NAD+ is sold from peptide menus, and an injection month runs a typical $195. It is not a peptide. That is worth knowing before the first refill. The forms are priced differently, and the rules covering them are not the peptide rules.
What the molecule actually is
A protein is an amino acid polymer longer than 40 residues, in FDA’s own definition[1]. A peptide is the same kind of chain, only shorter.
NAD+ is not that kind of molecule. A 2024 review describes it as a redox co-factor and a substrate for signaling enzymes[2].
The name says it. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is two nucleotides joined, not a chain of amino acids.
It sells beside peptides because the menus are built by indication, not by chemistry. Glutathione on the same menus is a tripeptide, and does qualify.
Why the distinction changes the paperwork
FDA lists “Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD)” in 503A Category 1, bulk substances under evaluation[3]. The reduced form, NADH, is listed too[3].
Category 1 is not permission. It is an evaluation, under an interim policy[4]. FDA does not intend to act against compounding from a Category 1 substance while that evaluation runs[4].
The salt form matters as well. “Beta-Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Disodium Salt Trihydrate” is in Category 3, nominated without adequate support[3].
So two chemically close entries land in two different categories. A prescription is written against one substance, and the pharmacy chooses which.
What each form costs
| Route | Sellers | Lowest | Typical | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injection | 173 | $60 | $195 | $356 |
| Nasal spray | 78 | $79 | $155 | $299 |
| Under the tongue | 8 | $119 | $184 | $249 |
| Swallowed | 14 | $100 | $184 | $249 |
| Topical | 11 | $75 | $125 | $299 |
The injection's typical month runs $40 above the nasal spray's. The spread inside a single column is wider than that gap. Which seller writes the prescription moves the bill more than the route.
A monthly figure is also not a quantity of drug. Two $199 months can hold different milligrams. The arithmetic is in the NAD+ price units guide.
The supplement aisle is a different purchase again, with different rules. That comparison is in NAD supplement vs injection.
What an infusion has been measured to do
A pilot study infused NAD+ intravenously at 3 µmol per minute for six hours, and measured plasma and urine[5].
No change in plasma NAD+ or its metabolites appeared until after two hours[5]. The authors read that as complete removal from plasma over that window[5].
Two of the seven authors give affiliations at an NAD+ research company and a wellness center[5]. The abstract reports no participant count.
The 2024 review is blunter about the field. It says much about the biology of NAD+ and related molecules remains poorly understood[2].
Three questions before the first month
- How many milligrams does the monthly price buy, and in what form?
- Is the figure a first-month promotion, and what is the standing rate?
- Is a consult or membership billed on top of the medication price?
Those fees decide the bill. They are itemized in how much peptides cost. The clinic route is priced separately in NAD IV therapy near me.