The longevity supplement market has exploded, and two names come up again and again for anyone building a serious anti-ageing routine: NOVOS Core, the 12-ingredient "all-in-one" daily drink mix designed by scientists from Harvard and MIT, and the Welzo Ultra Purity Stack, a UK-made, high-purity range built around NMN Pro 1000 and NAD⁺ support. Both sit inside the wider category mapped out in our pillar guide to longevity supplements, and for the NAD⁺ side specifically the full grounding is in our NMN benefits, side effects and dosage guide. If you already know what you want, browse the full range of anti-ageing and longevity supplements or our NMN supplements collection. If you're searching for an honest NOVOS Core review and want to know how it stacks up against a modular, purity-first alternative, this in-depth comparison is for you. Below we break down the formulas ingredient by ingredient, weigh the published science against each brand's marketing claims, compare real-world cost, and give you a clear framework for choosing. Everything here is referenced to peer-reviewed research and clearly labelled where a claim comes from a company's own (not-yet-published) data.
Both products aim at the same goal — supporting the biological processes behind healthy ageing — but they take opposite design philosophies. NOVOS Core is a broad, fixed "shotgun" blend targeting many hallmarks of ageing at once. The Welzo Ultra Purity Stack is a focused, customisable foundation built on high-purity NMN that you can layer to taste.
| Feature | NOVOS Core | Welzo Ultra Purity Stack |
|---|---|---|
| Core approach | Broad 12-ingredient daily blend targeting multiple ageing mechanisms | Modular NAD⁺-focused stack built on NMN, with optional resveratrol, TMG & PQQ |
| Format | Powder sachet mixed into water or juice | Vegetarian capsules |
| Headline ingredients | Ca-AKG, fisetin, pterostilbene, glycine, magnesium, L-theanine, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C | NMN 1000 mg (99% purity), trans-resveratrol, TMG, PQQ |
| Actives per serving | ~6.9 g blend of 12 ingredients | Depends on components (e.g. 1000 mg NMN + chosen add-ons) |
| Human/clinical data | Company-reported in-vitro, mouse & human studies (several not yet peer-reviewed) | Individual ingredients supported by published human & animal trials |
| Third-party tested | Yes (per brand) | Yes — GMP-certified & independently third-party tested |
| Ships from | USA (ships to the UK) | UK (same-day dispatch) |
| Approx. cost | ≈ $98/month subscription (≈ £75–£95) | Varies by components — often lower for an NMN-first routine (see current price) |
| Best for | People wanting one broad, convenient, done-for-you formula | People wanting a high-purity, customisable NAD⁺ foundation |
NOVOS Core is a daily longevity "drink mix" produced by NOVOS Labs, a US company founded with input from ageing researchers associated with institutions such as Harvard Medical School, MIT and the Salk Institute. Each single-serving sachet delivers a roughly 6.9 g blend of 12 ingredients that the company selected to address multiple biological mechanisms of ageing simultaneously, rather than relying on a single molecule.
The pitch is convenience and breadth: one flavoured (orange) or unflavoured powder, mixed into cold or lukewarm water, that aims to cover cellular energy, DNA protection, senescence, skin hydration, cognition and mood in a single scoop. NOVOS positions Core as its foundational product, with separate products (an NMN "Boost", organ-support chews and an at-home biological-age test) sold alongside it.
The 12 active ingredients in NOVOS Core are: calcium alpha-ketoglutarate (Ca-AKG), fisetin, pterostilbene, glycine, glucosamine sulfate, magnesium malate, L-theanine, hyaluronic acid, Rhodiola rosea, ginger-derived compounds, vitamin C and micro-dosed lithium. The formula is calorie-free, sugar-free and made without dairy, gluten, soy or GMOs.
| Ingredient | Why NOVOS includes it |
|---|---|
| Calcium alpha-ketoglutarate (Ca-AKG) | A Krebs-cycle metabolite studied for its effects on frailty, inflammation and biological age. |
| Fisetin | A plant flavonoid investigated as a senolytic (clearing worn-out "senescent" cells). |
| Pterostilbene | A more bioavailable cousin of resveratrol, studied for cellular-stress signalling. |
| Glycine | An amino acid involved in collagen synthesis and glutathione production. |
| Magnesium malate | Supports normal energy metabolism and muscle/nerve function. |
| L-theanine | An amino acid linked to calm focus and sleep quality. |
| Hyaluronic acid | Included for skin hydration and joint comfort. |
| Glucosamine sulfate | Associated with joint health and, in some cohorts, longevity signals. |
| Vitamin C | Supports normal collagen formation and reduces tiredness and fatigue. |
| Rhodiola rosea & ginger | Adaptogenic and antioxidant botanicals. |
| Micro-dosed lithium | Trace lithium, based on population data linking low-dose environmental lithium to longevity. |
It's a genuinely thoughtful list that maps onto several recognised ageing mechanisms described in the landmark "Hallmarks of Aging" review (Cell, 2023). For a plain-English breakdown of those mechanisms, see our guide to the hallmarks of ageing.
Good EEAT means separating what's proven from what's promising. Here's an honest read of the evidence behind NOVOS Core's flagship ingredients.
AKG is one of the more interesting longevity molecules. In a well-cited 2020 study in Cell Metabolism, calcium AKG extended lifespan and, importantly, compressed morbidity (reduced the frail period) in aged mice, partly by dampening inflammatory signalling. Early human work is encouraging but preliminary: a 2021 open-label analysis in the journal Aging reported an average reduction in epigenetic "biological age," and a rigorous double-blind randomised trial protocol (the ABLE study, GeroScience 2023) is now testing Ca-AKG against biological-age markers in middle-aged adults. If you want to supplement AKG on its own, see our Ca-AKG supplement guide.
Fisetin is a flavonoid found in strawberries. In a 2018 paper in EBioMedicine, it was the most potent senolytic of ten flavonoids screened, and late-life dosing extended median and maximum lifespan in mice while improving tissue health. Human trials on frailty are ongoing, so the human evidence is still maturing. Fisetin is closely related to quercetin — our fisetin vs quercetin comparison explains the differences.
Pterostilbene is a naturally occurring polyphenol with better oral bioavailability than resveratrol. It's studied for antioxidant and metabolic signalling, though robust long-term human longevity data is limited. If you're weighing polyphenols, our resveratrol vs pterostilbene article is a useful primer, and our honest look at whether resveratrol actually works is worth reading before you spend.
Magnesium, vitamin C and glycine have well-established roles in energy metabolism, collagen formation and antioxidant defence, and carry authorised health claims in the UK/EU for things like reducing tiredness and fatigue. These are safe, sensible inclusions — though most are inexpensive and widely available on their own.
NOVOS markets some eye-catching numbers: that Core's ingredients reduced senescent-cell size by around 50% in vitro, prevented up to 77% of DNA damage in irradiated skin cells, and that in a six-month case study most users slowed their pace of biological ageing. The company also cites a 2024 mouse study associated with Newcastle University reporting an 18% lifespan extension.
At the time of writing, NOVOS Core costs around $98 per month on subscription (about $109 one-time), which works out to roughly £75–£95 depending on the exchange rate and any UK import handling. That's toward the premium end of the market — reviewers estimate roughly $2.63–$3.63 per serving. NOVOS ships to the UK from the US, and some UK retailers also stock it. Always check the live price and shipping terms before ordering, as they change.
For context on why premium longevity products cost what they do, see our explainer on why supplements are expensive and the typical cost of a longevity stack in the UK.
The Welzo Ultra Purity Stack is a family of UK-made, high-purity longevity products built around NMN Pro 1000 — a nicotinamide mononucleotide supplement providing 1,000 mg of NMN per serving at 99% purity. Rather than one fixed blend, it's a modular system: you start with NMN as your NAD⁺ foundation and add evidence-based partners depending on your goals.
Popular ready-made combinations include:
Every Welzo Ultra Purity product is manufactured in GMP-certified facilities and independently third-party tested for purity — the details that actually matter when you're spending on longevity. New to all this? Start with our how to start longevity supplements guide or the broader longevity supplements guide.
The Welzo stack's centre of gravity is NAD⁺ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) — a coenzyme essential for cellular energy production, DNA repair and the activity of sirtuin "longevity" enzymes. NAD⁺ levels are widely reported to decline with age across human skin, blood, muscle and brain, which is the core rationale for taking an NAD⁺ precursor like NMN.
What does the human evidence show? Randomised controlled trials to date are small but reassuring on safety and consistent on the fact that oral NMN raises circulating NAD⁺:
The honest summary — echoed in a 2023 review of NMN human trials — is that NMN reliably boosts NAD⁺ and appears safe, but larger, longer trials are still needed to confirm hard longevity outcomes. For the full picture, read our NAD⁺ supplement guide and honest take on whether NMN is a scam. Practical questions like when to take NMN are covered separately.
With NMN in particular, purity is everything. Independent testing has repeatedly found that some cheap NMN products contain far less NMN than the label claims. That's why the Welzo range leads with the words "Ultra Purity": 99% NMN, GMP manufacturing and third-party testing. Before buying any longevity supplement, we recommend reading about third-party tested supplements, certificates of analysis and common supplement fillers to avoid. If budget matters, our guides to the cheapest NMN in the UK and where to buy NMN in the UK can help.
NOVOS Core is a "cast a wide net" formula: a little of many things. The Welzo Ultra Purity Stack is "get the foundation right, then build": a high dose of well-studied NMN, plus optional partners. Neither approach is objectively superior — it depends on whether you prefer breadth or depth and dosing control.
Welzo publishes clear per-serving doses (e.g. 1,000 mg NMN; 600 mg NMN + 600 mg trans-resveratrol in the Elite). With a 12-ingredient 6.9 g blend, some NOVOS Core ingredients are inevitably present at lower individual doses than the "hero" studies used. That's the classic trade-off of multi-ingredient formulas — great for convenience, less precise for targeting a specific pathway.
NOVOS Core sits at roughly £75–£95/month. A Welzo NMN-first routine can be considerably cheaper, and you only pay for the ingredients you actually want. If you're cost-conscious, compare our cheap longevity stack and minimal supplement stack ideas.
NOVOS wins on ritual: one flavoured drink each morning is genuinely easy to stick to. If you dislike capsules, that matters. Welzo wins on flexibility and travel — capsules are portable and let you take NMN with food or on an empty stomach as you prefer.
Both brands emphasise quality. Welzo's edge is UK manufacturing, UK dispatch and an explicit purity-and-testing focus. NOVOS's edge is a dedicated research programme — with the caveat that much of it is still awaiting peer review.
You want a single, done-for-you formula, you like a morning drink ritual, you're happy to pay a premium for convenience, and you'd rather not think about assembling your own stack. Breadth & simplicity
You want transparent dosing, a high-purity NMN foundation, UK dispatch, lower running costs, and the freedom to customise — for example adding TMG for methylation or building toward the Ultimate Longevity Stack. Start with NMN Pro 1000 or browse the full NMN range. Depth, purity & control
In principle they're complementary — NOVOS Core doesn't contain standalone NMN, so some people run Core alongside a dedicated NMN supplement. If you go this route, be mindful of overlapping ingredients (e.g. magnesium, polyphenols), keep total doses sensible, and check our guidance on whether you can take supplements together. As always, speak to your GP or pharmacist first — especially if you take medication.
In trials to date, both NMN and the botanical ingredients in NOVOS Core have generally been well tolerated, with mild, occasional effects such as digestive upset. However:
Neither product is a treatment for any disease, and neither replaces the proven basics of healthy ageing: not smoking, regular exercise, good sleep, a Mediterranean-style diet and managing blood pressure and cholesterol.
NOVOS Core can be worth it if you value a broad, convenient, research-informed formula and are comfortable with a premium price of around £75–£95 a month. Its ingredients target several ageing mechanisms, but some headline claims rest on company-sponsored, not-yet-peer-reviewed studies, so weigh convenience against cost and evidence.
Twelve active ingredients: calcium alpha-ketoglutarate, fisetin, pterostilbene, glycine, glucosamine sulfate, magnesium malate, L-theanine, hyaluronic acid, Rhodiola rosea, ginger compounds, vitamin C and micro-dosed lithium — about 6.9 g of actives per sachet, mixed into water.
No. NOVOS Core does not contain NMN. NOVOS sells NMN separately as "NOVOS Boost." If NAD⁺ support is your priority, a dedicated NMN supplement such as Welzo NMN Pro 1000 delivers 1,000 mg of high-purity NMN per serving.
Neither is universally "better." NOVOS Core suits people who want one broad blend and a simple daily drink. The Welzo Ultra Purity Stack suits people who want transparent dosing, a high-purity NMN foundation, UK dispatch and the freedom to customise their protocol, usually at a lower monthly cost.
Roughly $98/month on subscription (about £75–£95, depending on exchange rate and shipping). It ships to the UK from the US. Always confirm the live price and delivery terms before ordering.
Multiple randomised controlled trials report that oral NMN is well tolerated and reliably raises NAD⁺ in humans. Individual NMN trials are arguably more transparent than NOVOS Core's whole-formula claims, though long-term outcome data for both is still developing. See our NMN benefits, side effects and dosage guide.
Because NOVOS Core doesn't contain NMN, some people combine it with a standalone NMN supplement. Watch for overlapping ingredients, keep total doses reasonable, and check our guide on taking supplements together. Speak to your GP or pharmacist first, especially if you take medication.
Not conclusively. Several of the most striking results come from in-vitro, mouse or company-sponsored human studies that have not yet been published in peer-reviewed journals. They're promising but should be read with caution until independently verified.
Longevity supplements work on cellular processes, so any effects are gradual. Some people report improved energy or sleep within weeks, but meaningful biological changes take months of consistent use. See how long supplements take to work.
Avoid during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and take medical advice first if you have a health condition or take medication (polyphenols like resveratrol, glucosamine and even micro-dosed lithium can interact). These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Explore more: Full NOVOS Core review · Building a longevity stack · How to lower your biological age · Shop NMN supplements
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