Summary
Researchers at Case Western Reserve School found that vitamin B3 might help some cancer cells survive treatment. The study suggests that this popular supplement can aid pancreatic cancer cells in withstanding chemotherapy, which typically aims to kill cancer by inducing severe stress.
Key Facts
- Vitamin B3 helps create NAD+, a molecule important for cell metabolism and repair.
- Cancer cells can use NAD+ to survive cancer treatments.
- Pancreatic cancer cells were especially adept at using vitamin B3 to withstand chemotherapy.
- Chemotherapy works by increasing oxidative stress to kill cancer cells.
- Vitamin B3 lowers oxidative stress, potentially helping cancer cells survive.
- Researchers plan to study other vitamins with similar effects.
- The study does not comment on how vitamin B3 affects healthy individuals.
- Health care providers should discuss supplement use with cancer patients.
