NAD+ Injections and IV Therapy: What They Are, Benefits, Side Effects and Cost

NAD+ injections and NAD+ IV therapy have moved from a niche clinic service to something offered by med spas, wellness clinics and telehealth companies across the country. If you have seen them advertised for energy, focus or healthy aging, you probably have the same questions most people do: what exactly is in the needle, what does the research actually show, what does it feel like, and what does it cost?

This guide answers those questions plainly and ends with a needle-free option you can use at home. It is educational, not medical advice. NAD+ injections and infusions are prescription treatments, so any decision about them belongs with a licensed provider.

Key Takeaways

• NAD+ injections, often called NAD+ shots, are small doses (often 50 to 100 mg) given under the skin or into a muscle, usually at home after training from a provider. NAD+ IV therapy drips a much larger dose (typically 500 to 1,000 mg) into a vein over two to four hours or more in a clinic.
• Small pilot studies show IV NAD+ is generally tolerated when given slowly, but it raises blood NAD+ gradually rather than all at once, and faster drips often cause nausea, cramping or chest pressure.
• Injectable NAD+ is not FDA-approved for any use. It is prepared by compounding pharmacies and requires a prescription.
• Typical 2026 prices run about $450 to $600 for a standard 500 mg IV session and roughly $80 to $300 a month for at-home injections.
• If needles, clinic time or cost are the barrier, an NAD+ nasal spray is a needle-free way to include NAD+ in a daily routine.

What Is NAD+?

NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme found in every cell. Your body uses it to turn food into cellular energy, to power the enzymes that maintain and repair DNA, and to run the sirtuin proteins involved in how cells respond to stress. NAD+ levels tend to decline with age, which is why raising them has become a popular healthy-aging strategy.

There are several ways people try to do that: oral precursors such as NMN and NR, which the body converts into NAD+; NAD+ itself taken by injection or IV; and newer routes such as NAD+ nasal spray. Injections and IV are the most talked about because they skip the digestive system entirely.

What Are NAD+ Injections?

NAD+ injections deliver NAD+ with a small needle rather than a drip. There are two routes:

• Subcutaneous (SubQ): a shallow injection into the fat just under the skin, usually the belly or thigh, with an insulin-style syringe. This is the most common at-home route.
• Intramuscular (IM): an injection into a muscle, such as the shoulder or buttock, usually given in a clinic.

Doses are much smaller than an IV. Published provider protocols commonly start around 20 to 50 mg and work up to about 100 mg per injection, given one to three times a week at first and then weekly. The vials come from compounding pharmacies, need a prescription, and are usually kept refrigerated.

The appeal is convenience: an injection takes a minute instead of an afternoon in a clinic chair, and it costs a fraction of an IV session. The trade-off is that each dose is much smaller than an IV dose.

What Is an NAD+ Shot?

"NAD shot" is the everyday name for an NAD+ injection. When clinics, med spas and telehealth companies offer NAD+ shots, they mean the small-dose injections described above, given under the skin or into a muscle, rather than an IV drip.

• How it is given. Most NAD+ shots are subcutaneous, a shallow injection into the belly or thigh with an insulin-style syringe. Some clinics give intramuscular shots into the shoulder or buttock.
• How long it takes. A minute or two, compared with two to four hours or more for an IV session.
• How much NAD+. Usually about 20 to 100 mg per shot, compared with 500 to 1,000 mg in an IV session.
• What it costs. About $75 to $150 for a shot given in a clinic, or about $60 to $150 per vial for shots at home.
• What it can feel like. Soreness, redness or a small bump where the needle went in, and sometimes brief flushing, mild nausea or a headache.

NAD+ Subcutaneous Injection Protocol

Common provider protocols for subcutaneous NAD+ start around 20 to 50 mg per shot and work up to about 100 mg, given one to three times a week for the first weeks and then about once a week. The vials need a prescription and are usually kept refrigerated. Your prescriber sets the dose and schedule.

What Is NAD+ IV Therapy?

NAD+ IV therapy mixes NAD+ into a bag of saline and drips it into a vein. A standard session uses 500 mg, and higher-dose sessions use 750 to 1,000 mg. The defining feature is time: NAD+ has to be dripped slowly, so a session usually takes two to four hours, and higher doses can take up to six. Clinics often recommend an initial series of several sessions followed by periodic maintenance visits.

Why so slow? When NAD+ goes in too fast, most people feel it: nausea, stomach cramping, flushing, a tight or pressured chest, or a racing heart. Slowing the drip usually makes these ease, which is why an IV that looks simple on paper often turns into a half-day appointment.

NAD+ Injections vs NAD+ IV Therapy At A Glance

	NAD+ Injections (SubQ or IM)	NAD+ IV Therapy
Typical dose	About 20 to 100 mg per injection	About 500 to 1,000 mg per session
Time per dose	A minute or two	Two to four hours, sometimes up to six
Where	At home after training, or in a clinic	In a clinic or with a mobile IV nurse
How often (common protocols)	One to three times a week, then weekly	A series of sessions, then monthly or as needed
Common side effects	Injection-site soreness or redness, flushing, mild nausea	Nausea, cramping, flushing, chest pressure, headache, faster heart rate during the drip
Typical 2026 cost	About $60 to $150 per vial, roughly $80 to $300 a month	About $450 to $600 for 500 mg; $800 to $1,200 for higher doses
Prescription needed	Yes	Yes

Doses, frequencies and prices vary widely between providers. The figures above reflect typical published clinic and pharmacy pricing, not a recommendation.

Do NAD+ Injections And IV Therapy Work? What The Research Shows

People who try NAD+ injections or IV usually want more energy, clearer thinking or support for healthy aging. Here is what the human studies of injected NAD+ show:

• A 2019 pilot study (Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience) infused 750 mg of NAD+ over six hours in a small group of healthy men. Routine blood tests stayed normal, and blood NAD+ rose gradually during the infusion rather than immediately.
• A 2024 randomized, placebo-controlled pilot in healthy adults over 40 (published as a preprint and sponsored by a maker of an NAD+ precursor) gave 500 mg of NAD+ by IV. Infusions averaged about three hours. Blood NAD+ was up only about 2 percent at 24 hours and about 15 percent by day 14, and the most common experiences during the drip were nausea, headache, stomach upset and muscle cramping.
• A 2026 retrospective review from a wellness clinic (Frontiers in Aging) looked at people receiving 500 mg of NAD+ by IV on four consecutive days. All six in the NAD+ group reported uncomfortable effects during the drip, such as cramping, nausea and chest pressure, which stopped when the infusion ended.

What this means in practice: injected NAD+ appears to be tolerated when given slowly, and it raises blood NAD+ gradually over hours and days rather than all at once.

NAD+ Injection And IV Side Effects

During Or After An IV

• Nausea, stomach cramping or an urgent need to use the bathroom
• Flushing or a feeling of warmth
• Chest tightness or pressure
• Headache or head pressure
• A faster heart rate
• Feeling tired or drained afterward

These are usually tied to how fast the drip runs and ease when it is slowed or stopped.

With Injections

• Soreness, redness or a small bump at the injection site
• Brief flushing or warmth
• Mild nausea or headache
• A small risk of infection if sterile technique is not followed

Who Should Talk To A Provider First

Check with a licensed provider before any NAD+ injection or infusion if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have heart, blood pressure, kidney or liver concerns, take prescription medication, or are under 18. Only use NAD+ from a licensed pharmacy with a prescription, never an unlabeled vial bought online.

Are NAD+ Injections FDA-Approved?

No. Injectable NAD+ is not an FDA-approved drug for any use. Providers obtain it from compounding pharmacies, which prepare it under a prescription. Compounded products do not go through the same FDA review as approved medicines, so the pharmacy's quality standards matter. Ask which pharmacy prepared the NAD+ and whether the vial is properly labeled and in date.

How Often Do People Get NAD+ Injections Or IV Therapy?

Common clinic protocols look like this:

• IV: an initial series of four to eight sessions over a few weeks, then maintenance sessions monthly or every few months.
• SubQ injections: one to three times a week for the first weeks, then about once a week.

The right frequency for you is a conversation with your provider.

How Much Do NAD+ Injections And IV Therapy Cost In 2026?

• Standard NAD+ IV (500 mg): about $450 to $600 per session; roughly $300 to $450 in smaller markets and $650 to $800 in major cities.
• Higher-dose NAD+ IV (750 to 1,000 mg): about $800 to $1,200 per session.
• An initial IV series: commonly $1,200 to $4,800 in total.
• Intramuscular injections in a clinic: about $75 to $150 each.
• At-home SubQ injections: about $60 to $150 per vial, often $80 to $300 a month.

Insurance generally does not cover NAD+ injections or IV therapy.

Skin patches are also sold as a needle-free route; see NAD+ patches vs NAD+ nasal spray for what the research shows.

A Needle-Free Option: NAD+ Nasal Spray

Not everyone wants a needle, a prescription or a half-day in a clinic chair. An NAD+ nasal spray delivers NAD+ as a fine mist to the thin, blood-vessel-rich lining of the nose. It is absorbed through the lining of the nose instead of being swallowed like a capsule, so some of each dose skips digestion. Unlike an injection, it fits into a daily routine at home, at work or while traveling.

Our NAD+ Nasal Spray comes in three strengths: 35 mg, 100 mg and 170 mg of NAD+ per two-spray serving, with 30 servings per bottle. It is formulated in house with third-party tested ingredients.

To be clear about the trade-offs: a nasal spray delivers far less per dose than an IV, and the two are taken in different ways, so they cannot be compared milligram for milligram. What the spray offers is consistency, convenience and cost: steady daily use without needles or appointments. For a side-by-side look at spray, injections and IV, see our NAD+ nasal spray vs injection and IV comparison.

Wellness clinics and med spas that want to carry a needle-free NAD+ option can tell our team about their business through our wholesale and partnership inquiry page.

Sources

• Covarrubias AJ et al. NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 2021. PubMed
• Grant R et al. A pilot study investigating changes in the human plasma and urine NAD+ metabolome during a 6 hour intravenous infusion of NAD+. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2019. PubMed
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers. FDA

Frequently Asked Questions

What are NAD+ injections?

NAD+ injections are small doses of NAD+ given with a needle, either under the skin (subcutaneous) or into a muscle (intramuscular). They require a prescription and are prepared by compounding pharmacies.

What is NAD+ IV therapy?

NAD+ IV therapy drips a larger dose of NAD+, usually 500 to 1,000 mg mixed in saline, into a vein over two to four hours or longer in a clinic.

Do NAD+ injections actually work?

Small pilot studies show injected NAD+ is tolerated when given slowly and raises blood NAD+ gradually; in one 500 mg IV study, blood NAD+ was about 15 percent higher by day 14.

Why does an NAD+ IV take so long?

Given quickly, NAD+ commonly causes nausea, cramping, flushing and chest pressure. Running the drip slowly keeps it comfortable, so a 500 mg session often takes around three hours.

Are NAD+ injections better than IV?

They serve different purposes. Injections are small, quick and can be done at home; IV delivers a much larger dose but takes hours in a clinic and costs more.

How often should you get NAD+ injections?

Common clinic protocols use one to three injections a week at first, then weekly, but frequency should be set with your provider.

What is an NAD shot?

An NAD shot is an NAD+ injection: a small dose of NAD+, usually 20 to 100 mg, given under the skin or into a muscle. It takes a minute or two, compared with hours for an IV.

How much does an NAD+ shot cost?

About $75 to $150 for a shot in a clinic, or about $60 to $150 per vial for shots at home, often $80 to $300 a month.

Do you need a prescription for NAD+ injections?

Yes. Injectable NAD+ is a compounded prescription product and is not FDA-approved.

Is an NAD+ nasal spray as effective as an injection?

They are different tools. An injection or IV delivers a larger dose directly into the body, while a nasal spray delivers smaller daily amounts without needles. The choice comes down to your goals, budget and comfort with needles.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.