NAD+ and NMN for Hair Growth: What the Studies Tested

NAD+ injections and oral NMN are not established hair-loss treatments. There is relevant research, but the studies do not all test the same thing: a 2024 NMN experiment studied mice and cultured follicle cells, while a 2026 human study tested topical formulas containing several ingredients ¹². Neither proves that an NAD+ shot or an NMN capsule regrows hair.

For the background on the molecules, see NMN versus NAD+. This guide focuses on hair density, shedding and the limits of the specific hair studies, rather than general anti-aging claims.

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What did the NMN hair-growth study test?

The 2024 paper investigated NMN in mice after hair removal and in cultured human dermal papilla cells exposed to dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. The researchers reported improvements in the experimental hair-growth model and changes in inflammatory and oxidative-stress measures ¹.

Human cells in a laboratory are not human participants. A compound can change cell behavior without producing a useful treatment when swallowed, injected or applied to someone's scalp. The study supports further investigation; it does not establish a consumer dose, a time to regrowth or effectiveness for male or female pattern hair loss.

The paper includes a comparison involving minoxidil in the experimental setting. That is not a clinical head-to-head trial showing NMN works as well as minoxidil in patients. A seller making that comparison should identify which model produced the result.

The 2026 topical study is a different intervention

A study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science examined a Mito-Activator Complex containing nicotinamide, nicotinamide riboside chloride, NAD and epigallocatechin gallate. It included cell experiments and human application tests of shampoo and tonic formulations over 24 weeks. The authors reported improvements in hair density and growth ².

That is a human signal worth distinguishing from the mouse work. However, it is evidence about the tested multi-ingredient topical formulations, not a trial of oral NMN alone or injected NAD+. Because several ingredients were combined, the result cannot identify how much of any effect came from NAD itself. The authors' listed affiliation is the ingredient developer, Innogene, which is relevant context when weighing the findings ².

Before treating a product as equivalent, compare its full formulation, concentration, application and study population. Sharing an ingredient name does not make two products interchangeable. A shampoo study cannot establish a weekly injection plan.

Do NAD+ injections help hair loss?

The studies above do not establish that. An injection program needs its own evidence showing an appropriate hair outcome in people receiving that formulation and route. A photograph, higher NAD-related blood marker or explanation of cellular energy does not fill that gap.

The NAD+ injection evidence guide separates route-specific research from general precursor studies. If a clinic sells an injection and a hair treatment together, ask which component was actually studied. Improvements during a bundle do not show that every part contributed.

There is also a difference between evidence of benefit and product safety. Even if the goal is cosmetic, a prescription injection still involves its own handling, formulation and clinical questions. Our NAD+ side-effect guide discusses these separately from the chance of regrowth.

Can NMN cause hair loss instead?

The cited hair studies do not establish that NMN causes hair loss. They also cannot rule it out for every formulation, person or combination. A growth experiment is not designed to estimate all possible adverse effects of a supplement.

If shedding begins after starting a product, record the start date, dose, full ingredient list and any other recent changes, then discuss them with a clinician. Timing alone does not prove the product caused it. Avoid adding several new supplements to counteract a change before the cause is assessed. The NMN safety review covers the broader human tolerability evidence and its limits.

Finding the cause matters more than choosing a booster

The American Academy of Dermatology explains that diagnosis begins with the pattern and timing of hair loss, examination and, when indicated, tests for possible underlying causes. Treatment depends on that diagnosis; some shedding can resolve without a hair-growth drug ³.

This matters when reading NAD+ testimonials. Someone may start a supplement while also changing hair care, beginning another treatment or recovering from an illness. Regrowth during that period cannot establish which change mattered. Before-and-after photographs are more useful when lighting, styling, angle and timing are consistent, but even good photographs cannot replace a comparison group.

Bring clear questions to a dermatology appointment: What type of hair loss is this? What outcome is realistic? How will progress be measured? Which options have evidence for this diagnosis? A general promise to improve cellular energy answers none of those questions.

Comparing established options with an experimental add-on

AAD describes evidence-based options such as minoxidil and, for appropriate patients, prescription treatments including finasteride. Their suitability depends on the type of hair loss and individual circumstances ³. That is a stronger starting point than assuming an NAD+ product is the next step because it sounds newer.

If you still want to discuss an NAD-related topical or supplement, ask for the actual study and the exact product it tested. Decide what additional benefit the seller claims beyond the rest of your plan, how that benefit would be assessed and whether the cost is justified by the uncertainty. Do not stop an existing prescribed treatment to make an uncontrolled personal comparison.

There is enough research to warrant careful coverage of NAD+ and hair growth, but not enough to promise regrowth from NAD+ injections or NMN capsules. For adjacent claims, see NAD+ and aging skin; for separating visual testimonials from demonstrated effects, see NAD+ before-and-after results.