Low-Dose Niacin Supplementation Improves Motor Function in US Veterans with Parkinson’s Disease: A Single-Center, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
What this study found
Significant reductions in UPDRS III scores were observed in both groups after twelve months, with trends towards improvement in rigidity and bradykinesia noted. Niacin supplementation was associated with better serum serotonin levels, reduced fatigue, and improved grip strength.
- Study & population
- 47 mild to moderately severe Parkinson's patients were enrolled, stabilized on medications for three months, and randomized to receive either niacin or placebo.
- Intervention
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating low-dose niacin (250 mg daily) for motor function improvement in veterans with Parkinson's disease.
- Key limitation
- Small sample size, lack of titration for niacin dosage, gender bias in the population (predominantly men), and reliance on self-reported outcomes for some measures.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
A six-month double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study was conducted to ascertain whether low-dose daily niacin supplementation would improve motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. A total of 47 PD patients were assigned to receive low-dose niacin or a placebo. At the end of the double-blind phase, all participants received open-label niacin for the next six months. All patients were evaluated at baseline, after six months, and after one year of treatment. The primary outcome measure was the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale III (UPDRS III) scores. Secondary outcome measures were depression, sleep quality, mental flexibility and cognition, and physical fatigue. Niacin treatment was well-tolerated by forty-five subjects. The mean [95% CI] change in UPDRS III scores at six months of placebo was −0.05 [95% CI, −2.4 to 2.32], and niacin was −1.06 [95% CI, −3.68 to 1.57]. From six to twelve months when both groups received open-label niacin supplementation, the average UPDRS III scores significantly decreased for the placebo group by 4.58 [95% CI, −0.85 to 8.30] and the niacin group by 4.63 [95% CI, 1.42 to 7.83] points. Low-dose niacin supplementation is a well-tolerated adjunct therapy and may improve motor function in PD when taken over a longer period.