ProHealth Longevity, a supplement retailer, recently announced that it has become a supplier of NMN in partnership with Uthever manufacturer Effepharm, in response to reports of widespread adulterated versions of the popular ingredient. According to the company, more than 50% of commercially-available NMN products contain no NMN whatsoever, and some products had less than 80% purity.
 
Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN) is a metabolite of vitamin B3, and is a precursor of the essential molecule NAD+, and emerging research suggests that this compound may achieve health benefits which counteract some concerns associated with the aging process. The ingredient has become increasingly popular following research conducted by Harvard University researcher Dr. David Sinclair. NAD+ is a central building block in gene repair, and plays a role in stimulation.
 
With that surging interest has come several instances of adulterated supplements claiming to contain NMN, putting the credibility of this segment of the industry at risk, ProHealth Longevity reports.
 
“There are numerous disreputable companies ripping people off on Amazon. Those flooding the market with adulterated and fake NMN are not in it for the long haul. And because this is a ‘feel-the-difference’ ingredient, fraudulent NMN can ruin the entire category,” Nancy Dayton, CEO of ProHealth Longevity, said. ProHealth Longevity has been selling NMN supplements for three years. “Because we are on the front line, we knew the spike in the number of retail suppliers and products wasn’t logical. We wanted to protect ourselves and others from what was going on. Our first step was to shore up the integrity of our supply chain and formalize our relationship with Effepharm, manufacturers of Uthever, the only soon-to-be GRAS NMN.”
 
“Now, in addition to selling Uthever NMN direct to consumers, ProHealth Longevity is the authorized distributor to the industry worldwide with exclusive trademark rights in the U.S.,” Dayton continued.
 
Following its Uthever NMN distribution partnership, the company is calling attention to a prevalence of adulterated and/or counterfeit products available on the market. “Websites and Amazon accounts have been hacked, including our own. Companies are falsifying certificates of authenticity and other documentation,” Dayton said. “it’s difficult for co-manufacturers and consumers to tell the real, high-quality material from the fake, low-purity ingredients.”
 
According to information released by Effepharm, more than half of the NMN products the company tested contained zero NMN – some products had less than 80% purity. There were suppliers selling ordinary nicotinamide (a low-cost form of vitamin B3) as NMN.
 
“We have integrity. We care about people’s health. It is essential for us to call attention to this dire situation, so that our industry and consumers can be assured they are getting stable, authentic, pure, and safe NMN,” Dayton added.
 
Effepharm recently completed a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, parallel design, placebo-controlled study which backed the safety and efficacy of Uthever NMN, which is manufactured in accordance with USP standards. It is anticipated that the results of this study, the largest human clinical to date on NMN, will be published in the near future. ProHealth Longevity is also conducting its own multi-center, placebo-controlled trial.
 
“ProHealth Longevity’s Uthever NMN one-kilo powder packs are some of our top sellers, so it was not much of a jump for us to start selling the raw materials to manufacturers and wholesale customers in 5 kg to 25kg and 100-kilos pack sizes. We have the capacity to sell large quantities in the hundreds or thousands of kilos per month,” Dayton said. “We’re seeing explosive growth in private labeling because we’re a trusted source. Wholesalers are confident that they’ll have the benefit of repeat sales because their customers are getting the real ingredient.”
 
“It makes a lot of sense for reputable wholesalers to buy their NMN from us because we are a proven advocate for consumers,” Dayton continued. “We are in the unique position of providing a level of confidence and peace of mind for our industry partners.”