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NMN in Food Vs. Supplements: What You Need To Know for Healthy Aging

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In recent years, NMN has caught the attention of everyone from biohackers and beauty influencers to celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Jennifer Aniston. The compound’s role in cellular repair and slowing the aging process is a hot topic in beauty and longevity circles. But NMN isn’t just for A-listers. Along with its close cousin, NAD+, NMN can support people from all walks of life — improving energy and vitality and supporting healthy aging as the years pass. 

If you’re curious about NMN and its benefits, you might be wondering: Can you get enough NMN in food, or is it worth it to add NMN supplements to your longevity routine? This article explores that question, helping you compare NMN in food with NMN supplementation — and understand why a science-backed product like NOVOS Boost could be your best bet for overall wellness.

What Is NMN and Why Is It Important for Longevity?

Our article What Is NMN? explains it best: Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is a molecule that occurs naturally throughout the body as well as in certain foods. Research from scientists like Harvard Professor David Sinclair — who supplements with NMN himself — shows that NMN plays a significant role in addressing the signs and symptoms of aging. 

Notably, NMN is a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD+ — another key compound that’s present in all our cells. NAD+ is required for DNA repair, energy metabolism, epigenome maintenance, and cellular health, to name a few functions. 

As we age, NMN and NAD+ levels decline, leading to drops in energy, cellular resilience, and the effectiveness of repair mechanisms. By consuming NMN in food or supplement form, you give your body the building blocks it needs to produce more NAD+. And with that, you can help restore some of the youthful cellular function that tends to diminish with age.

NMN in Food: Natural Sources (and Their Limits)

Small amounts of NMN occur naturally in several different foods, including milk, broccoli, edamame, avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, and beef liver. However, the quantities are minuscule. Unless you chow down on vast quantities of these foods every day, they’re likely not nearly enough to increase NAD+ production. 

For example, broccoli contains approximately 0.25 to 1.12 mg of NMN per 100 grams. The recommended daily dose of NMN is between 250 mg and 1,200 mg. That means you would need to eat over 22 kilograms (about 48 pounds) of broccoli per day to reach even the lower end of that dose — assuming your broccoli is on the high end of the NMN content range. 

Let’s be honest — nobody likes broccoli that much! So, food alone probably won’t cut it when it comes to consuming enough NMN for optimal NAD+ levels.

NMN Supplements: A Smarter Way To Support NAD+ Production

The good news is that high-quality NMN supplements deliver meaningful doses of the molecule in a readily absorbable form. A growing body of research supports these supplements’ effectiveness. 

In one 10-week clinical study, postmenopausal women with prediabetes who took 250 mg of NMN daily experienced a variety of benefits:

  • Increased NAD+ levels: Participants saw an increase in NAD+ in their blood and muscles, while those in the placebo group did not.
  • Improved insulin sensitivity: The NMN group saw a 25% improvement in muscle insulin response — a marker of metabolic health — with no such changes in the placebo group.
  • Enhanced cellular repair activity: The NMN group showed increases in the activity of genes linked to tissue repair and regeneration — over 300 of them — while the placebo group showed changes in just five.


Not all NMN supplements are equal, however. So, what is the best NMN supplement? Look for options that prioritize:

  • Stability: High temperatures, sunlight, and humidity can degrade NMN. NOVOS Boost comes in a dark glass container that protects it from heat and moisture and keeps it shelf-stable.
  • Bioavailability: High-quality supplements like NOVOS Boost are readily bioavailable when taken orally, meaning your body can easily use it.
  • Purity: NOVOS Boost has over 99% pure NMN, compared to lower-purity products or alternative precursors.

Formulated by longevity scientists, NOVOS Boost is also rigorously tested by third parties and designed to deliver optimal benefits. If you take NMN supplements, be cautious about purchasing unknown brands online; many supplements may be adulterated or have misleading purity claims. For the highest quality NMN, go directly to the source.

Food Vs. Supplements: A Side-by-Side Comparison

FeatureNMN in FoodNMN Supplements
SourceWhole foods like vegetables and liverFermentation-based or synthesized
NMN AmountTrace levelsTherapeutic doses (250–500+ mg)
ConsistencyVaries by freshness and prepPrecise and standardized
PracticalityImpractical to get enough dailyEasy once-a-day capsule or powder
Cost-effectivenessRequires large quantitiesMore efficient for targeted support

Food is certainly the foundation of good health and a longevity diet. Healthy foods provide the antioxidants, healthy fats, fiber, and micronutrients your cells need to thrive. However, when it comes to NMN, supplements can fill critical gaps and enhance your results. Convenient and easy to integrate into your daily routine, NMN supplements allow you to stack the longevity odds in your favor.

Why NOVOS Boost Is a Smart Choice

Unlike many generic supplements, NOVOS Boost is formulated specifically to help people live not just longer but healthier. Here’s what sets it apart from the rest:

  • Ultra-stable NMN designed to resist degradation
  • Third-party tested for purity and effectiveness
  • Developed with input from leading longevity scientists
  • Designed to work synergistically with NOVOS Core and the entire NOVOS longevity protocol 

If you’re searching for a science-backed strategy to extend your lifespan and healthspan, look no further than NOVOS’ line of longevity solutions.

Diet + Supplementation = Longevity Synergy

Trying to get enough NMN in food is an exercise in futility. But combining a healthy diet with the right supplements is a smart, efficient way to meet your longevity goals. Products like NOVOS Boost can give your body the raw materials it needs to support adequate NAD+ levels, cellular energy, and healthy aging. 

Ready to increase your NAD+ levels and feel the difference? Take the first step with NOVOS Boost, and build your personalized longevity stack today. Explore our free resources — from our AI Facial Age Test to our five-minute Longevity Assessment — and start living a longer, healthier life with NOVOS.OVOS today.

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