Are you getting what you pay for when you buy NMN supplements?
The co-enzyme NAD+ is found throughout our body, and is involved in a multitude of important metabolic processes. But our NAD+ levels drop as we age, making it harder for our body to produce the energy we need to maintain our health, and this decline is linked to the development of age-related disease.
Longevity.Technology: One of the most popular ways to boost NAD+ levels as we age is to supplement with the NAD+ precursor nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). We spoke to Reese Wood, co-founder of Double Wood Supplements, about the importance of ensuring you are getting what you pay for when it comes to NMN.
It is thought that increasing your intake of NMN can help increase NAD+ levels. This is supported by a growing body of evidence showing that NMN has beneficial effects in a wide range of physiological functions, and therapeutic implications in various types of disease. But, while NMN occurs naturally in certain foods, you’d have to eat so much of those foods that it would be impossible to get enough NMN to make a difference. This has led to a dramatic growth in consumer interest in NMN supplements in recent years.
Founded in 2013 by twin brothers Reese and Evan Wood, Double Wood provides a wide range of anti-aging supplements, including resveratrol, fisetin, pterostilbene and, of course, NMN, which it provides in both powder and capsule form. With a reputation for maintaining high quality standards, the company has experienced significant growth, ranking in the top 500 of Inc. Magazine’s list of the fastest growing private companies in the US for several years.
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Quality is key
NMN is challenging to manufacture, so the cost of NMN supplements is relatively high in comparison to other supplements, but consumers simply seeking the lowest cost option are taking a risk. The growth in NMN’s popularity has led to an increase in potentially fake and low grade supplements on the market.
“Supplement providers are not subjected to the same rigorous standards as drug developers, for example, so there are a wide range of commercial products out there that may not contain what they claim,” says Wood. “If you search online, you can find a whole lot of NMN supplements for sale, but many of these may be fakes or low-quality products. And if the price sounds too good to be true, then it probably is!”
Choosing an NMN supplement
So what can consumers do to ensure that they are getting a good quality NMN supplement?
“The main things to look for are companies that can demonstrate their supplements have been independently tested by reputable organisations for things like potency and safety,” says Wood. “At Double Wood, we maintain a commitment to high quality standards, manufacturing all products domestically in FDA-registered, ISO and cGMP certified facilities. Each product also undergoes laboratory testing for potency, microbials, and heavy metals.”
In documents seen by Longevity Technology, Double Wood’s NMN capsules and powder were tested by an ISO-certified, independent facility, which found that they contained the claimed levels of NMN per serving.
Do I need to refrigerate NMN?
A common misconception among consumers is that all NMN supplements need to be refrigerated, but Double Wood says this is only the case when NMN is mixed into a liquid solution. Wood explains that it is the presence of water that allows the chemical reactions to occur, which cause the degradation of NMN into pure nicotinamide, but this is not a concern for the powder itself, if properly stored.
“Following a popular podcast with Dr David Sinclair, a lot of our customers were under the impression that all NMN needs to be refrigerated – even while being shipped,” he says. “When we heard about this, we immediately conducted our own research. After listening to the podcast, it was clear that NMN should be refrigerated when mixed into a liquid solution. We tested the theory further by conducting additional third party tests months after our NMN had been sitting idle in our warehouse. We found our NMN had the same potency after storage as when it was first manufactured.”
Customer service is key
Beyond quality, it’s also worth considering supplement providers that put customer service at the top of their agenda, says Wood.
“At Double Wood, we offer free shipping anywhere in the US, provide a 30-day money back guarantee, and aim to answer all customer enquiries within one business day,” he adds. “We know that not every supplement will work for every customer, so it’s important to provide that reassurance up front. We want our customers to keep coming back to us, and that kind of relationship is built on trust.”
