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. 2022 Sep;50(7):736-744.
doi: 10.1111/ceo.14120. Epub 2022 Jun 13.

Association between dietary niacin and retinal nerve fibre layer thickness in healthy eyes of different ages

Jason Charng  1   2 , Abdus Samad Ansari  3 , Nicola P Bondonno  4   5 , Michael L Hunter  6   7 , Therese A O'Sullivan  4 , Panayiotis Louca  8 , Chris J Hammond  3 , David A Mackey  1
Affiliations

Association between dietary niacin and retinal nerve fibre layer thickness in healthy eyes of different ages

Jason Charng et al. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

Background: To investigate the relationship between dietary intake of niacin (water-soluble form of vitamin B3 ) and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness in healthy eyes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study examined the association between daily niacin intake and RNFL thickness in three large population-based cohorts with varied age differences. RNFL thickness was extracted from optical coherence tomography data; energy-adjusted niacin intake was estimated from food frequency questionnaires. Linear mixed-effects models were utilised to examine the association between RNFL thickness and energy-adjusted niacin intake. Three separate analyses were conducted, with niacin treated as a continuous, a categorical (quartiles) or a dichotomous (above/below Australian recommended daily intake) variable.

Results: In total, 4937 subjects were included in the study [Raine Study Gen2, n = 1204, median age 20; Busselton Healthy Ageing Study (BHAS), n = 1791, median age 64; TwinsUK, n = 1942, median age 64). When analysed as a continuous variable, there was no association between RNFL thickness and niacin intake in any of the three cohorts (95% CI β: Raine Study Gen 2, -0.174 to 0.074; BHAS, -0.066 to 0.078; TwinsUK -0.435 to 0.350). Similar findings were observed with quartiles of niacin intake and for niacin intakes above or below Australian recommended daily intake levels in all three cohorts.

Conclusions: Dietary intake of niacin from a standard diet does not appear to be associated with age-related RNFL thinning in healthy eyes. Supraphysiological doses of niacin may be required for therapeutic effect in the retina.

Keywords: RNFL; glaucoma; niacin; vitamin B3.

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Comment in

  • Vitamin B3 : More than meets the eye.
    Hui F, Casson RJ. Hui F, et al. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2022 Sep;50(7):709-710. doi: 10.1111/ceo.14169. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2022. PMID: 36226517 No abstract available.

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