NAD Injections vs. NAD+ IV Infusions: Which Protocol Fits You?

Once clients decide NAD+ is right for them, the next question is always format: injection or infusion? It's the right question to ask, because the molecule is the same but the experience — session length, dose ceiling, cost, and cadence — is entirely different. Here's the clinical version of the comparison, straight from the chairside.

The Shared Foundation

Both routes aim at the same target: your intracellular NAD+ pool, the coenzyme your cells use for energy metabolism and repair that declines with age — the decline documented across the NIA's aging-biology research and PubMed's NAD+ literature. Both skip the gut-absorption problem entirely. Where they differ is dose, depth, and time.

NAD Injection — The Entry Point

An intramuscular NAD injection takes minutes and fits the busiest schedule. The trade-off is dose: IM delivery comfortably handles smaller amounts, which makes it the ideal entry point — a low-stakes way to test how your body responds before committing to longer sessions. It's also the format most clients keep in their routine as maintenance between bigger sessions. We offer it as a $25+ add-on to any visit or as part of a dedicated injection visit.

NAD+ IV Infusion — The Deep Reset

The infusion is where higher-dose work happens: 250 mg up to 1,000 mg, delivered over 90 minutes to four hours depending on dose. Why so slow? NAD infused too quickly causes the flushing, chest tightness, and nausea our regulars call 'the wave' — the drip rate is set for comfort first. Higher-dose sessions are the format our longevity-committed clients book on a weekly-to-monthly rhythm. Both injection and infusion candidates complete clinical screening and a Good Faith Exam — the FDA regulates NAD compounding, and we follow those standards at every dose.

The Third Path: Niagen

There's also a precursor route. Niagen (nicotinamide riboside) supplies the raw material your body converts into NAD+ on its own schedule — a gentler, more time-efficient option that fits neatly into a 90-minute visit. Our Niagen IV is the right fit for clients who want cellular support in the middle of a workday, and for many people it's the gateway to full NAD+ infusions later. I compare the precursor philosophy in depth in the NAD+ primer.

How We Match the Protocol

My framework: injection to test and maintain, infusion to treat a deficit seriously, Niagen for efficiency and routine. Budget and calendar matter as much as biology — the best protocol is the one you'll actually follow. Curious what a full-dose infusion feels like hour by hour? My session diary holds nothing back.

The Takeaway

There's no wrong answer among the three — only better and worse fits. Book a session and tell us your schedule, your budget, and your goal; we'll match the format honestly. The full menu of doses and pricing lives on the NAD & Niagen page.