Increasing ones intake of vitamin B3 may help prevent fungal infections, according to a study published in the journal Nature Medicine. This discovery could lower the risk of these types of diseases, which can be dangerous to people with altered immune systems, including those with AIDS, cancer and organ transplants.
During the trial researchers examined the effects of Candida albicans compounds, which help yeast grow and survive, on mice with similar health problems. The team then used a series of medications and natural components in order to improve the health of the animals.
The researchers discovered that when treating the mice with a form of vitamin B3, the spread of Candida albicans throughout the immune system was reduced, and the animals health improved.
Martine Raymond, lead author of the study, stated that “there is an urgent need to develop new therapies to kill C. albicans because it is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections and is associated with high mortality rates.” She added that these findings are “very exciting and they constitute an important first step in the development of new therapeutic agents to treat fungal infections without major side effects for patients.”
These findings may prove beneficial to individuals looking for a natural alternative to preventing fungal infections. In addition to vitamin B3, an extract from the pitcher plant has been proven to stave off similar health problems, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.