A single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled study finds that low-dose niacin supplementation improves motor function in US Veterans with #Parkinsons; N=47, 6 months double blind followed by 6 months open label; Treatment well tolerated.
"Niacin is, therefore, a promising choice as an adjunct therapy in PD since it is anti-inflammatory and boosts mitochondrial function by providing NAD.
Moreover, carbidopa in Sinemet is known to deplete niacin levels in treated PD patients.
Patients were randomized and blinded to receive either 250 mg of niacin once daily or placebo in accordance with the sequestered fixed randomization schedule."
" The mean [95% CI] change in UPDRS III scores at six months of placebo was −0.05 [95% CI, −2.4 to 2.32], and niacin was −1.06 [95% CI, −3.68 to 1.57]."
(Edit) This part leaves unanswered questions. It seems to be saying the test arm did better after more than six months of supplementation, yet what had been the placebo arm improved in the first six months of supplementation:
"From six to twelve months when both groups received open-label niacin supplementation, the average UPDRS III scores significantly decreased for the placebo group by 4.58 [95% CI, −0.85 to 8.30] and the niacin group by 4.63 [95% CI, 1.42 to 7.83] points. Low-dose niacin supplementation is a well-tolerated adjunct therapy and may improve motor function in PD when taken over a longer period. "
A poorly done, poorly designed study is actually worse than no study at all. This crappy little study is so bad I'm not even going to waste my time commenting on the dozen different ways it doesn't get past high school "mediocre" track ... Which some of you Brits might call "O levels for losers." Total embarrassment. But such a poor study will certainly make it around to all the sources of misinformation and ignorance, which is why it hurts the prospect for niacin since that is what so many people will see. The study would not achieve a c minus in an intro freshman level experimental psychology course.
The second piece on assisting mitochondrial dysfunction though could definitely be useful and of help in general. The area of mitochondrial dysfunction is under-appreciated to my way of thinking.
This looks like the same study that came out in June: Niacin Enhancement for Parkinson’s Disease: An Effectiveness Trial June 2021 researchgate.net/publicatio...
It seems like a low risk low cost thing to take a flyer on. As long as you stay low dose.
There is this too: Niacin Cures Systemic NAD+ Deficiency and Improves Muscle Performance in Adult-Onset Mitochondrial Myopathy 2021 healthunlocked.com/cure-par...
Disclaimer: I have a high school degree. Please do your research on contraindications.
"Vitamin B3 is the energy source for all cells by producing NAD+and NADP+in redox reactions of oxidative phosphorylation. Thus, some symptoms of PD such as fatigue, sleep dysfunction, and mood changes may be related to the deficiency of vitamin B3. "
"The anti-inflammatory portion of the niacin mechanism is mediated though its receptor GPR109A. The corresponding decrease in GPR109A levels is consistent with our previous finding of a change in macrophage polarization from M1 (pro-inflammatory) to M2 (counter-inflammatory) profile acting through the niacin receptor GPR109A along with an improvement in quality of life (Wakade et al., 2018). "
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