Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
For the health condition: Schizophrenia

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 1

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) has a history of being used as an adjunctive treatment for schizophrenia, rooted primarily in the orthomolecular psychiatry movement pioneered by Dr. Abram Hoffer in the 1950s. Hoffer and his colleagues theorized that high doses of niacin could help alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia, based on anecdotal reports and small-scale clinical studies. These early reports suggested some patients experienced improvements in mood and thinking with high-dose niacin therapy. However, these studies were often poorly controlled, lacked rigorous methodology, and their results have not been consistently replicated in larger, more modern randomized controlled trials.

As a result, mainstream psychiatry and medical organizations do not endorse niacin as an evidence-based treatment for schizophrenia. Most contemporary research has failed to confirm significant benefits, and concerns have been raised about the potential risks of high-dose niacin, including liver toxicity and other adverse effects. Therefore, while there is a tradition of use, especially within the orthomolecular community, current scientific evidence does not support the efficacy of niacin for this condition, and it is not considered a standard or recommended treatment.

More about Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
More about Schizophrenia

Products containing Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.