Source comparison
NAD+ Peptide vs NAD+: Molecular Weight and Permeability Comparison
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) 663 Da Poor. Charged dinucleotide cannot cross lipid bilayers efficiently <5% systemic None. Must be synthesized intracellularly Not viable for supplementation. Too large and polar for passive diffusion NMN (nicotinamid
This comparison does not assign a generated winner or score.
- NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide)
- 663 Da
- Poor. Charged dinucleotide cannot cross lipid bilayers efficiently
- <5% systemic
- None. Must be synthesized intracellularly
- Not viable for supplementation. Too large and polar for passive diffusion
- NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)
- 334 Da
- Moderate. Requires Slc12a8 transporter in gut, passive diffusion in other tissues
- 15–25% (transporter-dependent)
- Direct conversion to NAD+ via NMNAT enzymes
- Gold standard precursor. Bypasses rate-limiting steps in salvage pathway
- NR (nicotinamide riboside)
- 255 Da
- High. Passive diffusion across most cell types
- 40–60% (does not require specific transporter)
- Phosphorylated to NMN by NRK1/2, then converted to NAD+
- Higher oral bioavailability but requires additional enzymatic step vs NMN
- Peptide-conjugated NMN
- 600–800 Da (conjugate-dependent)
- Enhanced. Peptide carrier facilitates membrane transit
- 30–50% (formulation-dependent)
- Intracellular cleavage releases NMN → NAD+
- Research-stage delivery optimization. Improves cellular uptake vs unconjugated NMN