Introduction

In the functional nutrition industry, the question is no longer "How much active ingredient is included?" but rather "How much can the body actually utilize?"
For a highly fragile ingredient like NADH, the dosage form often determines a product's real value even more than the raw material itself.
This article explores three key questions:

• Why does NADH sometimes seem ineffective after oral administration?
• How can tiny pellets become an effective delivery solution?
• How is Bangtai Biotech expanding from premium raw materials to advanced formulation technology?

 

PART 01

From "High Content" to "High Absorption":

The Next Battlefield in Functional Nutrition

Bioavailability is rapidly becoming one of the most important keywords in the functional food and beverage industry.
As functional ingredients continue to proliferate, consumers and brands are no longer focused solely on how much of an ingredient is added. Instead, the real value of a product depends on how much of that ingredient can actually be utilized by the body. Maximizing bioavailability has therefore become one of the industry's most important drivers of innovation.
This trend was clearly demonstrated at the world's leading industry exhibitions during 2025–2026.
At SupplySide Global, bioavailability emerged as one of the most frequently discussed topics. Meanwhile, Vitafoods Europe 2026 reached an even stronger consensus: controlled-release technologies have become one of the most important formulation categories in nutritional supplements, while dosage-form innovation is reshaping products at an unprecedented pace.
Consumers are reinforcing this trend through their purchasing behavior. According to JD Health, searches for keywords such as "patented technology" and "bioavailability" increased by more than 110% year over year.
On the commercial side, companies have already begun translating this trend into real products.
A representative example is CELFULL's Celfavor® controlled-release microsphere technology, which protects unstable ingredients such as NADH throughout the entire journey—from storage to absorption. This technology extends shelf life to 36 months while enabling up to 12 hours of sustained release in the intestine.
The NAD⁺ precursor market is undergoing the same transformation—from competing on ingredients to competing on formulation technologies.
Today, when ingredient homogenization has become increasingly common, companies that achieve breakthroughs in dosage-form technology will be the ones that establish truly differentiated competitive advantages.
 

PART 02

The Fragile Nature of NADH:

Why Does It Often Seem Ineffective After Oral Administration?

Aging is commonly accompanied by two fundamental biological changes:

• A continuous decline in NAD⁺ levels.
• The progressive accumulation of oxidative stress.

NADH sits precisely at the intersection of these two pathways.
As an essential coenzyme in cellular energy metabolism, NADH directly participates in mitochondrial ATP production. At the same time, the NADH/NAD⁺ ratio serves as a critical indicator of the cellular redox state.
A study published by Stanford University in 2023 further revealed that aging activates a process known as reverse electron transfer (RET). RET generates excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) while simultaneously reducing the NAD⁺/NADH ratio—two hallmark mechanisms underlying aging and age-related diseases.
NADH is therefore much more than just another ingredient on a supplement label; it occupies a pivotal position within the biological mechanisms of healthy aging.

△ Figure 1. Reverse Electron Transfer (RET) Increases ROS Levels and Reduces the NAD⁺/NADH Ratio in Aged Drosophila
Figure 1. Active RET elevates reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels while decreasing the NAD⁺/NADH ratio in aged fruit flies.
A–B. CM-H₂DCFDA staining (A) and quantitative analysis (B) showing hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) levels in the brains of fruit flies of different ages, with or without treatment using the indicated RET inhibitor (n = 5 per group).
C. Quantitative analysis of the NAD⁺/NADH ratio in fruit flies of different ages treated with or without CPT (three independent experiments, 20 flies per group).
However, NADH has one critical limitation: it is extremely fragile.
It is highly sensitive to light, heat, oxygen, moisture, and acidic conditions.
Conventional NADH powder formulations may lose more than 50% of their biological activity within 6–12 months under normal storage conditions.
More importantly, NADH becomes highly unstable in environments with a pH below 7.
After oral administration, the highly acidic environment of the stomach causes a large proportion of NADH to degrade before it ever reaches the intestine, where absorption primarily occurs.
Consequently, even if the raw material itself possesses exceptional activity, its effectiveness can be significantly compromised if it cannot remain stable until it reaches the site of absorption.
The challenge therefore becomes clear:
To fully unlock the potential of NADH, high biological activity alone is not enough. It also requires an advanced delivery system capable of protecting the molecule as it passes through the gastrointestinal tract and enabling it to exert sustained biological effects after absorption.
 

PART 03

Pellets:

A Proven Solution Backed by More Than 70 Years of Innovation

To address the stability challenges of NADH, pharmaceutical formulation science has long provided a mature and effective solution—pellet technology.
Pellets are small spherical or semi-spherical dosage units, typically measuring 0.2–2.5 mm in diameter.
Unlike conventional tablets, where an entire dose is contained in a single unit, a pellet formulation consists of dozens or even hundreds of individual pellets. Each pellet functions as an independent drug delivery unit, and together they are typically filled into a capsule.
The history of pellet technology dates back to 1952, when Smith, Kline & French (SK&F) introduced the Spansule® sustained-release capsule, widely recognized as the world's first modified-release dosage form.
This groundbreaking technology dispersed active ingredients among hundreds of pellets. Some pellets were left uncoated for immediate release, while others were coated to provide sustained release, allowing a single dose to deliver therapeutic effects continuously for 10–12 hours.
Over the past seven decades, pellet technology has continued to evolve and has become one of the most important platforms for oral sustained- and controlled-release drug delivery.
Figure 2. Key milestones in the development of multi-particulate drug delivery systems.
From the introduction of Spansule sustained-release technology in 1952, to extrusion-spheronization in 1970, PLGA microspheres in 1986, the first transarterial microsphere embolization product in 1997, biodegradable internal radiotherapy microspheres in 2015, and 3D-printed pellets in 2019, more than 70 years of technological innovation have established multi-unit delivery systems as one of the core directions of modern pharmaceutical formulation.

Compared with conventional single-unit dosage forms, pellet-based multi-unit delivery systems offer several distinct advantages.

Protecting Active Ingredients Through the Stomach

By applying an enteric coating, the active ingredient is encapsulated within each pellet while the outer coating shields it from gastric acid.
This enables NADH to safely pass through the stomach and be released only after reaching the intestine, where absorption primarily occurs.

Sustained and Controlled Release for Longer-Lasting Effects

Through sustained-release coating technology, the active ingredient is released gradually and continuously throughout the intestinal tract.
This avoids the drawbacks of conventional powder formulations, which typically release all of their contents at once and are rapidly metabolized.

△ Figure 3. Three Drug Release Mechanisms of Coated Pellets
Figure 3. Schematic illustration of pellet drug-release mechanisms.
A. Soluble coating system
The soluble coating swells and gradually dissolves in gastrointestinal fluids, forming pores through which the active ingredient is released.
B. Coating containing pore-forming agents
Pores are generated within the coating membrane, allowing the active ingredient to diffuse outward in a controlled manner.
C. Insoluble coating system
The inner coating layer swells until the outer membrane ruptures, allowing the active ingredient to be released through the opening.
These three mechanisms can be flexibly combined to achieve customized release profiles for different active ingredients.

Built-In Safety Through a Multi-Unit Delivery System

Unlike a single large tablet, pellets are widely and evenly distributed throughout the gastrointestinal tract.
Their absorption is less dependent on gastric emptying patterns, resulting in lower inter-individual variability.
Even if one individual pellet has a minor coating defect, the overall therapeutic performance of the formulation remains largely unaffected.
This inherent redundancy is one of the key advantages of multi-unit delivery systems.

PART 04

From Premium Raw Materials to Advanced Pellet Formulations

As a global leader in coenzyme ingredients, Bontac Biotech is expanding its expertise beyond high-purity raw materials—including NADH, NMNH, and other key coenzymes—into advanced pharmaceutical formulation technologies.

Bontac's NADH pellet formulation was developed to solve a critical challenge:
High-quality ingredients do not automatically translate into superior efficacy.
Leveraging its extensive expertise in coenzyme technologies—including the world's first fully enzymatic manufacturing process, its proprietary BonPure® Seven-Step Purification Technology, and large-scale production capabilities for high-purity coenzyme ingredients—Bontac has successfully transformed high-purity NADH into an advanced pellet formulation.
Through functional coating technologies, the pellets provide both enteric protection and sustained, controlled release, maximizing ingredient stability and bioavailability.
This means customers receive not merely a conventional powdered ingredient, but a fully formulated pellet product that is ready for capsule filling and commercial launch.
From high-purity raw materials to high-bioavailability pellet formulations, Bontac is bridging the final gap between laboratory innovation and consumer-ready NAD⁺ precursor products.

PART 05

Conclusion

Is NADH truly effective?
Biology has already provided the answer:
Yes.
However, this effectiveness has traditionally been demonstrated under laboratory conditions.
To translate biological potential into meaningful benefits for oral supplementation, NADH requires an advanced delivery technology capable of protecting it throughout the digestive process.
That is precisely the role of pellet technology.
Small pellets. Big innovation.
Bontac's NADH pellet formulation enables premium NADH to be delivered where it matters most—allowing the body to make full use of its biological potential.
If you are looking for an NADH product that delivers genuine efficacy, or if you are a brand seeking to develop a differentiated, high-performance healthy-aging product, we welcome you to contact Bontac Biotech for NADH pellet samples and customized formulation solutions.

References：
[1] Rimal S, Tantray I, Li Y, et al. Reverse electron transfer is activated during aging and contributes to aging and age-related disease[J]. EMBO Reports, 2023, 24(3): e55548.
[2] Kállai-Szabó N, Farkas D, Lengyel M, et al. Microparticles and multi-unit systems for advanced drug delivery[J]. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2024, 194: 106704.
[3] Sharma S, Pankaj, Kumar S, et al. Cutting-Edge Developments and Patent Trends in Microspheres Drug Delivery: A Comprehensive Overview[J]. Recent Patents on Nanotechnology, 2025, 19(3): 434–652