IF you are reading this, you may already know that Nicotinamide Riboside is a relatively newly discovered NAD+ precursor.
Low NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) levels in the body are shown to impair mitochondrial function.
Levels of NAD diminish as we age.
What is Elysium Basis?
Elysium supplement company Founded by Leonard Guarente (MIT researcher and chief scientist) and tech investors Eric Marcotulli and Dan Alminana.
Elysium Basis is Clinically-Proven NAD+ Supplement. NAD precursor found in Elysium Basis and TruNiagen products promise to replenish NAD levels in blood and inside a cell.
Let’s find out if products from Elysium Health are real fountain of youth or another over-hyped product?
We will also uncover some controversy behind its product.
Table of Contents
Is Nicotinamide Riboside Good / Health Benefits?
Nicotinamide Riboside, aka Niagen, is shown to slow the symptoms of the natural aging process in animal studies.
NR is one of the precursors of NAD+, which means it transforms into NAD+ inside our body. NAD+ found in a whole body.
This helper molecule increases your energy levels, your metabolism, and memory.
By taking NR, the alternative form of vitamin B3, you are betting on a fact that biological processes related to aging will improve.
DNA cells will be repaired, your immune system will work better, and your internal clock readjusted to ward off various sleep issues.
Many chronic illnesses are related to low NAD levels, including diabetes, heart issues and Alzheimer’s, and NR supplements promises to help raising NAD levels.
Even though you can find NR in some foods like cows’ milk and flour, NR supplements are more effective at elevating NAD levels. Read the following guide to find the best nad supplement.
Elysium Health Lawsuit
Chromadex and Elysium Health are fighting over the patents for the use of Nicotinamide Riboside with hopes to reap the windfalls that come with controlling the market.
Nicotinamide Riboside is the main ingredient in Elysium Health, but this isn’t the only company that sells it.
However, its selling proposition revolves around the six Nobel Prize winners who have taken up an advisory role in this company.
While this should make the Basis more credible, the truth is that the six scientists aren’t actively involved in the creation of Elysium Basis, nor the combination between NR and Pterostilbene.
This company doesn’t highlight the use of Niagen in its composition and markets Elysium Basis as an exclusive blend created by these scientists.
However, Elysium used to buy both NR and Pterostilbene from their competition, Chromadex.
Elysium Supplement Reviews / How Did This Start?
When dr. Brenner found out that NR can replenish NAD levels, Chromadex immediately went on board, promising to help manufacture and sell these supplements.
Eventually, Chromadex couldn’t keep its promises, so Elysium got in the picture as one of Chromadex’sprimary customers.
Elysium started buying NR from Chromadex, which they used for manufacturing Elysium Basis.
In 2017, Chromadex and Elysium Health started a lawsuit, after which Elysium started manufacturing its Nicotinamide Riboside.
That’s why I think that Elysium Basis is not more effective than other products that use Nicotinamide Riboside, especially since most of these companies still buy NR from Chromadex.
The lawsuit revolves around the patent challenge, but Chromadex won this battle.
There are various lawsuits between these brands, with claims like patent misuse, fraudulent inducement, breach of contract, false advertising and unfair competition.
Chromadex accused Elysium of plotting and scheming to get control over the NR market.
Elysium accused Chromadex of selling NR to another company for a lower price.
In my mind, it’s all about two giants fighting for market control on an anti-aging pill which already brings revenue of tens of millions of dollars. Basically, this lawsuit is about money.
Where Does Elysium Get Their Nicotinamide Riboside?
At first, Elysium got its Nicotinamide Riboside from Chromadex, like various other companies which sell NR-based products. However, they didn’t feature Niagen – Chromadex’s proprietary NR – on the Basis’s tag.
Following the 2017 lawsuit with Chromadex, Elysium lost the patent war and claimed they started manufacturing its own Nicotinamide Riboside.
This raises various questions. For instance, Basis endorsed by some clinical studies, but those were done with Chromadex’s Niagen.
Can the study results still stand if Elysium uses another substance?
Besides, Niagen is an NR chloride, which explains its white color, stability, and long shelf life.
If Basis doesn’t use Chromadex’s Niagen, what accounts for its white color, stability and shelf life? How is the new Basis produced? Is the new Elysium Basis safe?
Elysium should come up to answers to all these questions. Besides, what if Elysium broke the patent infringement and still uses Niagen?
Another strong point is that Elysium claims that Basis is manufactured in the US – but doesn’t say where its ingredients are manufactured. That doesn’t sit right with me.
Do Nicotinamide Riboside Supplements Like Basis Work?
Some online reviewers claim to see an improvement in their energy levels, mental clarity, and sleep. I’ve taken some NR supplements, and I could see improvements in all those areas too.
However, some people say they didn’t notice anything after taking NR.
What Does the Science Say?
The current research revolves around the benefits of nicotinamide riboside and NAD on animals, with very few human studies to date.
That’s why we’re not talking about the benefits of NR and NAD+, but rather of their potential benefits.
The studies highlight that NR is the easiest to convert into NAD+, the coenzyme responsible for good aging. Other NAD precursors aren’t as easily absorbed in your body as NR.
NR activates sirtuins, which help you age healthily. Various animal studies link sirtuins to improved life span and better health, better DNA repairs, improved stress resistance, and less inflammation.
Nicotinamide riboside could also protect brain cells because it’s involved in the synthesis of the PGC-1-alpha protein.
This protein acts as an antioxidant and activates when your body’s mitochondrial function backfires, which usually happens for patients with brain disorders like Alzheimer’s.
An improved mitochondrial function leads to more energy, but NR can also decrease the risk of heart disease. That’s because raised NAD levels stabilize blood pressure and make the aorta more flexible.
Other benefits include a more rapid weight loss, lower risk of cancer, better muscle function and even improving jet lag symptoms.
Needless to say that some scientist are critical about any claims such companies makes:
If you say you’re a terrific scientist and you have a treatment for aging, it gets a lot of attention,” Jeffrey Flier pointed out, a former Harvard Medical School dean who has critisize the hype around this product.
What Are the Risks of Nicotinamide Riboside?
Various studies highlight that a dosage of a maximum 2,000 mg daily has no harmful effects.
While the current research shows no side effects or adverse reactions to NR, these studies are short and feature few subjects.
Some online reviewers complain of nausea, tiredness, GI discomfort, and mild headaches after taking NR.
The good news is, unlike vitamin B3, nicotinamide riboside doesn’t give you uncomfortable face flushes.
Elysium Basis Ingredients
Elysium Basis supplement features 250 mg NR and 50 mg pterostilbene. The formula includes various thickeners and anti-caking agents which are generally safe, like Microcrystalline Cellulose, Hypromellose, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate, and Silica.
The 250 mg of nicotinamide riboside have various health benefits on age-related illnesses. But I already discussed all that above.
What I want to focus on are those 50mg of Pterostilbene. This substance has recently been shown to increase bad cholesterol levels.
However, some companies still use it in their chemical formulas, especially products that claim to improve cognitive functions.
Pterostilbene has a similar composition to Resveratrol, that magical molecule in grape skin which is supposed to make you younger.
According to Elysium Health, Pterostilbene protects against cellular stress, has various anti-aging properties and activates the sirtuins we talked before.
That’s why this substance can increase your metabolism and help you lose weight faster.
So, would I take a product that contains Pterostilbene? That depends. I took Pterostilbene before it was proven to influence bad cholesterol.
Though I saw it works, I wouldn’t take it again – anyway, not until I would talk to my GP about it.
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) & Your Health
NAD+ has a significant influence on human cellular health and health in general. Decreased NAD levels impair mitochondrial function, which happens as we age.
Mitochondria are the powerhouse of your cell. So if they don’t work properly, your energy levels decline.
That doesn’t just mean you’ll feel more sluggish.
But a body with decreased energy levels has less power to fight infections and to heal itself.
That’s why age-related declining NADlevels link to increased risk of chronic illness.
In turn, NAD+ helps you age gracefully and feel more energetic.
There is plenty of research revolving around NAD, and the fact that it can alleviate symptoms of Alzheimer’s, diabetes and cancer.
A study published in Cell Journal shows that NAD precursors help rejuvenate mitochondria in mice.
Various animal clinical trials emphasize convincing results in terms of increased cellular energy. This helps your body repair your DNA, so it works better.
NAD+ is involved in the creation of sirtuins. These proteins are NAD+-dependent deacylases, which improve your metabolism, regulate your circadian rhythm or how your body adapts to day-night changes, plus they repair your DNA and reduce inflammation.
Sirtuins have various cardiometabolic benefits. They protect against obesity, improve your blood circulation, heart issues and regulate insulin sensitivity. Most of these disorders connect to old age and a sedentary lifestyle.
NAD is also involved in treatingCockayne syndrome. This genetic disease is rare and appears in children, who get symptoms of old age.
Seeing as NAD can effectively treat these symptoms, it’s believed that it can improve age-related issues in adults too.
Elysium Basis vs.Tru Niagen
I’ll start with the short version: Tru Niagen is better because it has an original formula, quality ingredients, and a better price.
Although Basis and Niagen both contain the same primary active ingredient — Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) — there are significant differences in the companies’ product, pricing, and service. Also, Tru Niagen now contains 300mg of NR/ dosage, whereas Basis contains 250mg.
Another point to consider is that Chromadex stopped using pterostilbene in its products after the new research shows it increases LDL – bad cholesterol.
Elysium has other ingredients that stop myself from taking it, such as trace residue of toluene. The opinions are split regarding toluene, especially considering that it’s not toxic enough to manifest severe adverse reactions.
The bigger problem, however, is that Elysium didn’t tell the FDA that it’s using toluene in its manufacturing process from the start.
True Niagen is a better product because it uses quality ingredients. The capsules are vegetarian, with no added gluten, caffeine, nuts or artificial ingredients. Besides, Tru Niagen is FDA-certified, whereas Elysium Basis is not.
There’s a lot of science backing TruNiagen, published in peer-reviewed magazines.
These clinical trials are based on various other pre-clinical studies at famous US and worldwide universities, as you can see from the Chromadex website.
Besides, Chromadex has 20 licensed patents for its product and over 140 research collaboration with famous US universities.
This propensity for research shows that Chromadex is working hard to improve the TruNiagen formula.
On the other hand, the studies featured on Elysium’s website are less convincing.
Firstly, the ones relating to the benefits of pterostilbene are short and involve fewer participants.
The ones which show how NR works are problematic too, seeing as Elysium manufactures NR on its own, and doesn’t disclose anything about the manufacturing process.
Regarding the price, Elysium needs you to subscribe so you can benefit from its discounts.
TruNiagen features both a subscription discount and a multi-bottle discount so that the price decrease can be up to 40%.
.
How Much Does Basis by Elysium Cost?
One bottle of Elysium costs $60, while six bottles cost $270.
Various discounts are depending on your purchase plan, though. With one year prepaid deliveries, you can save up to 33%.
Elysium Basis Review Conclusion
That said, Elysium Health has lots of things to change, starting with its transparency. The pterostilbene in its composition is debatable, although you can talk to your GP about it.
The NR proportion is still reasonable, albeit not as good as that offered by it’s competitor company Tru Niagen.
If the company were open about its manufacturing process and where it gets the nicotinamide riboside, Elysium Basis would be a product I could get behind. It doesn’t help that you have to pay more for it either.
This money is supposed to account for the pterostilbene and the six Nobel scientists in the scientific advisory
board, but they’re not endorsing Elysium supplements – they simply act as consultants.
Elysium, on the other hand, tries to make them seem actively involved in the creation of its NR, which is just false advertising.
So things being as they are, TruNiagen is always a better option for me. The price and discounts are way better too.
.