Key Points
- NMN significantly reduced diastolic blood pressure (DBP)
- Systolic blood pressure (SBP) showed a non-significant reduction
- Adults 60+ saw a ~4 mmHg reduction in SBP
- NMN was well tolerated, with only mild side effects reported
NMN's Effect on Blood Pressure Evaluated Across Clinical Trials
This study analyzed data from 10 randomized, placebo-controlled trials involving 349 adults with elevated blood pressure.
Participants took NMN daily (ranging from 250 mg to 1500 mg) for 4 to 12 weeks, and researchers compared changes in blood pressure between the NMN and placebo groups.
- Blood pressure is measured using two values: systolic (the top number), which reflects pressure when the heart pumps, and diastolic (the bottom number), which reflects pressure when the heart is relaxed between beats.
The overall goal was to determine whether boosting NADβΊ levels through NMN could meaningfully support cardiovascular health.
NMN Significantly Reduced Diastolic Blood Pressure
Across all studies, NMN produced a small but statistically significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number).
"The common-effects model indicated that NMN supplementation was associated with a reduction of 2.15 mmHg in DBP."
While this may seem minor, even small reductions in blood pressure can be clinically meaningful.
"Reductions as minimal as 2 mmHg in resting DBP⦠are associated with a 6% decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease and a 15% decrease in the risk of stroke."
Systolic Blood Pressure Reduced Non-Significantly
A slight reduction in systolic blood pressure was observed, showing a trend toward improvement, although it was not enough for statistical significance.
"A slight reduction in SBP was observed after NMN supplementation, the common-effects model indicated that this decrease was not statistically significant."
When lower-quality studies were removed, the results became stronger, suggesting NMN's overall effect may be slightly larger than initially observed.
"This exclusion resulted in enhanced and statistically significant reductions for both DBP and, notably, for SBP⦠in contrast to the non-significant original SBP."
Older Adults Saw a Greater Benefit
Interestingly, adults aged 60 and older experienced a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure.
"NMN supplementation resulted in a moderate reduction of 3.94 mmHg in resting SBP among participants aged 60 years and older."
This suggests NMN may be more effective in aging populations, where NADβΊ levels naturally decline and vascular function becomes impaired.
Conclusion
This meta-analysis found that NMN provides support for blood pressure regulation, particularly for diastolic pressure and in older adults.
"NMN supplementation may be associated with a small reduction in resting DBP and a modest beneficial effect on resting SBP in adults aged 60 years and older."
As a precursor to NADβΊ, NMN supports pathways that play an important role in maintaining healthy blood vessels over time, including cellular energy metabolism and sirtuin activity.
"Compared to other non-pharmacological interventions, NMN supplementation exhibited a comparable and promising hypotensive effect in the management of early-stage blood pressure."
While NMN is not a replacement for established interventions like diet and exercise, it may represent a complementary approach to supporting cardiovascular health, especially as NADβΊ levels decline with age.
"NMN⦠may serve as a viable avenue for blood pressure management in adults with elevated blood pressure, particularly for SBP among individuals aged 60 and older."
Larger and longer-term studies are still needed to fully understand its clinical impact.
