NAD+ Precursors for Cats

How food niacin, NR and NMN reach the same coenzyme—and what that means for your cat’s routine

By La Petite Labs Editorial 17 min read

Woman cuddling an orange-and-white cat and a silver tabby while holding a Hollywood Elixir box
Hollywood Elixir® Daily longevity system · adult & senior cats Starting at $63/month 

Cells turn nutrients from your cat’s meals into usable energy. NAD+ helps those reactions run by carrying electrons between them. It is a coenzyme: a molecule that works with enzymes to carry out their chemical tasks. Precursors supply starting materials for building NAD, through several related routes. 1 2

Cats need niacin from food because they make little of it from tryptophan, an amino acid in protein. A complete diet supplies that essential B3 nutrition. NR and NMN offer other starting points for NAD production, which is why they appear in supplements alongside the more familiar niacin forms. 2 4 1

The four names describe different routes into NAD production. NAM and NR can both feed the NMN step, while nicotinic acid takes another route. What happens after swallowing also matters: mouse tracing shows that oral NR and NMN can be transformed before they contribute to tissue NAD. 1 5

Cat research adds two distinct observations. Changing the whole food altered fecal NAD-related measures and a plasma niacin metabolite in 40 older cats. A separate heart-disease study found lower serum NAM in some affected groups. Neither was a trial assigning oral NR or NMN to improve cats’ health. 6 7

Hollywood Elixir declares 60 mg NR and 2 mg niacin per standard 2.5 g sachet. Its ingredient guide specifies NR tartrate; the B3 form is listed simply as niacin. Its Lite portion is half a sachet daily; Standard is one. The powder is mixed into the cat’s usual food and served immediately. 9 10

What a precursor supplies

NAD helps transfer electrons during the reactions that turn food nutrients into usable energy. It moves between NAD+ and NADH as it accepts and passes them. Some other reactions consume NAD itself, so cells also need ways to rebuild the supply. A precursor provides a starting material for that rebuilding. 1

The body can reach NAD through more than one route. That is why a food ingredient called niacin and a supplement called NR can both belong in this discussion. They contribute to making the coenzyme; they are not different names for finished NAD. Our NAD+ for cats guide explores what the coenzyme does in more detail. 1

Woman kneeling with two long-haired tabby cats while holding a Hollywood Elixir box beside a food bowl

Why cats rely on food niacin

Many animals can make niacin from tryptophan, an amino acid in protein. Cats do this inefficiently. A feline liver-enzyme study helps explain why: the necessary machinery was present, but a competing breakdown route diverted material away from niacin production. Adding the competing enzyme to rat-liver preparations reduced their niacin-related production too. 3

Food therefore needs to supply a cat’s niacin. Deficiency is uncommon when a cat eats complete and balanced food. Historical niacin-deficient diets in kittens caused poor growth, diarrhea and weight loss, illustrating how this food nutrient matters to growth and digestion. 2

Woman exercising beside a tabby cat, with a Hollywood Elixir box and food bowl on a small table

NA and NAM: the two familiar B3 forms

Niacin is a broad name that can include nicotinic acid, abbreviated NA, and nicotinamide, abbreviated NAM. Niacinamide is another name for nicotinamide. Their names overlap on labels, but their routes into NAD differ. 1

NAM enters a salvage pathway—salvage means reusing material to rebuild NAD. An enzyme called NAMPT converts NAM to NMN. Nicotinic acid instead passes through nicotinic acid mononucleotide and another intermediate before NAD is assembled. The niacin guide for cats explains the food-nutrition side of these B3 forms. 1

Orange-and-white cat reaching toward a woman holding a Hollywood Elixir box while sitting in a chair

Where NR and NMN meet

NR stands for nicotinamide riboside. An enzyme called an NR kinase adds a phosphate group, making NMN: nicotinamide mononucleotide. Another enzyme, NMNAT, then uses NMN in the next step of NAD assembly. In this route, NR feeds NMN, and NMN feeds NAD. 1

That makes NMN a meeting point. NAM can reach it through one enzyme route, while NR reaches it through another. Our NR for cats guide follows NR-specific forms and research in more detail. 1

Gray-haired man holding a Hollywood Elixir box while two cats rest beside him in an armchair

A swallowed precursor has a journey first

A pathway drawn inside a cell begins later than a supplement’s journey. In mouse tracing experiments, much of orally given NR and NMN contributed through circulating nicotinamide. Some intact contribution was detected in the liver, while very little reached other tissues that way. Oral and intravenous administration also behaved differently. 5

So NMN’s position one step closer to NAD does not, by itself, make an oral NMN product the better cat choice. The preparation has to be eaten, processed and delivered to tissues. The mouse findings describe those stages, while feline absorption and suitable portions require their own evidence. 5

NR becomes NMN on its way to NAD. NAM reaches that same NMN step through a different enzyme route.

What a food study found in older cats

Forty older cats ate each of two foods for 30 days at separate times. The test food differed in several ingredients and nutrients from the comparison food. Researchers measured metabolites—small molecules involved in metabolism—in blood plasma and feces. 6

The test food was associated with higher fecal NAD+ and a related precursor, and with higher plasma nicotinate ribonucleoside. That last name is easy to confuse with nicotinamide riboside, the NR sold in supplements, but it is a different metabolite. The study shows that changing a cat’s food can change these measured aspects of niacin metabolism. Fecal NAD is not blood NAD, and the experiment did not isolate an NR supplement. 6

Tabby cat looking up at a Hollywood Elixir sachet held above it, with the product box on a small table

Nicotinamide and feline heart disease

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, is a heart disease involving thickening of the heart muscle. A study of 83 cats compared healthy cats with cats at different HCM stages. In early, subclinical groups—before clinical signs—the researchers found lower nicotinamide in serum, the liquid remaining after blood clots. 7

This connects a niacin-related molecule with altered metabolism in an actual feline condition. The cats were observed, however, rather than assigned a precursor treatment. Lower serum NAM does not tell us whether giving NAM, NR or NMN would improve their hearts. The study identifies a metabolic difference whose response to supplementation remains to be tested. 7

Hand gently petting an orange-and-white cat beside a food bowl and Hollywood Elixir box

Comparing the four choices

Nicotinic acid takes a separate branch toward NAD. Nicotinamide is reused through the salvage pathway, reaching NMN. NR reaches that same NMN step through an NR kinase. An NMN product starts with the intermediate itself. These are four starting materials with distinct identities, even though their routes ultimately lead to NAD. 1

For essential B3 nutrition, the cat’s complete food does the daily work. An added precursor supplies more starting material through the route named on its label. NR is one such option; NMN’s later position in a diagram does not demonstrate better oral performance. Neither the cat feeding study nor the heart study compared those two supplements head to head. 2 1 5 6 7

Man holding a Hollywood Elixir box beside a black cat, an orange tabby and a food bowl

Reading niacin amounts in food

Food nutrient amounts often use calories as their basis. One FEDIAF minimum recommended concentration for adult-cat food is 10.50 mg niacin per 1,000 kcal. As a hypothetical example, 200 kcal of food made at that concentration would supply 2.10 mg niacin. That is the niacin already in the food, not an extra amount to sprinkle onto it. 8

The food’s actual concentration and the calories eaten determine its contribution. A supplement label uses another basis: milligrams of a named ingredient in a chosen portion. Grams of mixed powder are a third quantity. Keeping those units separate prevents a food recommendation from becoming an improvised NR or NMN dose. 8

NR and niacin in Hollywood Elixir

A standard 2.5 g sachet of Hollywood Elixir declares 60 mg nicotinamide riboside and 2 mg niacin. The ingredient guide identifies the NR as nicotinamide riboside tartrate. Its vitamin B3 entry says “Vitamin B3 (as Niacin),” without specifying nicotinic acid or nicotinamide. 9 10

The 2.5 g is the weight of the whole powder. The two precursor amounts describe separate ingredients within it; adding them does not produce a 62 mg dose of NAD. The tartrate name identifies the particular form to compare with another product’s NR ingredient. 9 10

In cats, a competing breakdown pathway limits how much niacin can be made from tryptophan. Food supplies the niacin they need.

Silver tabby sitting beside a food bowl and a Hollywood Elixir box held in a person's hand

DVM Voice: Clinical Vignette of a Common Pattern in Senior Cat Aging

Case provided by JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM

Sasha, a 12-year-old cat, was brought in after her owner noticed increased thirst and urination, lethargy, vomiting, and a generally unkempt appearance. Examination showed weight loss, elevated blood pressure, and reduced vitality.

Diagnostic testing revealed elevated kidney markers, poorly concentrated urine, and protein loss in the urine — findings consistent with chronic kidney disease, one of the most common chronic conditions in senior cats.

Her care required a kidney-focused diet, blood pressure management, targeted supplementation, medication support, and regular monitoring — a necessary plan, but one started after clinical signs were already visible.

Clinical takeaway: Sasha’s case reflects why senior-cat wellness should begin before obvious decline. Earlier monitoring, body-condition tracking, hydration awareness, antioxidant support, and daily cellular resilience may help support quality of life as cats age.

Single-case vignette. Not generalizable. Veterinary diagnosis and monitoring are essential for increased thirst, urination, vomiting, lethargy, weight loss, or suspected kidney disease.

Explore Hollywood Elixir Research →
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Why precursors sit beside energy and antioxidant ingredients

Building NAD supplies a coenzyme used in a larger system. During energy metabolism, NADH passes electrons into machinery that transfers them onward to CoQ10. CoQ10 is an electron carrier in that process; it is not another starting material for NAD. 1 11

A related coenzyme, NADPH, supplies electrons used to restore oxidized glutathione to its reduced form. “Reducing power” describes that ability to provide electrons for the reaction. This is one connection between the NAD family and antioxidant recycling. The four NAD forms guide explains the related pairs. 5 12

Hollywood Elixir brings NR and niacin together with CoQ10 and reduced glutathione. In one meal addition, that combines starting materials for NAD, an electron carrier and a component of the cell’s antioxidant system. This case for the formula comes from the ingredients’ roles in normal biology; the cited studies have not measured the finished combination’s effects in cats. 9 10 11 12

Woman leaning toward a fluffy orange cat beside a Hollywood Elixir box and green food bowl

The cat’s age and care plan matter

Hollywood Elixir is intended for adult and senior pets. For kittens, pregnancy or nursing, the product directs use only with veterinary guidance. A cat with kidney disease, heart disease or medication also needs the addition considered within its existing food and treatment plan. Bring the full formula and the proposed portion to that discussion. 9 4

Safety findings depend on the compound and the animal studied. For example, an assessment of NR chloride describes vomiting at high experimental doses in dogs. It does not supply a usual side-effect rate or a safe upper dose for cats, and it concerns a different NR salt from the one declared in Hollywood Elixir. 13 10

Tabby cat licking its nose beside a food bowl and Hollywood Elixir box

Human powders and supplement combinations

Powder, capsule, chew and liquid describe how a product is offered. They do not identify which precursor it contains or turn a human serving into a cat instruction. Dividing a human capsule by body weight cannot establish a suitable feline amount from the studies discussed here. 1 13 8

Combining an NR or NMN supplement with a multivitamin or resveratrol adds more than one kind of ingredient to the daily meal. Resveratrol belongs to a different ingredient category from these NAD precursors. Review the combined additions with your veterinarian, including the food and any medicine, before building a stack from human routines. 9 4

Half a sachet or a full sachet?

Hollywood Elixir’s cat serving directions give two portions: Lite, for under 7 lb or sensitive pets, is half a sachet daily; Standard, for 7–30 lb, is one sachet daily. 9

Half a sachet is 1.25 g of whole powder, containing 30 mg NR and 1 mg niacin. A full sachet is 2.5 g, with 60 mg NR and 2 mg niacin. These are the manufacturer’s portions, not doses derived from a feline treatment trial. The current product and serving options let you match the full formula to the applicable routine. 9

Start with a meal your cat likes

The product’s directions are simple: choose the daily serving, mix it into the usual food, serve immediately and repeat daily. Wet-food mixing and a kibble topper are both described in the ingredient guide. The useful portion is the portion your cat actually eats. 9 10

If your cat turns away from the new mixture, offer the familiar food without the addition and review the approach. A supplement should not make feeding harder. Loss of appetite deserves veterinary attention; cats can stop eating for many reasons, and forcing an unfamiliar food can worsen an aversion. 4 14

Tabby cat sitting at a table with a food bowl and Hollywood Elixir box

Compare value by the daily portion

A box contains 30 sachets. That provides 60 half-sachet portions or 30 full-sachet portions, so the chosen routine changes how long the box lasts. For a price-per-day comparison, divide the current box price by the number of applicable daily portions. 9

Woman cuddling a silver tabby and a cream-colored cat while holding a Hollywood Elixir box

A daily routine and realistic observations

A usual mealtime gives the daily portion a natural place. Follow the instruction to serve the mixed food immediately. The directions leave the choice of morning or evening open. The described 90-day routine is a manufacturer plan rather than a measured feline response time. 9

Play, interest in company and appetite are meaningful parts of life with a cat. They can help you describe how your cat is doing, but they are not measurements of NAD or proof that a precursor caused a change. If appetite or health changes, seek care rather than waiting for the end of a supplement routine. 4 14 6 7

Choosing an NAD precursor for your cat

A single-ingredient precursor keeps the addition focused on that one compound. Hollywood Elixir combines NR and niacin with energy and antioxidant ingredients, so choosing it means choosing those components together at the directed portion. 2 9

For an adult or senior cat whose food and care plan accommodate the blend, the practical appeal is one powder mixed into a familiar meal. It brings the combination together without asking you to assemble several separate supplements. 9 4

NAD cycles between chemical forms, but some reactions consume it. Precursors supply starting materials to rebuild it.

Educational content only. This material is not a substitute for veterinary advice. Always consult your veterinarian about your cat’s specific needs. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Glossary

Precursor: A starting material used to make another molecule.

NAD+ and NADH: Forms of a coenzyme that accepts and passes electrons during metabolism.

Niacin: A vitamin B3 name that can include nicotinic acid and nicotinamide.

NA: Nicotinic acid, a niacin form with its own route into NAD production.

NAM or niacinamide: Nicotinamide, a B3 form used in the salvage route through NMN.

NR: Nicotinamide riboside, a precursor that NR kinases convert to NMN.

NMN: Nicotinamide mononucleotide, an intermediate used to assemble NAD.

Kinase: An enzyme that adds a phosphate group; NR kinases make NMN from NR.

Salvage pathway: A route that reuses material to rebuild a molecule, such as NAM contributing to NAD.

NADPH: A related coenzyme that supplies electrons for reactions including restoration of reduced glutathione.

Metabolite: A small molecule involved in metabolism.

HCM: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease involving thickening of heart muscle.

Related Reading

Aging & Senior Cat Guidance
• Cat Age Calculator: Cat Years to Human Years
• Cat Lifespan by Breed
• Lethargy in Cats
• Senior Cat Not Eating
• Cat Drinking A Lot
• Why Is My Senior Cat Withdrawn?

Healthy Aging Support
• NAD+ for Cats
• NMN for Cats
• Vitamins For Older Cats
• Senior Cat Food

References

Numbered references identify the sources used for specific claims. Read the study design, species and evidence boundaries alongside each finding.

  1. Rachel S Fletcher et al. Nicotinamide riboside kinases display redundancy in mediating nicotinamide mononucleotide and nicotinamide riboside metabolism in skeletal muscle cells. 2017Evidence boundary: Mouse muscle and cell experiments examine NR-kinase activity and routes into NAD. The paper supplies pathway background; its cellular findings are not oral supplementation results in cats.↩ 1 · ↩ 2 · ↩ 3 · ↩ 4 · ↩ 5 · ↩ 6 · ↩ 7 · ↩ 8 · ↩ 9 · ↩ 10 · ↩ 11 · ↩ 12 · ↩ 13
  2. Sherry Lynn Sanderson. Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals. 2024Evidence boundary: Veterinary nutrition guidance explains cats’ reliance on dietary niacin, the uncommon occurrence of deficiency with complete food, and signs reported in kittens fed deficient diets.↩ 1 · ↩ 2 · ↩ 3 · ↩ 4 · ↩ 5
  3. Masayuki Ikeda et al. Studies on the Biosynthesis of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide. II. A Role of Picolinic Carboxylase in the Biosynthesis of NAD from Tryptophan in Mammals. 1965Evidence boundary: Cat and rat liver-enzyme experiments examine a competing breakdown route that limits niacin production from tryptophan. The original article was available as a transcription; this was enzyme research, not an oral supplement trial.↩
  4. Cornell Feline Health Center. Feeding Your Cat. 2026Evidence boundary: Cornell explains complete feline nutrition, food preferences and the place of veterinary advice when considering supplements. Adequate food intake remains central when an addition changes meal acceptance.↩ 1 · ↩ 2 · ↩ 3 · ↩ 4 · ↩ 5 · ↩ 6
  5. Ling Liu et al. Quantitative Analysis of NAD Synthesis-Breakdown Fluxes. 2018Evidence boundary: Mouse isotope-tracing experiments follow precursor metabolism after oral and intravenous administration. Circulating nicotinamide and tissue-specific processing help explain why an intracellular pathway alone cannot rank oral products for cats.↩ 1 · ↩ 2 · ↩ 3 · ↩ 4 · ↩ 5
  6. Eden Ephraim, Dennis E. Jewell. Effect of Nutrition on Age-Related Metabolic Markers and the Gut Microbiota in Cats. 2021Evidence boundary: A whole-food crossover study in 40 older cats measured plasma and fecal metabolites. The food changed several ingredients together; fecal NAD+ and plasma nicotinate ribonucleoside are distinct from blood NAD or isolated NR supplementation. Hill’s Pet Nutrition funded the work.↩ 1 · ↩ 2 · ↩ 3 · ↩ 4 · ↩ 5
  7. Qinghong Li et al. Metabolic abnormalities and reprogramming in cats with naturally occurring hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. 2025Evidence boundary: An observational comparison of 83 cats found serum metabolic differences across HCM groups, including lower NAM in early subclinical groups. It did not assign precursor treatment. Diet, medicines and other group differences complicate interpretation; Nestlé Purina PetCare funded the study.↩ 1 · ↩ 2 · ↩ 3 · ↩ 4 · ↩ 5
  8. FEDIAF. Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs. 2025Evidence boundary: The feline tables give minimum recommended nutrient concentrations for food on stated energy-intake bases. They support the hypothetical food-niacin calculation, not a dose or upper safe intake for an NR or NMN supplement.↩ 1 · ↩ 2 · ↩ 3
  9. La Petite Labs. Hollywood Elixir: Supplement Facts and Cat Directions. n.d.Evidence boundary: The standard 2.5 g sachet lists NR 60 mg and niacin 2 mg. Cat directions give half a sachet for under 7 lb or sensitive pets and one sachet for 7–30 lb, mixed into usual food and served immediately. The product also gives consultation guidance.↩ 1 · ↩ 2 · ↩ 3 · ↩ 4 · ↩ 5 · ↩ 6 · ↩ 7 · ↩ 8 · ↩ 9 · ↩ 10 · ↩ 11 · ↩ 12 · ↩ 13
  10. La Petite Labs. Hollywood Elixir Ingredients. n.d.Evidence boundary: The ingredient guide specifies nicotinamide riboside tartrate and lists vitamin B3 simply as niacin. It also identifies CoQ10 and reduced L-glutathione and describes wet-food mixing or kibble-topper use.↩ 1 · ↩ 2 · ↩ 3 · ↩ 4 · ↩ 5 · ↩ 6
  11. Reactome. Complex I oxidises NADH to NAD+, reduces CoQ to CoQH2. n.d.Evidence boundary: This curated human reaction record describes electron transfer from NADH through Complex I to coenzyme Q. It explains normal energy-transfer chemistry, not an outcome from a feline combination supplement.↩ 1 · ↩ 2
  12. Reactome. Glutathione reduction using NADPH. n.d.Evidence boundary: This curated human reaction record describes glutathione reductase using NADPH to restore reduced glutathione. It supports the antioxidant-recycling explanation, rather than a clinical effect of oral glutathione in cats.↩ 1 · ↩ 2
  13. EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA). Safety of nicotinamide riboside chloride as a novel food and bioavailability of nicotinamide from this source. 2019Evidence boundary: The official EFSA assessment summarizes NR-chloride research, including short-term dog studies. Its safety conclusion concerns specified human uses and does not establish feline dosing. The underlying proprietary dog reports were not publicly available.↩ 1 · ↩ 2
  14. Cornell Feline Health Center. Anorexia. n.d.Evidence boundary: Cornell’s feline guidance explains why appetite loss warrants veterinary attention and why forcing an unfamiliar food can worsen food aversion.↩ 1 · ↩ 2

FAQ

Is NR or NMN better for cats?

NR and NMN are related: NR can be converted to NMN, which feeds NAD assembly. Being one step closer on a cellular pathway does not establish better oral performance. The feline research discussed here has not established an NR-versus-NMN winner. Compare the actual preparation and the purpose of the addition within your cat’s food and care plan.

How much of an NAD precursor supplement should I give my cat?

There is no general cat dose established by the food or observational studies discussed here. Hollywood Elixir’s directions give half a sachet daily for under 7 lb or sensitive pets, and one sachet for 7–30 lb. Half contains 30 mg NR and 1 mg niacin; a full sachet contains 60 mg and 2 mg. These are product directions, not a feline treatment dose.

Can I use a human NR or NMN product or combine supplements?

A human capsule or scoop does not come with an established cat portion simply because it contains an NAD precursor. Check the complete preparation, including other ingredients, with your veterinarian. Bring all existing supplements and the usual food into the same discussion, rather than resizing a human dose or adding several overlapping products independently.

Can a cat with kidney disease, heart disease or medication use one?

The treating veterinarian should decide whether the exact addition fits the cat’s food, medicines and condition. The heart study measured serum nicotinamide differences; it did not test a precursor treatment. Hollywood Elixir also directs veterinary consultation for a medical condition or medication, so review the full formula and intended portion before use.

What side effects should I watch for?

A usual feline side-effect rate has not been established by the studies discussed here. Pay attention to whether your cat eats normally and to new symptoms after an addition. If it will not eat the mixture, offer the usual food without it. Discuss new vomiting, diarrhea or other concerns with your veterinarian and identify the exact product and amount given; loss of appetite itself needs veterinary attention.

Should I give it every day, in the morning or evening?

Hollywood Elixir’s instructions say to choose the daily serving, mix it into the usual food, serve immediately and repeat daily. Morning or evening can fit those instructions; choose a usual meal you can repeat with the applicable daily portion.

How long would it take to see a change?

The manufacturer describes a 90-day routine, but that is not a measured feline response interval. Appetite, play and interaction can help describe how your cat is doing; they do not measure NAD or establish that a supplement caused a change. Seek veterinary advice for appetite or health changes rather than waiting for a particular week of the routine.

What if my cat will not eat food with the supplement?

Offer the familiar food without the addition and review the portion or format with your veterinarian. Wet-food mixing and a kibble topper are described for Hollywood Elixir, but acceptance depends on the cat. Do not force an unfamiliar mixture; food aversion can worsen. Contact your veterinarian about a loss of appetite rather than waiting through a planned introduction period.

Orange-and-white cat beside a Hollywood Elixir box held in a person's hand

Discover LPL-01: How This Fits Into a Larger Feline Longevity System

Aging in cats unfolds quietly. It’s not driven by a single failure, but by gradual shifts across interconnected systems — cellular energy, oxidative balance, immune tone, and tissue integrity — each influencing the others over time.

This article explores one layer of that system. To understand what actually shapes long-term health, you need to step back and look at how these layers interact.

Start with the underlying science:

Keep exploring

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