Last updated: · Originally published September 13, 2026 · Published by Eternal Elixir
Edited by Elaine Fletcher, Researcher
Disclosure: Eternal Elixir makes supplements that compete with Tru Niagen. Eternal Elixir makes Nicotinamide Riboside 500mg, and it is our pick for NR buyers. This review is built from Tru Niagen’s own product pages and label, read in September 2026, and from the published human trials. We did not lab-test either product. Here is how we write and review content.
Quick answer
Tru Niagen does what its research says: its nicotinamide riboside (NR) chloride is the ingredient used in most human NR trials, and those trials show it raises blood NAD+ within two weeks. It is also an expensive way to buy NR, at $0.36 to $0.54 per 100 mg across the 300 mg range.
Our pick for NR buyers is Eternal Elixir Nicotinamide Riboside 500mg: 500 mg of beta-nicotinamide riboside chloride per capsule, 60 capsules, $59.99, which is $0.20 per 100 mg. Choose Tru Niagen if you want the exact branded material from the trials. No trial of either product shows that you will feel different.
Tru Niagen at a glance
| Detail | Tru Niagen 300mg | Tru Niagen Pro 1,000mg |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Niagen Bioscience (formerly ChromaDex) | |
| Active | 300 mg NIAGEN nicotinamide riboside chloride per capsule | 500 mg NIAGEN nicotinamide riboside chloride per capsule |
| Label serving | 1 capsule | 2 capsules (1,000 mg) |
| Directions | 1 capsule, 1 to 3 times a day | 2 capsules a day |
| Bottle sizes | 30, 90 and 180 capsules | 60 capsules (30 servings) |
| One-time price | $49.00, $127.00, $244.00 | $116.00 |
| Subscription | 20% off | |
| Other ingredients | Microcrystalline cellulose, hypromellose capsule, vegetable magnesium stearate | |
| Testing shown on the page | Third-party tested by Alkemist Labs | NSF Certified for Sport mark |
| On-site rating (Sep 2026) | 4.5 out of 5 from 622 reviews | 4.6 out of 5 from 205 reviews |
The brand states the product is safe up to 2,000 mg a day, which matches the highest dose tested in a 12-week trial (details below).
What is in Tru Niagen, and what “Niagen” means on the label
Tru Niagen is a single-ingredient supplement. Each standard capsule holds 300 mg of NIAGEN, the company’s crystalline form of nicotinamide riboside chloride, with a filler, a vegetarian capsule and a flow agent. There are no co-actives to muddy the dose.
Nicotinamide riboside is a form of vitamin B3 that the body converts into NAD+, a coenzyme used in energy metabolism in every cell. “Niagen” is not a different molecule from the NR chloride other brands sell. It is one maker’s branded crystalline form, and it is the NR used in most of the published human trials. That traceability is Tru Niagen’s real advantage. You can point to a paper and know the capsules hold the same ingredient.
The same Niagen ingredient appears under other labels. Life Extension’s NAD+ Cell Regenerator, for example, lists 300 mg of NIAGEN per capsule at $40.50 for 30 capsules, or $0.45 per 100 mg, a little cheaper than Tru Niagen’s own 30-count bottle. Our comparison of the best nicotinamide riboside supplements lines up five NR products on cost per dose.
Does Tru Niagen really work? What the human trials show
On the narrow question of raising NAD+, the human evidence for NR is good for a supplement. On the wider question of whether that changes energy, metabolism or aging in people, the trials so far are small, short or negative. Here is what each one tested.
| Study | Participants | Dose and length | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conze et al., 2019, Scientific Reports | 140 overweight but otherwise healthy adults, 35 per group | Placebo or 100, 300 or 1,000 mg of NIAGEN a day for 8 weeks | Whole-blood NAD+ rose 22%, 51% and 142% by dose within 2 weeks and stayed up. No flushing, and no difference in adverse events against placebo |
| Martens et al., 2018, Nature Communications | 30 healthy middle-aged and older adults randomized, 24 completed | 500 mg twice a day (1,000 mg) or placebo, 6 weeks each in a crossover | NAD+ in blood immune cells about 60% higher than on placebo. Blood pressure and arterial stiffness findings were exploratory, and the authors called for larger trials |
| Dollerup et al., 2018, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | 40 sedentary men aged 40 to 70 with a BMI over 30 | 1,000 mg twice a day (2,000 mg) or placebo for 12 weeks | No change in insulin sensitivity, glucose use, resting energy expenditure, fat burning or body composition. No serious adverse events, and safety blood tests were normal |
| Christen et al., 2026, Nature Metabolism | 67 healthy adults randomized, 65 analyzed | 1,000 mg a day of NR (Tru Niagen Pro), NMN or nicotinamide, or placebo, for 14 days, open label | NR raised whole-blood NAD+ by 49.4 µM and NMN by 43.1 µM, both about double baseline. Nicotinamide did not raise it |
Evidence level: strong for raising blood NAD+ at 300 to 1,000 mg a day. Weak or negative for metabolic outcomes: the one 12-week trial that looked for them at 2,000 mg a day found none. Not shown in people: more energy, better recovery, slower aging or longer life.
Know where the headline number comes from. The “over 50%” figure in NR marketing traces to the 51% rise on 300 mg in Conze 2019. That paper’s disclosure states that two of its three authors worked for ChromaDex, the third was the inventor of intellectual property licensed to ChromaDex and its chief scientific adviser, and ChromaDex funded the study. The 2026 head-to-head trial was run by Nestlé researchers. Neither fact makes the results wrong, and the Martens trial reported no competing interests. It is context a buyer should have.
Tru Niagen price: every buying option per 100 mg of NR
Tru Niagen’s pricing is hard to compare on its own site, because the one-time and subscription prices sit in separate tables across three bottle sizes. Below, every option is worked out on one unit: cost per 100 mg of NR chloride. Our own NR capsule is in the first row for comparison. Prices are from each brand’s own page as of Sep 2026.
| Buying option | Price | Capsules | NR chloride per capsule | Cost per capsule | Cost per 100 mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eternal Elixir Nicotinamide Riboside 500mg | $59.99 | 60 | 500 mg | $1.00 | $0.20 |
| Tru Niagen 300mg, 30 count, one-time | $49.00 | 30 | 300 mg | $1.63 | $0.54 |
| Tru Niagen 300mg, 90 count, one-time | $127.00 | 90 | 300 mg | $1.41 | $0.47 |
| Tru Niagen 300mg, 180 count, one-time | $244.00 | 180 | 300 mg | $1.36 | $0.45 |
| Tru Niagen 300mg, 30 count, subscription | $39.20 | 30 | 300 mg | $1.31 | $0.44 |
| Tru Niagen 300mg, 90 count, subscription | $101.60 | 90 | 300 mg | $1.13 | $0.38 |
| Tru Niagen 300mg, 180 count, subscription | $195.20 | 180 | 300 mg | $1.08 | $0.36 |
| Tru Niagen Pro 1,000mg, one-time | $116.00 | 60 | 500 mg | $1.93 | $0.39 |
| Tru Niagen Pro 1,000mg, subscription | $92.80 | 60 | 500 mg | $1.55 | $0.31 |
Tru Niagen’s lowest cost per 100 mg is the Pro subscription at $0.31, and among the 300 mg bottles it is the 180-count subscription at $0.36, which is a six-month order. One label quirk: the subscription table calls each price “Monthly Cost”, but the 90-count bottle is a three-month supply at one capsule a day and the 180-count is six months. Read the capsule count, not the row label. Our bottle is a single purchase with no subscription, and it covers 60 days at one capsule a day.
Add Nicotinamide Riboside 500mg to cart · $59.99
What 30 days at the trial dose costs
The Martens and Christen trials both used 1,000 mg a day. Here is what a month at or near that amount costs with each option.
- Eternal Elixir Nicotinamide Riboside 500mg: 2 capsules a day uses one 60-capsule bottle, $59.99. Our label serving is 1 capsule, so talk to your doctor before you take more than that.
- Tru Niagen Pro 1,000mg: 2 capsules a day is the label serving and uses one bottle, $116.00 one-time or $92.80 on subscription.
- Tru Niagen 300mg: the label maximum of 3 capsules a day gives 900 mg and uses a 90-count bottle, $127.00 one-time or $101.60 on subscription.
Tru Niagen Pro 1,000mg: the product used in the head-to-head trial
The Pro version packs 500 mg per capsule, with a 2-capsule serving of 1,000 mg. That is the dose in the Martens and Christen trials, and the Christen paper names Tru Niagen Pro as its NR supply. If you want the exact product from the newest trial, this is it.
It also carries the NSF Certified for Sport mark on its page, which matters if you compete in a drug-tested sport. The cost is $116.00 for a 30-day bottle, or $3.87 a day. On subscription it is $92.80, or $3.09 a day. The same 1,000 mg from our capsules costs $2.00 a day.
Tru Niagen side effects and daily safety
Tolerability is the strongest part of the NR record. In Conze 2019, nobody reported flushing, the skin reaction that older forms of niacin cause, and adverse events did not differ between NR and placebo at any dose. NR also did not raise LDL cholesterol. In Martens 2018, 7 of the 30 people enrolled reported 14 adverse events in total, none serious, and the two people who dropped out over side effects (headache and a rash) were both taking the placebo at the time. Dollerup 2018 gave 2,000 mg a day for 12 weeks and found no serious adverse events and normal safety blood tests.
“Well tolerated in trials” is not the same as “no one ever reacts.” These studies ran 2 to 12 weeks in mostly healthy adults. Start at the label serving, and talk to your doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take prescription medicine, or manage a health condition. NR supports normal NAD+ metabolism. It is not a treatment for anything.
How long does it take to see results from Tru Niagen?
The blood marker moves fast. In Conze 2019, NAD+ was up within 2 weeks and stayed up through week 8. In Christen 2026, it had roughly doubled after 14 days on 1,000 mg. A change you can feel is a different question. No controlled trial has shown that NR makes people feel more energetic, and the 12-week metabolic trial found no change in any outcome it measured. If you try it, judge it on a steady routine over two to three months, and be wary of any product page that promises a feeling.
Tru Niagen vs Eternal Elixir Nicotinamide Riboside 500mg
Both are single-ingredient NR chloride capsules. The differences are dose per capsule, price, and the name on the ingredient.
| Eternal Elixir Nicotinamide Riboside 500mg | Tru Niagen 300mg | |
|---|---|---|
| NR chloride per capsule | 500 mg (beta-nicotinamide riboside chloride) | 300 mg (NIAGEN) |
| Capsules and servings | 60 capsules, 60 servings | 30, 90 or 180 capsules |
| Other ingredients | Rice flour, cellulose capsule | Microcrystalline cellulose, hypromellose capsule, vegetable magnesium stearate |
| Price | $59.99 one bottle | $49.00 to $244.00 one-time |
| Cost per 100 mg | $0.20 | $0.36 to $0.54 |
| Ingredient used in published trials | Same compound, not the Niagen brand | Yes, the Niagen brand |
Eternal Elixir makes Nicotinamide Riboside 500mg, and it is our pick for most NR buyers because it costs less per milligram than any Tru Niagen option: $0.20 per 100 mg, against $0.31 to $0.54. Each capsule holds 500 mg, and the label serving is 1 capsule, so a bottle is 60 servings at $1.00 each. With two inactive ingredients, the label is shorter than Tru Niagen’s.
Be clear on the dose. One capsule of ours (500 mg) sits between the 300 mg and 1,000 mg arms of Conze 2019. No trial tested exactly 500 mg once a day. The 1,000 mg a day in the Martens and Christen trials equals two of our capsules, which is above our label serving. Our product page states that this finished product has not been clinically tested. The trials support the ingredient, not a specific bottle.
- Our NR suits: buyers who want NR chloride at the lowest cost per milligram, in a single purchase with no subscription.
- Tru Niagen suits: buyers who want the exact branded material from the trials, a 300 mg capsule, or a drug-tested athlete’s product (Pro).
NR or NMN: which NAD+ precursor should you buy?
NMN is the other main NAD+ precursor, and for years the choice between them rested on animal data. That changed in 2026. In the Christen trial, 1,000 mg a day of NR and 1,000 mg a day of NMN raised whole-blood NAD+ by similar amounts over 14 days (49.4 µM and 43.1 µM). The trial was open label and short, and it measured a blood marker, not how people felt. On current evidence, neither precursor has shown a clear edge.
That makes price and dose the practical tiebreakers. Our NMN 500mg holds 500 mg per capsule, 90 capsules per bottle at 1 capsule per serving, for $49.99, or about $0.56 a serving. Our NMN vs nicotinamide riboside comparison covers the full evidence. For ranked options, see our NMN supplement guide and the wider NAD+ booster comparison. Buyers who want several actives in one capsule sometimes choose our NMN Advanced Longevity Complex, or one of the NMN and resveratrol combinations we compare.
Tru Niagen review: frequently asked questions
Is Tru Niagen worth the hype?
For raising NAD+, the evidence is real: in Conze 2019, 300 mg a day raised whole-blood NAD+ by 51% within 2 weeks. The hype runs ahead of the data on energy, recovery and aging, where human trials are small, short or negative. Whether it is worth the price depends on what you value. You pay $0.36 to $0.54 per 100 mg for the Niagen name on the standard capsules, against $0.20 for our NR chloride.
What is the best NAD+ supplement in 2026?
Our pick is Eternal Elixir Nicotinamide Riboside 500mg for NR buyers, at $0.20 per 100 mg, or our NMN 500mg if you prefer NMN (90 capsules of 500 mg for $49.99). The 2026 head-to-head trial found NR and NMN raised blood NAD+ by similar amounts at 1,000 mg a day, so pick on dose, label and price. Tru Niagen is the choice if you want the branded NR used in that trial.
Add Nicotinamide Riboside 500mg to cart · $59.99
What are the side effects of taking Tru Niagen?
In controlled trials, side effects were no more common on NR than on placebo. Conze 2019 found no flushing and no difference in adverse events at up to 1,000 mg a day, and Dollerup 2018 found no serious adverse events at 2,000 mg a day for 12 weeks. In Martens 2018, both people who quit over side effects were on the placebo. Talk to your doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take prescription medicine, or manage a health condition.
How long does it take to see results from Tru Niagen?
Blood NAD+ rises within about 2 weeks and stays up with daily use, based on the Conze and Christen trials. No trial has shown a change people can feel, so there is no evidence-based timeline for energy or recovery.
Is it safe to take Tru Niagen every day?
Daily use is how it was studied, for up to 12 weeks in the trials above, with good tolerability. The label directs adults to 1 capsule 1 to 3 times a day, and the brand states the product is safe up to 2,000 mg a day. Long-term data beyond a few months are limited, so check with your doctor about your own situation.
Is Tru Niagen the same as other nicotinamide riboside supplements?
The molecule is the same: nicotinamide riboside chloride. Niagen is one maker’s branded crystalline form, used in most published NR trials, and other brands such as Life Extension use it too. Products using other NR chloride carry the same compound without the brand name. Compare them on NR per capsule, cost per 100 mg and the rest of the label.
Verdict: is Tru Niagen worth buying in 2026?
Tru Niagen is a simple, well-documented NR product, made with the ingredient used in most human NR trials. It raises blood NAD+ as advertised, and it has a good safety record in trials up to 2,000 mg a day. Its weak point is price: $0.36 to $0.54 per 100 mg for the standard capsules and $0.31 to $0.39 for Pro.
- Our pick: Eternal Elixir Nicotinamide Riboside 500mg, $59.99 for 60 capsules of 500 mg, $0.20 per 100 mg, single purchase.
- Buy Tru Niagen 300mg if you want the branded Niagen material in a lower-dose capsule, ideally on the 180-count subscription ($0.36 per 100 mg).
- Buy Tru Niagen Pro if you want the exact product from the 2026 head-to-head trial or you compete in a drug-tested sport.
More reviews and guides: we apply the same label-first method in our reviews of Thorne, Pure Encapsulations, Momentous, Swanson and Toniiq’s NMN range, and in our report on trial doses versus US label doses. You can also browse the full Eternal Elixir range.
Sources
- Conze D, Brenner C, Kruger CL. (2019). Safety and metabolism of long-term administration of NIAGEN (nicotinamide riboside chloride) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of healthy overweight adults. Scientific Reports. PMID 31278280
- Martens CR, Denman BA, Mazzo MR, et al. (2018). Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD+ in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Nature Communications. PMID 29599478
- Dollerup OL, Christensen B, Svart M, et al. (2018). A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of nicotinamide riboside in obese men: safety, insulin-sensitivity, and lipid-mobilizing effects. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. PMID 29992272
- Christen S, Redeuil K, Goulet L, et al. (2026). The differential impact of three different NAD+ boosters on circulatory NAD and microbial metabolism in humans. Nature Metabolism. PMID 41540253
- Product labels and prices: Tru Niagen 300mg, Tru Niagen Pro 1,000mg, Life Extension NAD+ Cell Regenerator and Eternal Elixir product pages, all read September 2026.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
