High dietary niacin intake associated with decreased likelihood of COPD

Key takeaways:

• Preliminary results suggest vitamin B3 may protect against COPD.
• More research is needed to determine the optimal dosage and timing of dietary niacin to enhance lung function and prevent COPD.

Higher dietary niacin intake was associated with reduced COPD prevalence in adults, according to a study published in Scientific Reports.

Wen-Wen Li, from Dongying People’s Hospital in China, and colleagues pointed to previous research showing “that certain vitamins, notably vitamins A, C, D and E, have a positive impact on COPD.”

“These vitamins can be ingested either as supplements or through a well-balanced diet,” they wrote, although the relationship between vitamin B3, or niacin — found in foods like meat, nuts and fish — and COPD “remains unexplored.”

The researchers assessed possible correlations between dietary niacin intake and COPD using data from adults enrolled the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2012.

The adults were then divided into COPD (n = 243) or non-COPD (n = 6,812) groups.

Compared with the non-COPD group, those with COPD were older and had a lower daily mean dietary niacin intake (21.39±0.62 mg vs. 25.29±0.23 mg).

Li and colleagues found that those in the highest quartile of dietary niacin intake had decreased odds of COPD compared with those in the lowest quartile (OR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.33-0.89).

The results “suggest that niacin could serve as a protective factor against the onset of COPD,” they said, although the mechanisms are still not fully understood.

“Research indicates that niacin and its primary metabolite have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects,” they wrote. “Given these properties, niacin is likely to aid in preventing COPD by reducing inflammation in the airways, protecting them from oxidative damage, and improving their overall functionality.”

The study had several limitations. For example, the researchers could not determine causality, and the food frequency questionnaire that patients completed may have been vulnerable to misclassification and recall bias.

Ultimately, “further research is required to ascertain whether niacin as an alternative therapy can enhance lung ventilation function and effectively prevent COPD,” Li and colleagues concluded. “Additionally, there is a need for more detailed studies to establish the optimal dosage and timing for niacin's potential beneficial effects on COPD.”