A method for preparing an NMR material, comprising generating parahydrogen in gas or liquid form at a first location; transporting the parahydrogen away from the first location; mixing a precursor compound including a metabolite component with a catalyst for hydrogenation; hydrogenating the precursor compound using the parahydrogen; transferring polarization in the precursor compound to a nuclear spin of the metabolite component; cleaving a side arm of the precursor compound in a chemical reaction, with the metabolite molecule being one of the products of the reaction; separating the metabolite molecule from the catalyst for hydrogenation and other products of the reaction; and generating metabolite molecules for use in an MRI scanner by extracting a sample of the metabolite molecule having at least 5% polarization.