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A substance naturally occurring in pomegranates, strawberries and walnuts can improve memory and treatment of Alzheimer's disease, a new study concludes. Forgetfulness, difficulty finding words and confusion about time and place. These are some of the most common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Now researchers have discovered that an ordinary fruit can help. "Our study on mouse models with AD shows that urolithin A can alleviate memory problems and other consequences of dementia," says Vilhelm Bohr. "Even though the study was conducted on mouse models, the prospects are positive. So far, research has shown promising results for the substance in the...

It has been uncertain how Mycobacterium tuberculosis deflects the immune response in humans, though evidence has pointed to host immunometabolism—the intrinsic link between metabolism in immune cells and their immune function. Now a study shows how M. tuberculosis perturbs homeostasis of the high-energy molecule NADH and reprograms glycolysis in myeloid cells. This highlights glycolysis as a potential therapeutic target to combat the world's leading infectious disease killer. Glycolysis is the pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate while forming the high-energy molecules ATP and NADH. The reversible process of lactate fermentation is catalyzed by the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase, or LDH. LDH...

Cancer patients appeared to benefit from natural killer cells obtained from donors in an experimental method of treating cancer that involved an aggressive army endowed with the ability to home in on malignant cells and destroy them. The natural killer cells were pre-treated with nicotinamide, a compound widely known to most people as niacin, or vitamin B3. It's a substance with a special affinity for natural killer cells. The innovative approach boosted the impact of natural killer cells and brought about remissions in patients with otherwise recalcitrant cancers. "We conducted a first-in-human phase 1 clinical trial testing adoptive transfer of...

The newest vitamin B3 family member, nicotinamide riboside (NR) has been found to have beneficial effects on mitochondria in the human muscle. Currently, mitochondrial dysfunction cannot be treated. Recent findings encourage further investigation of whether this vitamin B3 form could serve as a potential therapeutic option for mitochondrial dysfunction. In a recent twin study, it was found that nicotinamide riboside (NR) increased the number of mitochondria in the muscle after long-term administration. In addition, NR improved the gut bacterial composition and increased the blood NAD+ concentrations. "Our study demonstrated the beneficial effects of long-term supplementation of NR on NAD+ metabolism,...

While previous studies have linked commercial dietary supplements like nicotinamide riboside (NR), a form of vitamin B3, to benefits related to cardiovascular, metabolic and neurological health, new research has found NR could actually increase the risk of serious disease, including developing cancer. The team led by Elena Goun discovered high levels of NR could not only increase someone's risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer, but also could cause the cancer to metastasize or spread to the brain. Once the cancer reaches the brain, the results are deadly because no viable treatment options exist at this time, said Goun, who is...

Revised guidelines for heart health are set to move away from target-based approach. Soon after Joseph Francis learned that his levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol sat at twice the norm, he discovered the short­comings of cholesterol-lowering drugs — and of the clinical advice guiding their use. Francis, the director of clinical analysis and reporting at the Veterans Health Administration (VA) in Washington DC, started taking Lipitor (atorvastatin), a cholesterol-lowering statin and the best-selling drug in pharmaceutical history. His LDL plummeted, but still hovered just above a target mandated by clinical guidelines. Adding other medications had no effect, and upping the...

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...

Talk of the Nation, November 7, 2008 · A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience shows that mice treated with large doses of vitamin B3 performed better on memory tests. Kim Green, one of the authors of the study, explains whether this discovery could have any application for treating Alzheimer's in humans.