Is NMN just vitamin B3?

In today's plant extract and health industry, NMN (β-nicotinamide mononucleotide) is undoubtedly the most eye-catching "star molecule" in recent years. It quickly swept the global market with its potential for anti-ageing, triggering the enthusiasm of capital and the pursuit of consumers. However, amidst the hype, a fundamental yet crucial question has been lingering both inside and outside the industry: what exactly is NMN? What is the relationship between it and the well-known vitamin B3? Some people say it is a derivative of vitamin B3, while others simply equate it with the "more expensive vitamin B3".

To clarify the relationship between NMN and vitamin B3, we must begin with the foundation of biochemistry: metabolic pathways.

Firstly, vitamin B3 is not a single compound, but a general term for a class of substances with similar structures and physiological activities. Its main and most common forms are niacin and nicotinamide (NAM). As one of the essential B vitamins for the human body, it plays a crucial role in maintaining neurological health and promoting healthy skin metabolism. Severe deficiency of vitamin B3 can lead to Pellagra, a typical nutritional deficiency.

NMN, the full name is "β-nicotinamide mononucleotide", and its close relationship with nicotinamide can be seen from its name. In the human body, NMN is the core precursor substance for synthesising a key coenzyme, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). NAD+is known as the "energy currency of cells" and is deeply involved in over 500 enzymatic reactions in the human body, covering almost all core life activities such as energy metabolism, DNA repair, cell signalling, and gene expression regulation.

In the human body, there are three main pathways to maintain NAD+levels, among which the most crucial is the "Salvage Pathway". In this pathway, vitamin B3 (specifically nicotinamide, NAM) is the starting material. It is converted to NMN under the catalysis of an enzyme called nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt). Subsequently, NMN was further synthesized into NAD+.

This path clearly reveals the relationship between the three:
Vitamin B3 (nicotinamide) → Nampt enzyme action → NMN → multi-step reaction → NAD+

It can be seen that NMN is indeed a derivative of vitamin B3. However, equating the two would be a mistake of making sweeping generalizations. NMN is more downstream in the metabolic chain than vitamin B3, and it is a direct precursor of NAD+. This means that theoretically, supplementing NMN can more directly and quickly bypass the rate-limiting step of Nampt enzyme, potentially leading to a more efficient increase in intracellular NAD+levels. This is precisely the core logic of NMN as a supplement. Therefore, it is not accurate to say that NMN is "vitamin B3". A more rigorous statement is that NMN is an important intermediate metabolite in the process of converting vitamin B3 into the key coenzyme NAD+in the human body.

NMN is not vitamin B3, but an extension and reshaping of its value chain

Based on the above analysis, we can draw the following conclusion:

1. Essentially different: NMN is a metabolic derivative of vitamin B3 (nicotinamide) in the body and a direct precursor for the synthesis of NAD+. Its position in the metabolic pathway is more critical and direct than vitamin B3, and the two cannot be simply equated.
2. Different sources: Although NMN naturally exists in plants, its content is extremely low and does not have commercial extraction value. The mainstream of NMN raw materials available in the market comes from biological fermentation or enzymatic synthesis, which are products of biotechnology rather than traditional "plant extracts".
3. Market and regulatory status are different: NMN, as an emerging anti-ageing concept component, has a huge and rapidly growing market size, but its regulatory status globally is not fully clear, especially in mainland China, where it has not yet obtained legal status. This is in stark contrast to vitamin B3 as a mature and compliant nutrient.

For the plant extract industry, the rise of NMN is a highly inspiring case. It reveals the huge demand of consumers for high-tech, highly effective, and precise nutritional supplements. 

In summary, 'NMN is vitamin B3' is an overly simplified and misleading statement. NMN is a molecule discovered through in-depth research in modern life sciences based on vitamin B3, which achieves a significant leap in the value chain. Understanding this is crucial for us to grasp the development trend of functional raw materials in the future.

For more details about NMN, connect with Serrisha from APPCHEM. (Email: cwj@appchem.cn; +86-138-0919-0407)

Reference
[1]Y. Guan, Su Wang et al. "Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, an NAD+ Precursor, Rescues Age-Associated Susceptibility to AKI in a Sirtuin 1-Dependent Manner." Journal of the American Society of Nephrology: JASN (2017).
[2]Bin Yu, Xiaotong Jing et al. "The versatile multi-functional substance NMN: its unique characteristics, metabolic properties, pharmacodynamic effects, clinical trials, and diverse applications." Frontiers in Pharmacology (2024).
[3]Chaolan Li, Zou Long et al. "Screening of Natural High-producing NMN strains and Microbial Synthesis of NMN by Nampt." Food Nutrition Chemistry (2023).
[4]Jing Yan, Takumi Sakamoto et al. "Cinnamomum verum J. Presl Bark Contains High Contents of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide." Molecules (2022).
[5]Ye Liu, Jin-Song Gong et al. "Technology and functional insights into the nicotinamide mononucleotide for human health." Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (2023).