Scientists from the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital have found that vitamin B3 may help improve symptoms in people with glaucoma. The study was conducted by Flora Hui and colleagues and published in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, which is essential for vision. This damage can lead to vision loss or blindness.
Because symptoms often develop slowly and without noticeable warning signs, the only reliable way to detect glaucoma early is through a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
Although there is currently no cure, early treatment can slow or prevent further vision damage.
Retinal ganglion cells are the neurons that transmit visual information from the retina to the brain. In glaucoma, these cells experience strong metabolic stress but still retain some ability to recover function.
Nicotinamide, a water-soluble form of vitamin B3 (niacin), plays an important role in cellular energy production.
It is naturally obtained from foods such as fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, eggs, and cereal grains. Nicotinamide supplements are commonly used to treat niacin deficiency and certain skin conditions.
Previous research has shown that people with glaucoma tend to have lower levels of nicotinamide, and that supplementation can help protect retinal ganglion cells in animal studies. However, its effectiveness in humans has remained unclear.
In the current clinical study, researchers examined whether vitamin B3 could improve inner retinal function in people already receiving standard glaucoma treatment.
The study involved 57 participants with diagnosed and treated glaucoma. Each participant received either an oral placebo or vitamin B3 in a crossover design. They took 1.5 g/day for 6 weeks, followed by 3.0 g/day for another 6 weeks, and then switched to the alternative treatment. Visual function was measured throughout the study.
The researchers found that vitamin B3 supplementation led to strong improvements in glaucoma-related visual function compared with the placebo. These findings suggest that vitamin B3 may support inner retinal function in people with glaucoma.
The team notes that more research is needed to understand the long-term effects of vitamin B3 supplementation on glaucoma progression.
