Niacin, taken by many Americans to regular their cholesterol, has been shown to reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer.
Medical College of Georgia researchers who studied mice found that niacin — vitamin B3 — had a powerful ability to reduce inflammation and the development of the disease, which kills tens of thousands of Americans each year.
Previous research has suggested that a diet rich in fiber may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, but the new study suggests niacin offers significant benefits, as well,
Medical News Today reports.
Co-researcher Nagendra Singh, M.D., of the Cancer Center at Georgia Regents University, said the findings suggest high doses of niacin may be particularly beneficial for individuals who have a diet low in fiber.
"We think mega-doses of niacin may be useful in the treatment and/or prevention of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and colorectal cancer as well as familial adenomatous polyposis, or FAP, a genetic condition that causes polyps to develop throughout the gastrointestinal tract," Dr. Singh said.
To reach their findings, published in the journal Immunity, the investigators studied mice genetically engineered to be more likely to develop inflammation and cancer of the colon.
Giving niacin to the mice pushed their immune cells into an anti-inflammatory mode, offering protection against colorectal cancer.
The researchers say they are now hoping to conduct clinical trials to determine whether niacin supplements may help reduce the risk of intestinal inflammation and colon cancer in patients already using them for cardiovascular health.
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