A supplement that inhibits the growth of aggressive brain tumors has been named

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According to the Mayo Clinic, glioblastoma – a type of cancer that often affects the brain “can be very difficult to treat and is often impossible to cure.” Some studies indicate a link between excessive use of dietary supplements and higher morbidity. However, one supplement can help bring an aggressive tumor under control.

Niacin has gained a lot of popularity for its role in lowering cholesterol, relieving arthritis and improving brain function, but one study suggests it may also reduce the risk of glioblastoma. In an experiment, researchers found that niacin reprogrammed immune cells in the brain, increasing their ability to fight tumors.

The results suggest that the supplement may boost immune defenses against brain tumors. The leading author of the study in Wei Yu, a professor at the Cummings School of Medicine in Calgary, described the results as “remarkable.”

Glioblastoma is notoriously resistant to treatment, and researchers suggest that this is due to a group of cells that characterize the disease known as brain tumor-initiating cells, or BTICs.

BTICs grow very well, so it is extremely difficult for immune cells to destroy them. As a result, the immune cells that invade the tumor to fight it often end up being destroyed. However, when treated with niacin, laboratory experiments revealed a number of behavioral changes in BTIC.

Researchers observed that cells taken from glioblastoma patients returned to action, allowing them to resume fighting the tumor.

Researchers implanted BTCIs obtained from human patients into mice to test how effective niacin is in natural conditions. After receiving the supplement, the team found that the growth of brain tumors was brought under control and the lifespan of the rodents increased.

A doctor's consultation is mandatory before using supplements.