Resveratrol vs Nicotinamide Riboside
Written by Aaron CuhaReviewed Sep 2026
The short answer
The claimed sirtuin switch and the NAD building block that the same theory says sirtuins need. Nicotinamide riboside reliably raises NAD in people. It did not make mice live longer in the program that tested it. Resveratrol has over 150 finished registered studies and no trial of any hard health result.
- Resveratrol people
- 403
- Resveratrol nulls
- 8
- Nicotinamide Riboside people
- 90
- Nicotinamide Riboside nulls
- 1
Dose
No human dose established
Amounts that were given in studies sit in Human evidence on this page. None of them is a personal dose.
14 completed trials, 403 people given it
Dose
No human dose established
Amounts that were given in studies sit in Human evidence on this page. None of them is a personal dose.
4 completed trials, 90 people given it
First-hand reports are counted on each profile and never added together. This page sets two published records side by side. It does not pick a winner.
Column A
ResveratrolResveratrol (trans-3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene)
Resveratrol is the grape and red wine compound behind the first big wave of anti-ageing research. It is one of the most tested supplements on this site, with over 150 finished registered studies. The results conflict, and they split by who took it and how much, rather than pointing one way. No trial in people has measured lifespan or any hard health result like heart attacks or death.
Column B
Nicotinamide RibosideNicotinamide Riboside (NR)
A form of vitamin B3 that reliably raises NAD in people. That part is proven. A big mouse program found it did not help mice live longer.
Side by side, on the facts we can check
| What we compare | Resveratrol | Nicotinamide Riboside |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Longevity | Longevity |
| FDA status | Dietary supplement; not an approved drug. Labels may say how it supports the body, with the disclaimer the US supplement law requires, but may not claim to treat or prevent a disease | Sold as a supplement; not an approved drug |
| Half-life | About 9 hours for resveratrol plus its sulfate and glucuronide conjugates after an oral dose; free parent compound is cleared far faster | Short |
| Molecular weight | 228.24 Da | 255.2 Da |
| How it works | The main idea is that resveratrol switches on SIRT1, an enzyme that needs NAD+ to work. That in turn sets off signals, AMPK and PGC-1alpha, that copy parts of eating less. That claim is disputed. Teams at Amgen (2009) and Pfizer (2010) showed the switch-on only happened with a glowing tag stuck to the test protein. It vanished with natural proteins. Sirtris and Sinclair's group answered in Science (2013). They argued the switch-on is real, but only with target proteins that carry certain water-avoiding patches, plus one spot on SIRT1, Glu230. Apart from sirtuins, resveratrol is a known antioxidant. It helps blood vessels widen through nitric oxide. And at gram doses it blocks the liver enzymes CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and CYP2C9, which break down many prescription drugs. | The body turns NR into NAD through a recycling route. That tops up the NAD that falls with age. NAD feeds the parts of cells that make energy and do repairs. |
| Studies in people | 14 | 5 |
| Evidence | Moderate: 14 completed trials, 403 people given it | Limited: 4 completed trials, 90 people given it |
| Legal status, US | Sold as a dietary supplement; not an approved drug | Sold as a dietary supplement |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Resveratrol and Nicotinamide Riboside?
Resveratrol: Resveratrol is the grape and red wine compound behind the first big wave of anti-ageing research. It is one of the most tested supplements on this site, with over 150 finished registered studies. The results conflict, and they split by who took it and how much, rather than pointing one way. No trial in people has measured lifespan or any hard health result like heart attacks or death. Nicotinamide Riboside: A form of vitamin B3 that reliably raises NAD in people. That part is proven. A big mouse program found it did not help mice live longer.
Which has stronger research evidence, Resveratrol or Nicotinamide Riboside?
Each compound gets a band worked out from facts we counted, with the math shown. Resveratrol is Moderate (14 completed trials, 403 people given it). Nicotinamide Riboside is Limited (4 completed trials, 90 people given it). That counts how much has been done in people. It does not rate whether either one works, and neither one is called the winner.
Are Resveratrol and Nicotinamide Riboside FDA-approved?
Resveratrol: Dietary supplement; not an approved drug. Labels may say how it supports the body, with the disclaimer the US supplement law requires, but may not claim to treat or prevent a disease. Nicotinamide Riboside: Sold as a supplement; not an approved drug.
Related posts
Blog articles that cover Resveratrol or Nicotinamide Riboside, newest first.
Reviewed Sep 2026. This page puts two published records side by side. It is for learning, and it is not medical advice. When this site shows a dose, it is the dose a trial or a clinic actually used, or what people say they did, with the source attached. None of it tells you what to take.