New publications
Vitamin B3 may fight 'superbacteria'
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Nicotinamide, commonly known as vitamin B3, may help the immune system kill staph bacteria, which have been dubbed "superbugs" because they are resistant to antibiotics.
Laboratory experiments with mice and human blood allowed researchers to discover that high doses of this vitamin increase the ability of immune cells to kill bacteria by a thousand times.
The discovery could add to the arsenal of tools to combat bacterial infections that are resistant to antibiotics. In particular, we are talking about methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which causes severe diseases such as sepsis and pneumonia that have killed thousands of people around the world. These bacteria spread in hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, as well as among athletes and the military, and in other places where large numbers of people are in close and frequent contact.
The study was conducted by a team of scientists from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, the University of California at Los Angeles and other research centers. An article about the results of the study was published this week in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Co-author of the article Adrian Gombart, a professor at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, speaks of the great importance of the study for the development of medicine, but notes that it will be possible to talk about achieving a result after testing the new treatment method on people.
"This research could open up a new way to treat staph infections, which can be deadly. The new technology should be used alongside existing antibiotics," said Professor Gombart.
"It's a way to harness the power of the innate immune system and stimulate it to mount a powerful, natural immune response to bacteria," he added.
Antibiotics are very effective in fighting bacterial infections, but there are a growing number of types of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, leaving doctors with very few options for treatment. Staphylococcus aureus is one such “superbug.”
Researchers have found that vitamin B3 may help combat the problem, as it killed staph infections in human blood within hours.
"This vitamin is incredibly effective in combating and protecting against one of the most dangerous health threats in the modern world," said study co-leader George Liu of Cedars-Sinai.
The doses of vitamin B3 in the study were megadoses from a therapeutic standpoint. They are significantly higher than the amount of niacinamide in a normal diet. However, these doses have not been shown to cause harm to people when used for other medical purposes.
However, the scientists stress that the study's results are not yet sufficient grounds for people to start treating themselves with high doses of vitamin B3.