NAD Blood Test
A private NAD blood test that measures your NAD+ and NADH levels and their ratio, the coenzymes every cell uses to turn food into energy and repair itself, which fall with age and are the target of supplements and injections. Know your baseline before supplementing, or see what a course has done. £199 organising your own draw, £239 at a clinic or £259 with a nurse. Results in 10 days.... Read more
A private NAD blood test that measures your NAD+ and NADH levels and their ratio, the coenzymes every cell uses to turn food into energy and repair itself, which fall with age and are the target of supplements and injections. Know your baseline before supplementing, or see what a course has done. £199 organising your own draw, £239 at a clinic or £259 with a nurse. Results in 10 days.
Key facts
- Price: £199 if you organise your own blood draw; £239 at a Goodbody clinic; £259 with a nurse home visit
- Measures: NAD+ (the oxidised form), NADH (the reduced form) and the NAD+ to NADH ratio
- Sample: venous blood, collected into a specialist kit; not available as a finger-prick test
- Results: emailed within 10 working days as a laboratory report with interpretation
- Not: the same as "NAD" written on an NHS result, where it means No Abnormality Detected; see the first question
- Related: NAD+ Injection Kits by Vivere, from £205
Your questions answered
What does NAD mean on a blood or urine test result?
If you have seen "NAD" written on an NHS blood, urine or examination result, it almost certainly means No Abnormality Detected: a clinician's shorthand for "normal, nothing found". It is good news and needs no follow-up. It has nothing to do with the molecule NAD measured by this test. NAD the molecule, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a coenzyme in every cell, and measuring it is a specialist test that the NHS does not offer. If your result says NAD, you are fine; if you want to know your NAD levels, read on.
What are NAD levels, and why would I test them?
NAD+ and NADH are two forms of the same coenzyme, which shuttles electrons in the reactions that convert food into cellular energy and powers the enzymes that repair DNA and regulate cell ageing. NAD+ levels decline with age, and are affected by diet, alcohol, sleep, illness and exercise. Interest in raising NAD has driven a boom in supplements and injections, but most people take them without knowing where they started. Testing gives you a baseline, shows whether supplementation is warranted, and lets you measure what a course has actually done rather than guess.
How do you test NAD levels?
With a venous blood sample collected into a specialist kit and analysed by a laboratory method that measures NAD+ and NADH concentrations directly. Book a Goodbody clinic or a nurse home visit and we take the sample, or choose the £199 option if you have your own phlebotomist and we send the kit. NAD is unstable once blood is drawn, which is why it needs a dedicated collection kit and cannot be added to a routine blood test or done from a finger-prick card. Results are emailed within 10 working days as a laboratory report with interpretation.
What is a normal NAD level?
The laboratory reference ranges used for this test are NAD+ 20 to 36 micromoles per litre, NADH 0.6 to 1.8, and an NAD+ to NADH ratio of 16 to 45. Very low NAD+ can reflect chronic illness, poor diet, heavy alcohol use or vitamin B3 deficiency; very high NAD+ is almost always from heavy supplementation. NAD+ also declines naturally with age, so an older adult will typically sit lower in the range than a younger one. The ratio matters as much as the numbers: a healthy ratio means your cells are converting fuel to energy efficiently and keeping up with repair. Your report interprets all three against these ranges.
Should I test before starting NAD supplements or injections?
Yes, that is the most useful time. A baseline tells you whether your NAD+ is genuinely low, in which case supplementation has something to correct, or already in range, in which case adding more may push you above it without benefit. It also gives you a number to retest against after eight to twelve weeks, which is the only way to know whether a product is doing anything for you. Excess NAD+ from over-supplementation is not harmless, so testing turns guesswork into a measured decision.
What is the difference between NAD+ and NADH?
They are the two states of one molecule. NAD+ is the oxidised form that accepts electrons as your cells break down glucose and fat; in doing so it becomes NADH, the reduced form, which carries those electrons to the mitochondria to make ATP, the cell's energy currency, and turns back into NAD+. The ratio between them reflects how efficiently that cycle is running. Very high NADH with low NAD+ suggests the mitochondria are not keeping up; a healthy ratio means energy production and repair are in balance.
What affects NAD levels?
Age is the biggest factor: NAD+ falls steadily through adult life. Poor sleep, heavy alcohol, a diet low in vitamin B3 (niacin) and its precursors, chronic inflammation and illness, and inactivity all lower it. Regular exercise, calorie restriction or time-restricted eating, good sleep and adequate B3 raise it modestly. Supplements containing NAD precursors such as nicotinamide riboside or NMN, and NAD+ injections, raise it more directly, which is why testing before and after is informative.
Can I do this test at home?
The sample can be taken at home by a nurse: book the £259 home visit and the nurse brings the specialist collection kit. If you have your own phlebotomist or nurse, the £199 option posts the kit to you for them to use. It cannot be done as a finger-prick test because NAD needs a venous sample handled in a specific way. Or book at one of 250+ Goodbody clinics for £239.
Do I need to fast or stop supplements?
Take the sample in the morning before any NAD supplement or injection that day, so you measure your level rather than the dose. If you want a true baseline before starting supplements, test first. If you want to know what a course has achieved, test at the same time of day and the same point after your usual dose each time, so results are comparable. Eat normally; fasting is not required.
What happens after I get my results?
Your report explains your NAD+, NADH and ratio against the reference ranges. In range: no action needed, and a baseline to compare against later. Low: the report sets out lifestyle measures and supplementation options to discuss, and suggests a retest after eight to twelve weeks. Very high on supplements: reduce and retest. Results are not a diagnosis; a very low result alongside symptoms is worth raising with your own GP, who may look for an underlying cause.
How is this test different from the NAD+ injection kit?
This test measures your levels. The NAD+ Injection Kit by Vivere is a home-use product that supplies NAD+. They are designed to be used together: test to establish your baseline, use the kit if your level warrants it, and retest to see the effect. You can buy either alone.
How long do the results take?
Results are emailed within 10 working days of your sample reaching the laboratory, as a laboratory report with interpretation that explains your NAD+, NADH and ratio and what, if anything, to do next.
What happens next
Your results are emailed within 10 working days of your sample reaching the laboratory as a laboratory report with interpretation. The report gives your NAD+, NADH and ratio against the reference ranges and explains what to do next, including whether supplementation is worth considering and when to retest. Results are not a diagnosis. All samples are analysed by an accredited laboratory.
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Available testing locations for NAD Blood Test
Aberdeen Clinic GCI Advanced Aesthetics
Abergavenny Clinic Amatsu Centre
Airdrie Clinic Amiry & Gilbride Pharmacy
Aldershot Clinic Wellington Pharmacy
Alton Clinic Four Marks Pharmacy
Andover Clinic Dr Malaika Clinics
Anniesland Clinic Amiry & Gilbride Pharmacy
Arlesey Clinic Waterloo Farm Wellness
Armadale Clinic Dears Pharmacy
Ascot Clinic Ascot Pharmacy
AshbyDeLaZouch Clinic Aeternum Aesthetics
Ashford Clinic Breakspear Pharmacy
Aveley Clinic Doctor B Aesthetics
Aylesbury Clinic Aura Body Clinic
Aylesbury Clinic Pearlfect Care Pharmacy
Aylsham Clinic North Norfolk Ear & Skin Care
Ballingry Clinic
Barnet Clinic Co Wellbeing
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More Information
How our blood tests work
Have your blood taken in-clinic by one of our skilled phlebotomists and check multiple biomarkers in one go. Many of our tests can also be done in the comfort of your own home with one of our easy-to-use test kits.
Testing
Take a test, either in the comfort of your own home, with a nurse visit, or at one of our clinics nationwide.
Analysis
Your sample is analysed in the clinic, laboratory or using your home test equipment.
Results
Get your comprehensive detailed results report from the laboratory.
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Meet our Goodbody Experts
Our team of professionals has decades of experience so you can be sure you’re getting the best tests and support to understand and improve your health.
Get in touch with Our Team
Dr Lebeth Jacob
BSc (Hons) MBChB
Registered GP & Lead Medical Advisor
Dr Alexandre Akoulitchev
MA, PhD, FRSM
Clinical Support Advisor
Dr Cheng Boon
MBCHB, MRCP, FRCR
Consultant Oncologist
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