High-dose vitamin B3 (niacin) may enhance immune activity and improve short-term disease control in glioblastoma when added to standard therapy, according to early preclinical studies.

Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive, fast-growing brain cancer that develops from cells in the brain and spinal cord.

In previous laboratory experiments in mice, niacin was shown to extend survival. Researchers at the University of Calgary aimed to determine whether that same benefit extended to humans.

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The trials included 24 patients with glioblastoma, which has a median survival of roughly 12 to 18 months. 

Six months after receiving niacin in addition to standard treatments (surgery, radiation and chemotherapy), 82% of the patients showed no disease progression, compared to the typical 54%, according to the study’s press release.

Niacin was also found to restore function in weakened immune cells, improving their ability to target and destroy tumor cells.

The findings, including the 28% improvement in disease progression, were published in the Journal of Neuro-Oncology.

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“Normally, the immune system will try to counter and prevent tumor growth; however, this brain cancer suppresses the immune system,” said study author Dr. Wee Yong, PhD, a neuroscientist who studies immune responses in the brain, in the release. “Niacin treatment rejuvenates immune cells so they can do what they are supposed to do: attack and kill the cancer cells. I see it as an ongoing ‘battle for the brain.’”

Looking ahead, the team plans to enroll an additional 24 patients by the end of 2026 or early 2027 for the next phase of the trial, which will assess niacin’s safety and immune system activation.

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, noted that previous research has shown that vitamin B3 decreases inflammation and bolsters immune function.

“Vitamins, including vitamin B vitamins (especially niacin), are underrecognized as immune boosters,” the doctor, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

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Cautions and limitations

Despite the promising early results, the researchers urged caution.

“Glioblastoma is the most aggressive brain cancer in adults. Survival of patients with this condition hasn’t changed significantly for 20 years,” said lead study author Roldan Urgoiti, a clinical associate professor at the CSM, in the release. “Anything that may help should be explored, but it requires strict protocols and safety monitoring.”

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The study’s small sample size, short follow-up and lack of a randomized control group also posed limitations, the researchers acknowledged.

Larger, controlled trials are needed to confirm the findings, they said.

The researchers also cautioned that high doses of vitamins can pose health risks, and that usage should be monitored by doctors.

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Siegel agreed that niacin does have some side effects, including skin blushing.

“There probably will end up being a small impact here, so this is useful information, though clearly not a cure,” he added.

Scientists have developed a new therapy designed to repair cardiac damage after a heart attack.

The study, led by researchers at Columbia University and published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, explored a two-step strategy that uses skeletal muscle to produce a healing molecule that activates when it reaches an injured heart.

Unlike many organs, the adult human heart has a limited ability to repair itself after a heart attack, the researchers noted.

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“The heart is one of the organs with the least ability to regenerate,” said Ke Cheng, a professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia and the study’s lead author, in a press release.

Dead muscle is typically replaced by stiff scar tissue, often leading to heart failure. However, newborns’ hearts can spontaneously regenerate during a brief window of time.

“The neonatal heart spontaneously produces more of this molecule after a heart attack,” Cheng said. “The adult can’t produce a sufficient amount, so we found a way to supplement this to the heart.”

“The whole idea is that we learn from nature.”

The secret to this treatment is a protein called ANP, which acts as a repair mechanism for the heart, according to the researchers. Normally, this protein is impossible to use as a drug because it dissolves in the blood within minutes, long before it can reach the heart.

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To solve this, researchers turned the body’s own skeletal muscles into a sort of factory to produce ANP, using a specialized RNA injection to give the arm or leg muscles a set of instructions.

These instructions tell the muscle to produce a “sleeping” version of the repair protein. This inactive version safely travels through the bloodstream until it hits the heart, according to the release.

Once there, it meets a specific enzyme that acts like a key, “waking up” the protein so it can begin repairing exactly where it’s needed.

In preclinical trials involving both small and large animals, a single injection into the limb reduced scarring and significantly improved heart function.

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Because the researchers used self-amplifying RNA, which replicates once it’s inside the body, the treatment continued to produce the healing protein for at least four weeks.

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The therapy remained effective even when administered a week after the initial injury, providing hope for patients who do not receive immediate treatment, the researchers also found.

“The patient doesn’t have to go to the hospital today and tomorrow,” Cheng said, noting that the method avoids the risks associated with injecting treatments directly into the heart muscle.

So far, the treatment has only been tested in animals, which poses a significant limitation to the study. Human hearts are much more complex, and clinical trials are needed to determine whether they react in the same way.

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Additionally, because the RNA remains active for several weeks, scientists need to ensure that producing this repair protein for an extended time doesn’t cause any unintended side effects in other parts of the body.

Actress and singer Selena Gomez continues to be outspoken about mental health following her diagnosis with bipolar disorder.

The former Disney star announced her diagnosis in 2020 during an Instagram Live video call with fellow Disney Channel standout Miley Cyrus. Gomez has since described this discovery as a relief, although not an easy path.

In a recent episode of the “Friends Keep Secrets” podcast, Gomez – the co-founder of mental health publication Wondermind – shared details about her journey to diagnosis.

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Fellow musician and husband Benny Blanco asked his wife if she knew she was bipolar before being officially diagnosed.

“I knew something was wrong, but I think I was misdiagnosed,” she responded. “I think people were just assuming – and I would try multiple therapists.”

“It’s actually really hard when we’re talking about these things, and for me to go, ‘Go get a therapist.’ All of it is so … complicated.”

Gomez detailed how her diagnosis required talking to “multiple different people,” stressing the importance of not giving up.

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“I’m so grateful I went to four different rehabs because it all helped me understand it,” she said.

Blanco revealed that Gomez sometimes experiences a manic episode without recognizing it.

“She’ll start to realize she’s having it after it’s happening, and sometimes she doesn’t even remember when it’s happening,” he said.

“It’s such a delicate thing because … you’re not supposed to, technically, talk to the person about it while they’re deep in it.”

Blanco added that Gomez is “so hyper aware” of when she’s experiencing mania.

“I’m equally proud to say that I do have moments of mania,” she said. “I’m not ashamed at all, because I can catch them a bit quicker.”

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“It is helpful to have a partner who will understand … and meet you where you are,” the singer added.

Since her diagnosis, Gomez said she lives life more “freely.”

“The whole hypocrisy of shaming people for therapy, or people not understanding it, is that it’s just not for you,” she said. “But for me, it finally allowed me to go, ‘Oh, that’s why I handled things the way I [did]. That’s why all the other people were able to get over things quickly, and I wasn’t.’”

Gomez added, “I’d act out of fear, I’d act out of love, I’d act out of passion, it was all inconsistent. It was crazy.”

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The actress encouraged others that no matter the diagnosis, “you are not defined by a term.”

“It’s just informative to seek and talk and listen to podcasts or listen to certain things that will help you get information,” she said. “I do believe there is a lot of hope.”

Signs of bipolar disorder

About 2.8% of adults in the U.S. have experienced bipolar in the last year, while 4.4% experience it during their lifetime, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Formerly called manic depression or “manic-depressive disorder,” bipolar disorder is characterized by dramatic shifts in mood, energy and activity levels, affecting the ability to carry out daily tasks.

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This can include emotional highs, referred to as mania or hypomania, and lows, known as depression, per Mayo Clinic.

Symptoms can differ depending on bipolar type.

“You are not defined by a term.”

Manic and hypomanic episodes typically include three or more of the following symptoms:

• Increased activity, energy or agitation
• Feeling too self-confident, or having a distorted sense of well-being
• Needing less sleep than usual
• Speaking quickly or being unusually talkative
• Having racing thoughts or jumping from one topic to the next
• Being easily distracted
• Making poor decisions

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Major depressive episodes typically include five or more of the following symptoms.

• Feeling depressed, sad, empty, hopeless or tearful
• Having a loss of interest or feeling no pleasure in most activities
• Losing weight when not dieting, or overeating and gaining weight
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Feeling restless or acting slower than usual
• Feeling very tired or losing energy
• Feeling worthless or guilty when unnecessary
• Struggling with thinking or concentrating, leading to an inability to make decisions
• Thinking about, planning or attempting suicide

Seeking diagnosis

Mayo Clinic encourages anyone experiencing these symptoms to seek help from a professional.

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Diagnosis can be made through a physical exam and lab testing, as well as mental health assessments and tracking of moods, sleep patterns and other factors.

After diagnosis, Mayo Clinic recommends paying attention to warning signs to prevent episodes. Getting enough sleep, taking medications as directed, and abstaining from drugs and alcohol can also help.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Gomez’s representation and Wondermind for comment.