Study Questions Effectiveness of Popular Supplement for Parkinson’s

A widely promoted supplement intended to enhance longevity has shown little to no real benefit for those suffering from early-stage Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study.

This research undermines previous optimism that a vitamin B3 derivative could help in slowing the disease’s advancement, with some patients even experiencing worsening symptoms.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative condition affecting over a million individuals in the U.S. It occurs when nerve cells in the brain deteriorate and die, leading to reduced dopamine levels, a vital chemical responsible for movement coordination.

As the illness progresses, symptoms can include tremors, stiff muscles, slower movements, and balance issues. There are also non-motor symptoms like depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, digestive complications, speech alterations, bladder problems, and sudden drops in blood pressure when standing up.

The study incorporated 410 adults aged 35 and older, recruited from 11 centers throughout Norway, all diagnosed with early-stage Parkinson’s within the last two years.

Prior to the trial, participants had been taking levodopa along with carbidopa or benserazide three times daily, and 10 milligrams of selegiline daily. They continued their standard medication regimen throughout the study unless changes were medically necessary.

Initially, researchers evaluated participants using the MDS-UPDRS scale, which measures Parkinson’s severity; higher scores indicate more severe symptoms.

Participants were then randomly divided into two groups. One group received a 500-milligram tablet of nicotinamide riboside (NR) twice daily for a year, while the other group got a placebo.

Nicotinamide riboside, a vitamin B3 derivative, converts in the body to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD+. This molecule is crucial for various essential functions, including energy production from food, DNA repair, maintaining cellular defenses, and regulating the body’s internal clock.

NAD+ levels naturally decline with age, and changes to this molecule have been linked to aging and multiple chronic issues such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and vision impairment. The market for NR has soared to around $2 billion, with endorsements from public figures like Kendall Jenner, Joe Rogan, and Jennifer Aniston.

Earlier lab studies and smaller clinical trials had raised hope that increasing NAD+ could protect nerve cells affected by Parkinson’s.

However, when tested on a larger scale, the results were disappointing. After a year, participants on NR experienced an average worsening of 2.45 points on the MDS-UPDRS scale, in contrast to a 0.27 point improvement in the placebo group.

The 2.72-point difference between the two groups was statistically significant and leaned towards the placebo, but it lacked clinical relevance, the authors pointed out.

Further assessments of non-motor symptoms showed that those taking NR had greater deterioration in mood and sleep disturbances compared to the placebo group.

Brain imaging did not reveal any indications that NR had either slowed or sped up changes in the dopamine system. Adverse events were similarly common across both groups.

“NR clearly increased NAD metabolism, but this did not translate into clinical improvement,” said study leader Charalampos Tzoulis, a professor at Haukeland University Hospital and the University of Bergen, in a press release. “Our findings, therefore, do not support NR as a treatment to slow Parkinson’s disease.”

Due to the findings, researchers recommend against using NR or any NAD-boosting supplements for treating Parkinson’s outside of controlled clinical settings. However, they acknowledged that these results don’t dismiss the potential for NAD+ treatments for other conditions.

“Although the results were not what we had hoped for, their contribution has answered an important medical question and provided valuable guidance for future research,” Tzoulis reflected.

This study represents another step in the ongoing quest for better treatments for Parkinson’s, impacting over 10 million individuals across the globe, including approximately 1.1 million in the United States, as reported by the Parkinson’s Foundation.

Each year, around 90,000 Americans are diagnosed with this progressive disorder, which tends to be more prevalent in men and older adults.

While the exact cause remains largely unknown to many patients, researchers think a combination of genetics, environmental influences, and aging may contribute.

At present, there is no cure for Parkinson’s, but medications, supportive therapies, and treatments such as deep brain stimulation can help alleviate symptoms and enhance quality of life.