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The vitamin is niacin, also called vitamin B3. In an early clinical study, researchers are testing controlled-release niacin alongside standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy for newly diagnosed glioblastoma. A University of Calgary report says 82% of 24 participants were progression-free at six months. That is a preliminary result—not proof that niacin extends life, an established glioblastoma treatment, or a reason to start a supplement.
What researchers are testing
A University of Calgary team is studying whether niacin can be added to recommended chemotherapy and radiotherapy for people with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. The phase I-II trial assesses dose and safety, as well as whether niacin might improve progression-free survival: the time a patient remains alive without the cancer getting worse. The interim paper is titled “A phase I-II study of niacin in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma: safety and interim phase II analysis” and was published in the Journal of Neuro-Oncology in 2025. The University of Calgary report, republished by ScienceDaily, describes the interim findings.
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The rationale began in laboratory and animal research. University of Calgary researchers report that niacin can increase activity in myeloid immune cells, including microglia and macrophages, and reduce glioblastoma growth in cell and mouse models. These findings do not show that niacin has the same effect in people. A separate university account of earlier mouse research reported survival of 150 days for mice given niacin with chemotherapy and radiation, compared with 40 days in the comparison group described there. Those figures are animal-model results, not estimates of human survival. The university’s account of the preclinical work provides that context.
What the 82% interim result does—and does not—show
In the University of Calgary’s 2026 report, 82% of the 24 participants were progression-free at six months. The report describes this as 28% higher than in previous studies. It does not specify in the retrieved text whether that comparison is a relative increase or a percentage-point difference, so it should not be recalculated or read as a survival benefit.
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The research team had set a continuation threshold: stop the trial if six-month progression-free survival did not improve by at least 20% over older studies. The report calls the result preliminary. The trial aims to enroll 48 participants, with final analysis expected by the end of 2026 or early 2027; that is the report’s stated plan, not a guarantee of when results will be published.
- It is a small interim result: the reported figure covers 24 participants, not the planned full group.
- It measures progression-free survival: it does not establish longer overall survival.
- It is compared with earlier studies: it is not, by itself, evidence from a definitive comparison showing niacin caused an improvement.
- It is not a treatment recommendation: the evidence described does not establish niacin as standard care for glioblastoma.
The published paper is identified as a 2025 article, but the detailed methods and outcome tables were not available in the University of Calgary report. The interim headline figure should therefore be understood in the limited context the report provides.
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Why a trial product is not the same as a store-bought supplement
The study uses controlled-release niacin in a medically monitored treatment plan. The report does not establish that an ordinary retail niacin supplement is equivalent to the trial formulation, dose, or supervision. Nor does over-the-counter availability show that taking niacin alongside cancer treatment is safe.
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Trial principal investigator Dr. Gloria Roldan Urgoiti, MD, cautioned: “You cannot assume that, because it is something that is available over the counter, you can just combine it with the standard treatment safely.” The University of Calgary clinical neurosciences page carries the warning. Anyone with glioblastoma should discuss supplements with their oncology team rather than adding niacin independently.
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How to interpret broader supplement guidance
The National Cancer Institute says there is not enough proof that vitamin or mineral supplements prevent cancer. That is general guidance about cancer prevention; it is not a direct assessment of niacin as a glioblastoma treatment. It neither confirms nor rules out the specific treatment question being studied in this trial. The NCI’s dietary-interventions summary explains the broader evidence context.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known, and what remains uncertain
| Question | What the available report says |
|---|---|
| Which vitamin? | Niacin, also called vitamin B3. (University of Calgary report, 2026) |
| How is it being studied? | As controlled-release niacin added to standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with dose and safety assessment. (University of Calgary report, 2026) |
| What human outcome was reported? | 82% of 24 participants were progression-free at six months. (University of Calgary report, 2026) |
| Does this show longer overall survival? | No overall-survival benefit is established by the reported interim result. |
| Is niacin established glioblastoma treatment? | No; the result is preliminary and does not establish it as standard treatment. |
| Can retail supplements be treated as interchangeable with the trial product? | No equivalence is established; the report concerns controlled-release niacin under medical monitoring. |
As V. Wee Yong, PhD, professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, put it: “I see it as an ongoing ‘battle for the brain’.” The trial is one research effort in that battle, not a reason to change care on the strength of an interim figure.
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- Helps maintain already-healthy cholesterol – Healthy cholesterol levels are an important part of overall heart health. Niacin helps maintain cholesterol levels already within a normal range.
- Supports a healthy metabolism – B vitamins are vital to healthy metabolism. Your body uses niacin to utilize fats and carbohydrates and to metabolize glucose and alcohol.
- Promotes cellular energy production – Niacin is one of several vitamin B coenzymes that is crucial to the metabolic pathways that your body uses to generate cellular energy.
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