Why is the NMN supplement banned in some countries?

In 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, stated that NMN was not to be sold as a supplement and was being investigated as a drug.

NMN is the beginning stage of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a cell stress alleviator needed for cell energy and DNA repair in our bodies. As we age, our NAD+ levels significantly decline, which can be a cause of age-related cardiovascular disease, cancers and metabolic issues.

By taking NMN, in humans, it can increase blood NAD+ levels and when tested on animals, it helped mitigate age-related diseases. These animal studies were a precursor for pharmaceutical companies researching NMN as a drug for humans.

Due to this investigation of NMN as a drug, the FDA banned its sale only due to its label as a supplement, not due to its lack of safety or potential side effects.

Companies must file a new dietary ingredient notification with the FDA to get approval, although the FDA has raised objections based on a lack of evidence for NMN’s safety.

NMN has been sold in many countries in Asia, like Japan for nearly a decade, and is popular as a longevity supplement. Many sellers still sell NMN supplements from their websites, with only the US being affected by the FDA’s legal decision. It does, however, mean that quality NMN products are available to consumers in the US. NMN is, however, also banned across Europe and in China, but is allowed in Australia as a supplement.