Niacin Intake May Be Linked to Hip Fracture Risk in Older Adults

A study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research suggests a link between incident hip fractures in older adults and their intake of dietary niacin, reports Endocrinology Advisor . Niacin has demonstrated an ability to lower C-reactive protein levels. But while higher levels are associated with fractures in older women, lower levels are connected to higher bone mineral density (BMD) in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. The researchers included 5,187 men and women age 65 and older, with one group taking 3.6 mg to 21.8 mg of niacin daily, another 21.9 to 30.2 mg, a third 30.3 to 40.9 mg, and a fourth 41.0 to 102.4 mg. Average daily dietary niacin consumption was 32.6 mg. At a 13-year follow-up, 725 participants had had an incident hip fracture, with dietary niacin intake significantly associated with a higher risk of fracture. Post-hoc analysis ascertained that both the lowest and highest quartiles of niacin intake were tied to a higher risk for incident hip fracture versus more moderate intake levels in the second and third quartiles.