Niacin consumption increases all-cause mortality among individuals without diabetes, reveals study

A new study published in the journal of Nature Scientific Reports found that niacin consumption had a greater impact on all-cause mortality in the individuals without diabetes than in people with the disease.

A water-soluble nutrient that is essential for many bodily physiological functions is niacin, often known as vitamin B3. Pellagra is characterized by dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death and has been connected to niacin deficiency. In an effort to avoid pellagra, certain countries have implemented niacin fortification programs for wheat flour and cereals.

One of the first drugs used to treat dyslipidemia was niacin. It was frequently used, particularly before statins were developed. Niacin can enhance high-density lipoprotein cholesterol while dramatically lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides. In the Coronary Drug Program, niacin's cardiovascular advantages were initially shown. Following a randomized treatment period, niacin decreased mortality at long-term follow-up and moderately decreased cardiovascular events in high-risk individuals.

Few studies have examined the relationship between dietary niacin consumption and long-term health outcomes in different groups by highlighting the complex effects of niacin on cardiovascular disease risk and long-term health. This study evaluated the relationship between dietary niacin consumption and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality which offers important information about the suggested dietary niacin intake for people in general.

A total of 26,746 US people aged 20 years or older with a median follow-up of 9.17 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003 to 2018 were included in this study. 1,096 cardiovascular fatalities were among the 3,551 all-cause deaths that occurred during this time. The participants were categorized into various dietary niacin consumption quartiles, and hazard ratios (HRs) for death were compared using Cox models.

When compared to those in the lowest consumption quartile, the ones with the greatest dietary niacin intake were at a decreased risk of dying from all causes. The HR for cardiovascular mortality in the highest quartile of niacin consumption was 0.73. Dietary niacin consumption and mortality using limited cubic spline were shown to be dose-response related.

In terms of all-cause mortality, subgroup analysis revealed a significant interaction between diabetes and dietary niacin consumption. Higher dietary niacin intake is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular and all-cause death in US adults, according to this population-based cohort analysis.

Overall, when compared to this population-based cohort study, US individuals who consume more dietary niacin have lower rates of cardiovascular and all-cause death. Niacin consumption had a greater effect on all-cause mortality in the individuals without diabetes than in people with the disease.

Source:

Lin, L., Chen, S., Zhang, C., Li, L., Chen, Y., Li, D., Cai, Q., Zhou, X., & Yang, F. (2024). Association of dietary niacin intake with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2018. In Scientific Reports (Vol. 14, Issue 1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79986-9