A study from researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, published in the journal Cancer Letters, suggests that over-the-counter anti-aging supplements containing vitamin B3 derivatives—specifically nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), nicotinamide riboside (NR), and nicotinamide (NAM)—may impair cancer treatments. These compounds are used by the body to produce NAD+, a molecule that aids in cellular energy production and damage repair. The study found that in the context of pancreatic cancer, a particularly lethal form with a 5-year survival rate of 13%, these supplements can help cancer cells survive chemotherapy by providing additional resources for repairing chemotherapy-induced damage, thereby avoiding cell death ¹.

The research, conducted in both laboratory settings and animal models, demonstrated that the supplements protected pancreatic cancer cells against three common chemotherapy drugs: oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and gemcitabine, enabling tumors to withstand chemotherapy doses that would typically be fatal. Study lead Jordan Winter, a professor at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, emphasized the concerning potential role of NAD+-boosting supplements in active cancer, particularly when used alongside chemotherapy, and called for increased scrutiny and patient screening for supplement use by oncology teams. Winter also advised patients undergoing cancer treatment to consult their oncologists before using any over-the-counter supplements. The study acknowledges limitations, including its reliance on laboratory and animal models rather than human clinical trials, and its focus exclusively on pancreatic cancer, suggesting that effects may vary with other cancer types or drug combinations ¹.

Footnotes

1. Source: Anti-aging supplements taken by millions may undermine cancer treatment, study warns ↩ ↩²

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