Tampa, Florida (WFLA)—A Research by researchers at the University of Missouri Taking a popular vitamin supplement has been found to contribute to the risk of brain tumors.
A vitamin called nicotinamide riboside is a variant of B3. Taking nutritional supplements may increase the chances of breast cancer and brain metastasis. studyresult. Metastasis is when cancer cells spread through the body and cause multiple tumor growths beyond the original location.
Known for its suggested benefits for metabolism, brain health, and cardiovascular system, nicotinamide riboside, or NR for short, is sometimes referred to as an “anti-aging” vitamin.of National Institutes of Health They report that NR can be used to “regulate the aging process and thereby exert life-prolonging effects.” According to previous researchits full effect and process are not yet clear.
But a new study by an international group of scientists and chemists found that high levels of NR can also lead to an increased risk of developing cancer.
“NR not only increases someone’s risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer, but it can also metastasize and spread the cancer to the brain,” the University of Missouri said in a statement about the study’s findings.
Elena Goun, associate professor of chemistry at MU and one of the study’s authors, said that once the cancer reaches the brain, the results are fatal because there are no viable treatments.
“Some people bring [vitamins and supplements] We automatically assume that vitamins and supplements have only positive effects on our health, but we know very little about how they actually work.” Goeun said“This lack of knowledge prompted me to research fundamental questions about how vitamins and supplements work in the body.
The increased risk of metastatic brain tumors was revealed by Goun’s study investigating the effects of NR on cancer spread. Using bioluminescence-based probes, Goun and the other authors of his study were able to see how NR affects cancer growth.
Using bioluminescence technology, researchers can examine the presence of NR in light, noting that “the brighter the light, the more NR is present in certain types of cells, including cancer cells.” did.
“While NR is already in widespread use by people and is being investigated in numerous ongoing clinical trials for additional applications, much of how NR works is a black box and “That led us to come up with this new imaging technique based on ultra-sensitive bioluminescence imaging that can quantify NR levels in real-time in a non-invasive manner.”
According to Goun, the study results show the “importance of careful investigation” of side effects from supplements in people with various health conditions.
A Food and Drug Administration spokesperson told Nexstar that dietary supplements such as nicotinamide riboside fall under a different set of regulations than those covering prescription and over-the-counter drugs. existing lawFDA must find that a product is counterfeited or misbranded in order to remove it from the market.
Adequate levels of niacin or vitamin B3 for most people are naturally consumed through a variety of foods, including beef, fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, grains, and rice. It recommends an average of 16 mg of niacin per day, with 14 mg recommended for women.
1 cup marinara sauce, or 3 ounces chicken breast, for exampleBoth contain 10.3 mg of B3, according to the NIH.
