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Glutathione vs NAD+

Updated 7 sources

Key differences

  1. 1Glutathione is an antioxidant tripeptide; NAD+ is a coenzyme for energy metabolism and is not a peptide.
  2. 2Both are sold as large-mg powder vials, both sting on injection, and both are 503A Category 1 substances.
  3. 3Glutathione has more human trial data (oral, IV, nasal), though most of it is small and mixed.

Side by side

Facts from each record, in the same words as their own pages.
Glutathione and NAD+ side by side
GlutathioneNAD+
Category
  • Longevity, Skin & hair
  • Longevity, Cognitive
Evidence
  • Limited human data
  • Limited human data
FDA status
  • FDA 503A Category 1Regulatory
  • FDA 503A Category 1Regulatory
WADA
  • Not confirmed
  • Not confirmed
Half-life
  • About 14 minutes in blood after a high IV dose (2 g/m2) in 10 healthy volunteers.Clinical study
  • About 11 minutes after 50 mg/kg IV over 10 minutes in 7 volunteers; levels were back to baseline at 30 minutes.Clinical study
  • Not established. No study reports human kinetic values for injected NAD+, per a 2026 review. In one IV study, plasma levels stayed flat for the first 2 hours of a 6-hour infusion.Clinical study
Routes
  • Subcutaneous injection, Intramuscular injection, Intravenous (IV), Oral, Nasal
  • Subcutaneous injection, Intramuscular injection, Intravenous (IV), Nasal
Forms
  • Vial (powder), Ready-to-use vial, Capsule, Oral solution, Nasal spray
  • Vial (powder), Nasal spray
Reported doses
  • 100 to 250 mg (subcutaneous injection)
  • 200 to 600 mg (intramuscular injection)
  • 600 to 1,400 mg (intravenous (iv))
  • 25 to 500 mg (subcutaneous injection)
  • 50 to 100 mg (intramuscular injection)
  • 250 to 1,000 mg (intravenous (iv))
Most cited frequency
  • Daily
  • Twice a week
Vial sizes
  • 200 mg, 600 mg, 750 mg, 1,000 mg, 1,200 mg, 1,500 mgCompetitor guide
  • 100 mg, 250 mg, 500 mg, 750 mg, 1,000 mg, 1,500 mgCompetitor guide
Mixed vial keeps
  • Fridge at 2 to 8 C, out of light, never frozen.Competitor guide
  • Fridge at 2 to 8 C, out of light, never frozen.Competitor guide
Protocols on file
  • 19
  • 19

Doses shown are what sources report, labelled by origin. Not medical advice.

Read each in full

Sources

7 sources, each checked by date. Record updated Oct 24, 2026. Numbers are restated in our own words and labelled by where they came from.

Clinical study4

  1. Aebi et al. 1991, high-dose intravenous glutathione pharmacokineticsPubMed · checked Oct 24, 2026
  2. PCAC June 8, 2022 FDA presentations (glutathione review)FDA, via a regulator · checked Oct 24, 2026
  3. Narrative review of IV NAD+ (2026)Frontiers in Aging · checked Oct 23, 2026
  4. Grant et al. 2019, IV NAD+ pilotPMC · checked Oct 23, 2026