Abstract:A 40-year old woman, previously known for Friedreich's ataxia, presented with shock, profound lactic acidosis and hepatic failure after ingestion of a high dose of nicotinamide, the amide form of vitamin B3. On her own initiative, she was taking up to 4.4 g per day of nicotinamide, after having learned the results of a phase 2 study suggesting a potential benefit in Friedreich's ataxia. The outcome was good with supportive care and withdrawal of nicotinamide.
LEARNING POINTS• High-dose nicotinamide can cause l… Show more
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.