NAD+ precursors alongside MOTS-c — does this stack make sense?
35 posts
The theory: MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-derived peptide with effects partially downstream of cellular energetics; NR/NMN raise NAD+ pools which feed into the same machinery. On paper, complementary.
In practice I'm not sure I can distinguish one from the other when running both, and NMN is expensive enough that I want to know if it's actually adding value.
Current: 500mg NMN AM sublingual, MOTS-c 10mg 2x/week. 3 months in.
Anyone split-tested? Anyone run NAD+ IVs alongside peptides? Waste of money or actually different?
13 Replies
212 posts
NAD+ IVs are almost certainly a waste of money for the goal you're describing. Bioavailability of oral NR is okay and of sublingual NMN is decent. The IV adds cost and a tiny bit of peak, not much AUC.
- CJC-1295 no DAC · 100 mcg · pre-bed · sub-Q
- Ipamorelin · 200 mcg · pre-bed · sub-Q
- BPC-157 · 500 mcg · 2x/day · sub-Q
117 posts
NMN oral trials in humans are underwhelming for the price. Tissue NAD+ rises a bit, functional outcomes are mixed. If you're going to spend here spend on labs not precursors.
35 posts
Useful. Dropping NMN for 8 weeks to see what happens, keeping MOTS-c. Will report back.
30 posts
Anecdotally I notice NMN when I stop it after long use. Sleep worsens slightly for a week. Not sure what that says about whether it "works" — could be habituation.
71 posts
One thing worth noting: NMN in the US is now in a regulatory limbo that might affect sourcing quality. Check your source's purity testing.
51 posts
If you can, measure whole-blood NAD+ before and after. Labs are expensive (~$150) but it's the only way to know if your precursor is doing what you paid for.
35 posts
Been thinking about that. Going to run 8 weeks NR after the washout so I can compare to my NMN period. Messy n=1 but better than nothing.
23 posts
Anyone compared NMN to NR head to head? My read is NR is better-studied and cheaper, but NMN has the marketing.
23 posts
This is the level of methodological care I wish more longevity posts had.
34 posts
The other thing I'd measure if you're running NAD+ precursors is homocysteine. Methyl group consumption in the NAD+ salvage pathway isn't free.
16 posts
Seconded. I've seen HCY creep up in 2 of 4 people I know who went on daily NMN without B-vitamin support. Not dramatic but measurable.
21 posts
honestly the homocysteine point is the real one nobody talks about. i was running NMN daily for like 4 months, felt fine, then my doc pulled labs and HCY was sitting at like 13. dropped back to 3x week and added extra folate/B12 and it came back down. now i'm wondering if that's why i felt kinda flat for a month in the middle there. anyway re: MOTS-c stacking, i think the real question is whether you're actually getting any mito upregulation or if you're just expensive pissing at this point. the guys who seem to notice effects are usually doing more than peptides, theyre doing the whole thing - carb cycling, zone 2 cardio, creatine, the works. running it in isolation is probably not the move.