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Tru Niagen Unflavored

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4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
(443 ratings)
Niacin 300 mg
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Score77
A well-defined nicotinamide riboside product for NAD support, but expensive and only indirectly related to cardiovascular or skin goals.
How scoring works
Quantity:120 Gram(s) • (30 servings)
Goals:
Heart Health
Skin Health
Cardiovascular Support

Score 77

A well-defined nicotinamide riboside product for NAD support, but expensive and only indirectly related to cardiovascular or skin goals.
How scoring works
$52.99($1.76 per serving)
iHerb
$ 58.00
Pure Formulas
$ 52.99
iHerb
$ 58.00
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Analysis

Nicotinamide riboside chloride supports NAD-related cellular energy metabolism. The branded ingredient and exact amount make the formula easy to assess for that specific purpose.

The powder does not provide the lipid effects of nicotinic acid or the established skin-barrier role of topical niacinamide. It also lacks complementary cardiovascular or structural skin ingredients.

It fits adults specifically interested in an advanced NAD precursor and willing to pay more for a defined form. Shoppers seeking basic vitamin B3, cholesterol support, or a broad skin formula have more directly aligned options.

Who is it for
  • Adults specifically seeking nicotinamide riboside
  • Users focused on NAD-related metabolism
  • People who prefer a portioned powder format
Best for
  • NAD precursor supplementation
  • Cellular energy metabolism
  • Focused healthy-aging routines

Pros

  • Branded active is clearly identified
  • Meaningful nicotinamide riboside amount
  • Streamlined formula

Cons

  • High cost per serving
  • No specialized release feature is stated
  • Weak direct fit for heart or skin goals

Warnings

  • The powder adds carbohydrates that may matter to users tracking intake
  • Do not expect the lipid effects associated with nicotinic acid
  • Avoid stacking multiple NAD-precursor products without a clear dosing plan

Nutrient quality

88 Highest impact

Nicotinamide riboside chloride is a well-defined NAD precursor supplied at a meaningful amount. The formulation is simple, though its fit for the broad listed goals is indirect.

Ingredient transparency

87 Highest impact

Most stated amounts and the serving size are clear without a conventional proprietary blend. Form ambiguity, overlapping entries, or missing non-active ingredients leave important label gaps.

Customer satisfaction

69 High impact

The average rating is excellent, with a substantial review count supporting the signal. No detailed reviews are supplied to assess repeated complaints or intended-use experiences.

Value for money

56 Moderate impact

A specific NAD precursor and clear dose support ingredient quality. The premium serving cost and carbohydrate base make category value weak.

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Goals

Heart Health
Heart Health
Impact
High effect
D- Goal FitB+ Strength of SupportD CoverageA Formula Quality

Nicotinamide riboside supports NAD-related cellular energy but is not the lipid-lowering form of niacin. The patented Niagen source and 300 mg amount are strong for NAD support, yet direct cardiovascular relevance remains limited.

The product does not meaningfully address vascular tone, lipids, cardiac-specific energy, or homocysteine. Its streamlined design is transparent but better aligned with general healthy aging than a focused heart goal.

Study evidence
Niacin Supportive 105 studies
Skin Health
Skin Health
Impact
Moderate effect
F Goal FitA- Strength of SupportD CoverageA Formula Quality

Nicotinamide riboside is mainly used to raise NAD-related metabolism rather than to provide the established topical or oral skin-barrier effects associated with niacinamide. Direct evidence for improving skin hydration, wrinkles, or UV resilience from this form is limited.

The branded active and amount are clearly disclosed, but the powder does not supply collagen, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, or a dedicated skin antioxidant. Its relevance to skin is therefore indirect despite a substantial active amount.

Study evidence
Niacin Supportive 61 studies
Cardiovascular Support
Cardiovascular Support
Impact
Moderate effect
F Goal FitC Strength of SupportF CoverageB Formula Quality
Niacin · 300 mg

Nicotinamide riboside supports NAD production and cellular energy, but its cardiovascular role is indirect. The 300 mg branded Niagen amount is meaningful for NAD support, not for the lipid effects associated with pharmacologic nicotinic acid.

No fish oil, magnesium, CoQ10, vasodilator, fiber, or K2 is included to target common cardiovascular pathways. Clear sourcing and dosing make it a well-defined ingredient, yet the goal fit remains limited.

Study evidence
Niacin Supportive 136 studies

Ingredients

IngredientAmount per serving
Calories
15 Calorie(s)
Total Carb.
4 Gram(s)
Niagen (Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride)
 300 mg
Adults 18–50 Kosher Halal
Report overview
Niacin (Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride) · 300 mg OverallScore88
A Active Ingredient Quality & BioavailabilityA+ Dose, Safety & Label TransparencyC Value

Patented Niagen provides a clearly identified nicotinamide riboside form at a well-aligned daily amount for supporting NAD+ and energy metabolism. The packet format does not state a stabilization or delayed-release feature, leaving some uncertainty about delivery optimization. Cost is moderate for an advanced precursor, though it is less economical than basic niacin forms.

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Loading alternative details
81 Performance

NAD+ Cell Regenerator

Life Extension
<p>Branded nicotinamide riboside supplies a meaningful, clearly targeted NAD and cellular-energy serving. Compared with the original, it gives cellular-energy support a clearer ingredient identity or a more practical dose-and-cost balance; however, the ingredient is less directly aligned with heart or skin goals and carries a moderate class-specific serving cost.</p>
72 Performance

NiaCel 400

Thorne
<p>A meaningful nicotinamide-riboside amount with clearly identified betaine creates a compact cellular-energy formula. Compared with the original, it gives cellular-energy support a clearer ingredient identity or a more practical dose-and-cost balance; however, the serving is costly and direct support for weight, heart, cardiovascular, or skin goals remains limited.</p>
85 Performance

Niacin 100 mg

Source Naturals
<p>A moderate niacinamide tablet provides clearly identified vitamin B3 without typical nicotinic-acid flushing. Compared with the original, it gives cellular-energy support a clearer ingredient identity or a more practical dose-and-cost balance; however, the form is intended for nutritional or skin support rather than lipid-focused effects.</p>
79 Budget

NAD+ Cell Regenerator 100 mg

Life Extension
<p>Branded nicotinamide riboside provides credible identity and a clear low-dose NAD-support purpose. Serving cost is lower than the original, but the amount is below the stronger option in the supplied set and direct heart or skin benefits are not established by the input.</p>
86 Budget

Niacinamide B-3 100 mg

Source Naturals
<p>A clearly identified moderate niacinamide tablet offers simple non-flushing vitamin B3 support with excellent serving economics. Serving cost is lower than the original, but it does not provide nicotinic acid’s lipid-focused effects and complete excipient details are missing.</p>
81 Budget

B-Complex with Folic Acid plus Vitamin C

Nature's Bounty
<p>A broad B-complex with vitamin C provides practical daily B-vitamin coverage at very low serving cost. Serving cost is lower than the original, but several forms are conventional, thiamine entries are duplicated, and it is not a dedicated niacin or performance formula.</p>
80 Value

Super Vitamin B-Complex

Spring Valley
<p>Broad measured B-vitamin coverage offers accessible everyday value and a simple alternative to opaque blends. Its lower serving cost and clearer active design support practical value compared with the original, although chemical forms are not identified, thiamine is unnecessarily high, and it is not a one-for-one performance formula.</p>
80 Value

B-Complex plus Vitamin C

21st Century
<p>Vitamin C and several core B vitamins provide inexpensive general energy-metabolism support. Its lower serving cost and clearer active design support practical value compared with the original, although the formula omits folate, vitamin B12, and biotin and is not a dedicated niacin or pre-workout product.</p>
82 Value

No Flush Niacin (Inositol Hexanicotinate) 800 mg

Life Extension
<p>Clearly named inositol hexanicotinate provides substantial flush-free niacin exposure with economical serving value. Its lower serving cost and clearer active design support practical value compared with the original, although its cardiovascular effects may be less direct and reliable than those of nicotinic acid.</p>
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Sources

Published studies used for the product analysis and the top-ranked studies for each ingredient and goal.

  1. Effect of niacin therapy on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease.
    Duggal JK; Singh M; Attri N; Singh PP; Ahmed N; Pahwa S; Molnar J; Singh S; Khosla S; Arora R · Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology and therapeutics · 2010
    Meta-analysis5,137 participants7 studies pooledHeart Health forNiacin
  2. Role of Niacin in Current Clinical Practice: A Systematic Review.
    Garg A; Sharma A; Krishnamoorthy P; Garg J; Virmani D; Sharma T; Stefanini G; Kostis JB; Mukherjee D; Sikorskaya E · The American journal of medicine · 2017
    Meta-analysis35,206 participants13 studies pooledHeart Health forNiacin
  3. Relationship of lipoproteins to cardiovascular events: the AIM-HIGH Trial (Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome With Low HDL/High Triglycerides and Impact on Global Health Outcomes).
    Guyton JR; Slee AE; Anderson T; Fleg JL; Goldberg RB; Kashyap ML; Marcovina SM; Nash SD; O'Brien KD; Weintraub WS; Xu P; Zhao XQ; Boden WE · Journal of the American College of Cardiology · 2013
    Randomized trial3,414 participantsHeart Health Cardiovascular Support forNiacin
  4. Assessment of the Role of Niacin in Managing Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
    D'Andrea E; Hey SP; Ramirez CL; Kesselheim AS · JAMA network open · 2020
    Meta-analysis35,760 participants17 studies pooledHeart Health forNiacin
  5. Exploring the Cardiovascular Impacts of Oral Nicotinamide: A Comprehensive Narrative Review.
    Shoukfeh R; Tisack AM; Lim HW; Mohammad TF · Journal of drugs in dermatology : JDD · 2025
    Narrative reviewHeart Health forNiacin
  6. The ARBITER 6-HALTS Trial (Arterial Biology for the Investigation of the Treatment Effects of Reducing Cholesterol 6-HDL and LDL Treatment Strategies in Atherosclerosis): final results and the impact of medication adherence, dose, and treatment duration.
    Villines TC; Stanek EJ; Devine PJ; Turco M; Miller M; Weissman NJ; Griffen L; Taylor AJ · Journal of the American College of Cardiology · 2010
    Randomized trial315 participantsHeart Health forNiacin
  7. Niacinamide: A B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance.
    Bissett DL; Oblong JE; Berge CA · Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.] · 2005
    Randomized trial50 participantsSkin Health forNiacin
  8. The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer.
    Hakozaki T; Minwalla L; Zhuang J; Chhoa M; Matsubara A; Miyamoto K; Greatens A; Hillebrand GG; Bissett DL; Boissy RE · The British journal of dermatology · 2002
    Randomized trial138 participantsSkin Health forNiacin
  9. Effect of Nicotinamide in Skin Cancer and Actinic Keratoses Chemoprophylaxis, and Adverse Effects Related to Nicotinamide: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
    Mainville L; Smilga AS; Fortin PR · Journal of cutaneous medicine and surgery · 2022
    Meta-analysis3,039 participants29 studies pooledSkin Health forNiacin
  10. Nicotinamide for Skin-Cancer Chemoprevention in Transplant Recipients.
    Allen NC; Martin AJ; Snaidr VA; Eggins R; Chong AH; Fernandéz-Peñas P; Gin D; Sidhu S; Paddon VL; Banney LA; Lim A; Upjohn E; Schaider H; Ganhewa AD; Nguyen J; McKenzie CA; Prakash S; McLean C; Lochhead A; Ibbetson J; Dettrick A; Landgren A; Allnutt KJ; Allison C; Davenport RB; Mumford BP; Wong B; Stagg B; Tedman A; Gribbin H; Edwards HA; De Rosa N; Stewart T; Doolan BJ; Kok Y; Simpson K; Low ZM; Kovitwanichkanont T; Scolyer RA; Dhillon HM; Vardy JL; Chadban SJ; Bowen DG; Chen AC; Damian DL · The New England journal of medicine · 2023
    Randomized trial158 participantsSkin Health forNiacin
  11. Evaluation of anti-wrinkle effects of a novel cosmetic containing niacinamide.
    Kawada A; Konishi N; Oiso N; Kawara S; Date A · The Journal of dermatology · 2008
    Randomized trial30 participantsSkin Health forNiacin
  12. A Foodborne Outbreak Traced to Niacin Overenrichment.
    Hudson PJ; Vogt RL · Journal of food protection · 2023
    Case-control study21 participantsSkin Health forNiacin
  13. Nicotinamide for Skin Cancer Chemoprevention.
    Breglio KF; Knox KM; Hwang J; Weiss R; Maas K; Zhang S; Yao L; Madden C; Xu Y; Hartman RI; Wheless L · JAMA dermatology · 2025
    Cohort study33,822 participantsSkin Health forNiacin
  14. Chemoprevention of keratinocyte carcinomas and actinic keratoses in adults who were immunocompetent: a systematic review.
    Susanto A; Morgan E; Lindsay D; Collins LG · Clinical and experimental dermatology · 2026
    Systematic review7,355 participants11 studies pooledSkin Health forNiacin
  15. The current state of niacin in cardiovascular disease prevention: a systematic review and meta-regression.
    Lavigne PM; Karas RH · Journal of the American College of Cardiology · 2013
    Meta-analysis9,959 participants11 studies pooledCardiovascular Support forNiacin
  16. Effects of niacin on apo A1 and B levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
    Saboori S; Yousefi Rad E; Tammam J; Thondre PS; Coe S · The British journal of nutrition · 2024
    Meta-analysis12 studies pooledCardiovascular Support forNiacin
  17. Niacin improves lipid profile but not endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease on high dose statin therapy.
    Philpott AC; Hubacek J; Sun YC; Hillard D; Anderson TJ · Atherosclerosis · 2013
    Randomized trial66 participantsCardiovascular Support forNiacin
  18. Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Treatment: JACC Focus Seminar.
    Jenkins DJA; Spence JD; Giovannucci EL; Kim YI; Josse RG; Vieth R; Sahye-Pudaruth S; Paquette M; Patel D; Blanco Mejia S; Viguiliouk E; Nishi SK; Kavanagh M; Tsirakis T; Kendall CWC; Pichika SC; Sievenpiper JL · Journal of the American College of Cardiology · 2021
    Meta-analysisCardiovascular Support forNiacin
  19. Effect of niacin on lipid and lipoprotein levels and glycemic control in patients with diabetes and peripheral arterial disease: the ADMIT study: A randomized trial. Arterial Disease Multiple Intervention Trial.
    Elam MB; Hunninghake DB; Davis KB; Garg R; Johnson C; Egan D; Kostis JB; Sheps DS; Brinton EA · JAMA · 2000
    Randomized trial468 participantsCardiovascular Support forNiacin
  20. Effect of lipid-lowering therapies on lipoprotein(a) levels: a comprehensive meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
    Xie S; Galimberti F; Olmastroni E; Carugo S; Catapano AL; Casula M; META-LIPID Group · Atherosclerosis · 2025
    Meta-analysis145,314 participants147 studies pooledCardiovascular Support forNiacin
  21. Extended-release niacin vs gemfibrozil for the treatment of low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Niaspan-Gemfibrozil Study Group.
    Guyton JR; Blazing MA; Hagar J; Kashyap ML; Knopp RH; McKenney JM; Nash DT; Nash SD · Archives of internal medicine · 2000
    Randomized trial173 participantsCardiovascular Support forNiacin
  22. Equivalent efficacy of a time-release form of niacin (Niaspan) given once-a-night versus plain niacin in the management of hyperlipidemia.
    Knopp RH; Alagona P; Davidson M; Goldberg AC; Kafonek SD; Kashyap M; Sprecher D; Superko HR; Jenkins S; Marcovina S · Metabolism: clinical and experimental · 1998
    Randomized trial223 participantsCardiovascular Support forNiacin
  23. Differential effect of two nicotinic acid preparations on low-density lipoprotein subclass distribution in patients classified as low-density lipoprotein pattern A, B, or I.
    Superko HR; McGovern ME; Raul E; Garrett B · The American journal of cardiology · 2004
    Randomized trial180 participantsHeart Health forNiacin
  24. The effects of extended-release niacin on carotid intimal media thickness, endothelial function and inflammatory markers in patients with the metabolic syndrome.
    Thoenes M; Oguchi A; Nagamia S; Vaccari CS; Hammoud R; Umpierrez GE; Khan BV · International journal of clinical practice · 2008
    Randomized trial50 participantsHeart Health forNiacin
  25. Effect of niacin on endothelial function: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
    Sahebkar A · Vascular medicine (London, England) · 2014
    Meta-analysis441 participants7 studies pooledHeart Health forNiacin
  26. The clinical anti-aging effects of topical kinetin and niacinamide in Asians: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, split-face comparative trial.
    Chiu PC; Chan CC; Lin HM; Chiu HC · Journal of cosmetic dermatology · 2008
    Randomized trial52 participantsSkin Health forNiacin
  27. A Phase 3 Randomized Trial of Nicotinamide for Skin-Cancer Chemoprevention.
    Chen AC; Martin AJ; Choy B; Fernández-Peñas P; Dalziell RA; McKenzie CA; Scolyer RA; Dhillon HM; Vardy JL; Kricker A; St George G; Chinniah N; Halliday GM; Damian DL · The New England journal of medicine · 2015
    Randomized trial386 participantsSkin Health forNiacin