Nicotinic Acid, Nicotinamide, and Nicotinamide Riboside: A Molecular Evaluation of NAD(+) Precursor Vitamins in Human Nutrition. Annual review of nutrition [Annu Rev Nutr] Journal article

Although baseline requirements for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) synthesis can be met either with dietary tryptophan or with less than 20 mg of daily niacin, which consists of nicotinic acid and/or nicotinamide, there is growing evidence that substantially greater rates of NAD(+) synthesis may be beneficial to protect against neurological degeneration, Candida glabrata infection, and possibly to enhance reverse cholesterol transport. The distinct and tissue-specific biosynthetic and/or ligand activities of tryptophan, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, and the newly identified NAD(+) precursor, nicotinamide riboside, reviewed herein, are responsible for vitamin-specific effects and side effects. Because current data suggest that nicotinamide riboside may be the only vitamin precursor that supports neuronal NAD(+) synthesis, we present prospects for human nicotinamide riboside supplementation and propose areas for future research. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Nutrition Volume 28 is July 17, 2008. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/catalog/pubdates.aspx for revised estimates.

Annual review of nutrition [Annu Rev Nutr]