Vitamin B3 to Treat Fungal Infections?
Researchers at the University of Montreal recently discovered that nicotinamide, also known as vitamin B3, slowed down the replication of the fungus Candida albicans in mice. Not only that, but this B-complex vitamin stalled the growth of other species of fungi that cause infection in humans. These fungi can be a particularly serious problem for hospitalized patients who have suppressed immune systems. Antifungal drugs are usually used to treat fungal infections, but they have side effects including the potential for liver damage, allergic reactions, and, in women, changes in estrogen levels. A natural antifungal treatment without these risks would be a safer option. In addition, some infection causing fungi become resistant to the medications used to treat them, which can make the infection more difficult to eradicate.
