Vitamin B3 May Help Kill Superbugs

Medical News Today (MNT) ^ | August 25, 2012 | Catharine Paddock, PhD

[CutePuppy]

Nicotinamide, commonly known as vitamin B3, may help the innate immune system kill antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria, the so-called "superbugs". In lab work done with mice and human blood, researchers found high doses of the vitamin increased the ability of immune cells to kill the bacteria by 1,000 times.

The discovery opens the door to a new arsenal of tools for dealing with antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, such as those caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus or MRSA, that have killed thousands of people around the world. They are increasing in hospitals and nursing homes, and also rising in prisons, among athletes, people in the military, and other places where many people are in close and frequent contact.

The team members behind the work are from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University (OSU), the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and other research centers. They write about it in a paper published online this week in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. ..... < snip >

..... Potential for Use with Antibiotics ..... < snip >

..... "It's a way to tap into the power of the innate immune system and stimulate it to provide a more powerful and natural immune response," ..... < snip >

..... Some believe the widespread use of antibiotics, coupled with mismanagement of their doses, creates an evolutionary pressure that helps increase the emergence and spread of resistant strains. ..... < snip >

..... Gene Mutation Causes Vulnerability to Bacterial Infection ..... < snip >

..... nicotinamide can "switch on" some of the disabled anti-microbial genes ..... < snip >

..... The researchers found that in human blood, vitamin B3 was able to wipe out the staph infection in a few hours. ..... < snip >

..... "This vitamin is surprisingly effective in fighting off and protecting against one of today's most concerning public health threats."

Approaches like this could help reduce dependence on antibiotics, he added.

The doses used in the study were megadoses, at therapeutic levels, which are much much bigger than the amount of vitamin B3 in a normal diet. However, such levels have been used safely in humans for other medical reasons.

But this fact, together with the findings of this study, are not sufficient reason for people to start medicating themselves with high doses of vitamin B3. ..... < snip >

[CutePuppy]

Vitamin B3, commonly known as niacin, comes in two forms - niacin (nicotinic acid) and nicotinamide (niacinomide, nicotinic acid amide).

Niacin supplements such as Slo-Niacin may cause a minor side effect of "flushing" reaction in some people (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/924.html - Niacin and niacinamide (Vitamin B3))

Niacinomide is used in "no-flush" B3 supplements to eliminate discomfort of side effect but doesn't have some positive effects of the conversion of niacin into niacinamide in the body (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?printable=yes&title=Nicotinamide - Nicotinamide).

"Flushing" discomfort usually gets worse in people who consume alcohol (possibly because of better absorption of niacin into the blood) so sometimes niacin is used in conjunction with alcohol dependency treatments or therapy.

[CutePuppy]

From Vitamin B3 'helps kill superbugs' - BBC, 2012 August 27:

< snip > ..... Prof Mark Enright, of the University of Bath, said: "Neutrophils are really the front line against infections in the blood and the use of nicotinamide seems safe at this dose to use in patients as it is already licensed for use.

"This could cause a major change in treatment for infections alongside conventional antibiotics to help bolster patients immune system.

"I would like to see in patient clinical trials but cannot see why this couldn't be used straight away in infected patients."

[null and void]

I’m taking 2 grams a day.

[Flavius]

May could would

[Carriage Hill]

I get my nicotine this way:

[oprahstheantichrist]

“Niacin flush” helps kick my migraines.

[GOP Poet]

excellent news. Appreciate the post.

[GBA]

Good to know! I love the niacin flush. I've heard that niacin is really good for cholesterol and other things, so this new potential benefit makes it even better.

I don't mind the flush and how it makes my nose run, but I've heard that other things will mitigate the flushing. Might be vitamin B6? I don't recall.

I had heard Michael Savage talk about it briefly and was impressed enough by what he said about it to do my own research to see if he was right. I've been taking it ever since.

[Marie Antoinette]

Last time I took it, I flushed so badly I looked sunburnt. And it *felt* a bit like a burn. I’ve been afraid to touch it since. Interesting about the alcohol connection. Maybe that is why I reacted. I do enjoy wine with dinner often.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Chemicals that can inhibit B3 include alcohol, sulfa drugs and estrogen.

However, the best approach to avoiding resistant bacteria is likely a proactive one. Most of us have between 300-1000 different kinds of bacteria in us, but most of the physical space is occupied by just 30-40 different kinds.

Most people have at least some types of drug resistant bacteria in them, but are unharmed because their “good” bacteria severely limit the physical room for growth of the “bad” bacteria. However disease, radiation, poisons and toxins, and most definitely antibiotics can wipe out enough of the “good” bacteria so that the “bad”, antibiotic resistant bacteria can have a population explosion.

The direct way to deal with this is to reestablish the dominant “good” bacteria. This can be done by physically inserting a large amount of “good” bacteria in the intestines via an endoscope, by enema, or by oral consumption of what are called “probiotic” bacteria, sold in stores in live culture yoghurt, lactobacillus milk, and other products.

In practical terms, the consumption of probiotics should be standard practice when antibiotics are used.

More troubling is when the resistant bacteria create an infection outside of the GI tract, often due to injury or surgery. This is more where an effect as might exist with vitamin B3 would be very useful.

[CutePuppy]

First “flush” usually comes as a surprise, it’s magnified because it’s unexpected unless you have been specifically warned about the effect. Once you have experienced it and know what to expect it, it is much less “scary.”

One way to avoid the “experience” of the flush is to take niacin before going to sleep (maybe trying it instead of wine that day) or ease into it with smaller dosage. That said, there is no predictable reaction to niacin; everyone’s reaction will be different - from none to rapidly coming “sunburn” that disappears just as fast (or slowly) as it came on - usually within first hour of taking.

[CutePuppy]

"Niacin flush" helps kick my migraines.

I love the niacin flush. I've heard that niacin is really good for cholesterol and other things... I don't mind the flush and how it makes my nose run

I'm taking 2 grams a day.

Yes, niacin often has this effect due to its vasodilating properties.

One thing to keep in mind is that conversion of niacin into niacinamide (evidenced by "flush" reaction) may be somewhat hard on the liver, so investigate and consider taking the Deglycyrrizinated Licorice (DGL) or Milk Thistle supplements or eating artichokes (thistle family plant) along with niacin.

[null and void]

Interesting.

I’m taking niacin because every statin on the market gives me muscle aches (the liver damage warning symptom).

[CutePuppy]

Most people have at least some types of drug resistant bacteria in them, but are unharmed because their “good” bacteria severely limit the physical room for growth of the “bad” bacteria. However disease, radiation, poisons and toxins, and most definitely antibiotics can wipe out enough of the “good” bacteria so that the “bad”, antibiotic resistant bacteria can have a population explosion.

Antibiotics may be life savers but a lot of doctors prescribe antibiotics without giving this factor much thought or warning patients that a robust probiotic regime is essential when taking antibiotics due to massive proliferation of "bad" bacteria in the stomach and potentially in the blood supply. Of these, Candida Albicans is one of the most aggressive and difficult to displace.

Along with probiotics, the use of prebiotic nutrition and food rich in prebiotics (such as Jerusalem artichokes etc.) has deserved and recently received more attention. Prebiotic (nutrition) - Wikipedia

The direct way to deal with this is to reestablish the dominant “good” bacteria. ... In practical terms, the consumption of probiotics should be standard practice when antibiotics are used.

Amen! Thanks for a lot of good info.

[CutePuppy]

Niacin is significantly less “toxic” to liver than statins and should be safe for most people, without precaution, in doses less than 3g.

However, individuals taking large doses might “err on the side of safety” and consider taking or eating some thistle family products or foods, to help the liver do its job, since it may not be the only “toxin” they consume during the day.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I have to throw in a concern that the use of probiotics with antibiotics cannot be haphazard. In most cases used with a significant break between each other, but it is relatively such a new study that there is a dearth of research out there.

And because so many dangerous bacteria are developing resistance, from tuberculosis to gonorrhea, researchers are becoming increasingly desperate to create anything that can destroy them.

Hopefully there will be a lot more research soon.

[null and void]

Oh, I will!

[Marie Antoinette]

Thanks. :). I knew about the flush, and the first 2 days I took it I flushed mildly, but day 3 was the bad one. I probably did have wine the night before, although I can’t be sure. I will likely try it again. My BP has been creeping up and I really don’t want to be harassed by my doctor to go on meds. Looking for natural/nutritional things first. I’m only 44.

[CutePuppy]

May could would

As usual: Supposition / Thesis > Testing / Research > Treatment / Cure

[CutePuppy]

My BP has been creeping up ... Looking for natural/nutritional things first.

Not a medical advice, but take a look at magnesium supplements. Many people today don't have enough magnesium in their diets, so their balance / ratio of magnesium to sodium is woefully inadequate.

Some forms of magnesium (e.g., taurate, malate, gluconate, glycinate, orotate) are chelated (bound) and may provide amino acids and are much better absorbed by the body than most popular magnesium oxide (which is almost useless as a source of magnesium as it is ill-absorbed in the stomach and is a mild softener / laxative, as is magnesium sulfate aka Epsom salt).

So do some research, but it may be a natural way that works for you to reduce BP.