Evaluation of clinical relationship of serum niacin and dopamine levels in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome, 2021, Katar et al

ABSTRACT
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of serum niacin and dopamine (DA) levels and their clinical importance in
fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients.

Patients and methods: Between April 2018 and October 2018, a total of 53 female patients (mean age: 38.3±5.5 years; range, 21 to 45 years)
with a clinical diagnosis of FMS and 35 healthy female controls (mean age: 36.7±5.2 years; range, 25 to 44 years) were included in this
cross-sectional study. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ)
were applied to the patients. Serum levels of niacin and DA were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods, respectively.

Results: Niacin and DA levels of the patient group were significantly lower than those of control group (p=0.003 and p=0.02, respectively).
A very strong positive correlation was found between niacin and DA levels (r=0.96 p<0.001). Evaluation of the diagnostic performance of
niacin and DA by the receiver operating characteristic analysis yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.73 (p<0.001, 95% confidence
interval [CI]: 0.62-0.85) and an AUC of 0.68 (p=0.004, 95% CI: 0.56-0.80), respectively.

Conclusion: Serum niacin and DA levels decrease in FMS patients in relation to the tender point numbers. It can be suggested that the levels
of these two markers can be considered additional tools in the diagnosis of FMS.

Keywords: Dopamine, fibromyalgia syndrome, niacin, pain, point number, tender.

Full paper only seems to be available in pdf, please see attached

 

The differences were way more dramatic than I was expecting - levels of dopamine and niacin were about half that of the controls. I do wonder about diet, maybe overall food intake is lower in fibro. But, still I was not expecting that. The authors discuss fibro in the context of central sensitization, but at least do so in a biomedical manor.

 

Spoiler

(I'll see myself out.)

 

I gave not yet read the paper ( not enough coffee consumed yet)

When we did some testing after my daughter had been ill for a year b3( niacin) and glutathione were both low.
Niacin is an anti inflammatory molecule - perhaps being low suggests higher than normal levels of inflammation?

Eta looking at MAO ( and COMT) gene expression may have been useful for dopamine .

 

What makes you think that?

 

At least in my case, pain and fatigue can have a negative effect on appetite. Google suggests that's not uncommon but I suspect it can also have the opposite effect in some individuals. It can also be as simple as not able to go to the grocery store as often.

 

Agreed.

Also disability/unemployment and resulting food insecurity.

Another variable may be inability to prepare meals on a regular basis.

 

FM + ME may well be different than FM alone, and several studies correlate obesity to FM. I would be careful to generalize N=1 experience.

Also I’d be careful to assume that a B-3 deficiency is related to a dietary intake. One can have adequate daily recommended intake but still somehow deficient, and i’d suggest it is not necessary to rush to the vitamin store to buy B-3 at this point, and come back here and announce their pain is better after 5 days.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10067-009-1094-2