NAD+ is sold two very different ways: as an IV infusion, and as oral supplements like NMN or NR that your body converts into NAD+. They're related, but not interchangeable.
What oral NAD+ supplements actually are
Products marketed as "NAD+ supplements" are almost always precursors — nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) or nicotinamide riboside (NR) — rather than NAD+ itself, because NAD+ as a molecule doesn't survive oral digestion well. Your body converts these precursors into NAD+ internally, but how efficiently that conversion happens varies from person to person, and absorption is subject to the same digestive variability as any oral supplement.
What IV NAD+ actually does differently
An IV infusion delivers NAD+ directly into your bloodstream, skipping the conversion step and digestive absorption entirely. That's the core difference: a slower, variable, indirect route by mouth versus a direct, immediate route by vein. It's also why IV NAD+ sessions run long — often one to two hours — since infusing it quickly tends to cause flushing or chest tightness, whereas an oral capsule is just swallowed.
Cost and commitment
Oral precursors are a daily, lower-cost routine you manage yourself at home. IV NAD+ is a higher-cost, in-person session, typically done as a single visit or a short series rather than daily. Neither is strictly superior — they suit different budgets, timelines and tolerance for sitting through a longer infusion.
Which to actually choose
If you want a low-commitment daily routine and are comfortable with gradual, variable effects, an oral precursor is the simpler start. If you want a more direct, faster-acting approach and don't mind the longer session and higher one-off cost, IV NAD+ is the more established evidence-based delivery (see our longer explainer on NAD+ for what the research does and doesn't currently support). Some people do both. We're happy to talk through which makes more sense for your situation.