Study Finds OTC Supplements May Enhance Walking in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients
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According to a study published in the journal Nature Communications, the over-the-counter supplement nicotinamide riboside, a form of vitamin B3, increased the walking endurance of patients with peripheral artery disease, a chronic leg condition for which there are few effective treatments.
Peripheral artery disease affects approximately 200 million people worldwide over the age of 40. Caused by the buildup of fatty deposits in arteries, and associated with diabetes and smoking, the disease reduces blood flow to the limbs, especially the legs.
Walking often becomes painful, and the disease typically causes declines in walking ability over time. Supervised walking exercise is first-line therapy for Peripheral artery disease, but most people with the condition do not have access to supervised exercise.
In the study, scientists recruited 90 individuals with an average age of 71 who had peripheral artery disease (PAD) to test the effects of nicotinamide riboside. Nicotinamide riboside is a precursor to NAD, an essential compound involved in energy generation, improved blood flow, and DNA repair. Given that PAD is associated with difficulties in energy production within muscle cells, researchers hypothesized that nicotinamide riboside, by enhancing energy generation, could improve walking ability in people with the disease.
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