possible explanation.

However, the study did not find corresponding between-group improvements in VO2max, oxygen pulse, the relationship of oxygen uptake to work rate, or peak power. These null findings are important parts of the result.

What happened to weight and body composition?

The primary paper did not show a significant treatment-by-time effect for body mass, body-mass index or body-fat percentage. The Japanese archive's suggestion that NMN clearly reduced BMI or rejuvenated the participants is therefore not supported by these results.

All participants were undertaking training. The study does not establish that NMN alone produces the same effects without exercise, nor that a higher dose is appropriate for every runner.

How far the findings can be generalized

The trial was small and lasted six weeks. Its participants were recreational runners, so its findings cannot automatically be applied to sedentary people, elite athletes, people with cardiovascular disease or other age groups.

The results provide a basis for further research into selected exercise measurements. They do not establish weight-loss, anti-aging or disease-treatment effects, and the study did not test a finished GAAH product. The doses above describe the research protocol, not a personal recommendation.

Primary paper: Nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation enhances aerobic capacity in amateur runners: a randomized, double-blind study. DOI: 10.1186/s12970-021-00442-4. The primary paper is used to distinguish positive threshold findings from null maximal-performance and body-composition results.