Anti-inflammatory effects of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) in human skeletal muscle after BFR-exercise
Dai-Lin Yang et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2026
Evidence type: Human randomized trialInterpretive weight: LimitedResearch area: Exercise-induced muscle inflammation and adaptation
DesignRandomized, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced crossover trial with muscle biopsies
Population11 untrained young men, mean age approximately 23 years
Sample11 participants
InterventionNMN 1,200 mg/day or placebo for 7 days, with a 3-week washout, combined with blood-flow-restriction resistance exercise
EndpointsMuscle necrosis and inflammatory signaling; TNF-alpha and IL-10 mRNA; p21 and myogenic differentiation signals; Immune-cell infiltration; Mitochondrial content and mitochondrial-transfer-related measures
What the publication reported
This crossover study examined whether seven days of 1,200 mg/day NMN altered the muscle response to blood-flow-restriction resistance exercise in 11 young untrained men.
NMN suppressed some exercise-induced inflammatory signaling, including TNF-alpha and IL-10 mRNA responses. However, it also delayed p21-related myogenic signaling and modestly delayed clearance of infiltrating cells.
A notable mixed result was that the post-exercise increase in mitochondrial content seen in the placebo condition was abolished with NMN. The paper therefore does not support a simple 'less inflammation is better' interpretation.
Key findings
NMN attenuated several exercise-induced inflammatory-signaling responses.
p21-related myogenic differentiation signaling was delayed.
Resolution of infiltrating cells from damaged regions was moderately delayed.
The 24-hour post-exercise increase in mitochondrial content observed under placebo was abolished with NMN.
Muscle necrosis resolved within 24 hours in both conditions.
What it cannot establish
Only 11 young untrained men.
Very short seven-day supplementation period.
Highly specific blood-flow-restriction exercise model.
Mechanistic muscle-biopsy outcomes are not equivalent to long-term performance or health outcomes.
Several findings point in opposite biological directions, so net benefit cannot be assumed.
HealthspanX claim boundary: This study does not establish that NMN improves exercise recovery, muscle adaptation or athletic performance and should not be used as a simple anti-inflammatory benefit claim.
