Glaucoma is one of the main causes of blindness in people over 60 years of age.
A big problem with this disease is the fact that most patients do not even suspect that they have glaucoma, as it is asymptomatic, has no warning signs, and is only diagnosed when the effects on vision are irreversible.
The only glaucoma treatment strategies currently available are aimed at reducing intraocular pressure with eye drops or surgery. Despite the availability of these treatments, the risk of going blind in at least one eye remains high for people with glaucoma.
However, new studies offer great hope that this "vision stealer" can be braked or even stopped.
At issue is a nutrient whose consumption for 12 weeks resulted in significant changes in glaucoma patients.
But let's take it from the beginning…
Glaucoma is a subject of continuous study in the medical world, as the exact causes leading to the onset of this disease are unknown. However, increased intraocular pressure, which leads to degeneration of the optic nerve, is unanimously recognized as a possible cause of glaucoma.
The optic nerve is made up of millions of nerve fibers. It is like an electrical cable made up of many thin wires. When the nerve fibers break, vision is impaired.
Glaucoma affects the ganglion cells in the retina, whose fibers make up the optic nerve. With an increase in intraocular pressure in these cells, an abnormal structure of mitochondria is noted, occurring even before the onset of degenerative changes.
Another sign of retinal neuronal dysfunction is a decrease in the content of NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), which is involved in redox reactions and plays an important role in cellular metabolism. Studies have shown that its content in retinal ganglia decreases with age. A decrease in the level of NAD worsens the energy metabolism of neurons, contributing to pathological changes in them.
One of the best ways to increase NAD levels is to use its precursor, nicotinamide (vitamin B3).
According to a study, intake of nicotinamide (from which NAD is synthesized) with food or its intravenous administration protected mice from neurodegenerative changes caused by glaucoma.
This prompted scientist to study its use in human patients.
In a recent study, volunteers with glaucoma took 1.5 grams of nicotinamide for six weeks and 3 grams for the next six weeks.
It was remarkable that after just 12 weeks…
- nerve cell function improved;
- visual field test improved.
Using various platforms, scientists have confirmed that nicotinamide offers numerous neuroprotective effects. These include preventing metabolic stress and increasing mitochondrial size and mobility to provide an environment in which retinal ganglion cells are less susceptible to glaucoma-related stress. These data support the conduct of a large clinical trial and further investigation of the utility of long-term nicotinamide treatment as a neuroprotective therapy for glaucoma in humans.
Of course, more research on this topic is needed. But already now such studies show how this powerful nutrient addresses the mitochondrial problem that underlies such a degenerative disease as glaucoma.
Moreover, the proper functioning of mitochondria is fundamental not only to vision, but to the life of the cell and the body as a whole. Not surprisingly, dysfunctions in their function underlie most diseases and are involved in the management of inflammation and oxidative stress. Thus, mitochondria have a direct impact on systemic regulation of metabolism, brain function, immune activation, and even the rate of aging and longevity.
So, whether you have glaucoma or not, vitamin B3 will improve mitochondrial function and will make your life better.
What do you think? Is it worth a try?