Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin B3 (mixed)
For the health condition: Schizophrenia
Synopsis
Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 1
Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, has a historical association with schizophrenia treatment largely stemming from the work of Dr. Abram Hoffer and colleagues in the 1950s and 1960s. Hoffer promoted high-dose niacin therapy (often along with vitamin C and other nutrients) as part of what he termed "orthomolecular psychiatry." Hoffer and Pauling theorized that certain psychiatric symptoms, including those of schizophrenia, might be alleviated by correcting underlying biochemical imbalances with large doses of niacin and other vitamins. Several small, uncontrolled, or methodologically flawed studies from that era reported some improvements in patients, but these findings have not been robustly reproduced.
Modern systematic reviews and well-designed clinical trials have not validated niacin or vitamin B3 supplementation as an effective treatment for schizophrenia. Mainstream psychiatry does not endorse its use for this purpose, and major guidelines do not recommend vitamin B3 supplementation except in the rare case of pellagra (niacin deficiency), which can sometimes mimic psychotic symptoms but is distinct from schizophrenia. In summary, the idea of using vitamin B3 for schizophrenia arises mainly from historical/traditional practices rather than strong scientific evidence.