Most people today are careful about sun exposure, knowing the clear link between UV rays and skin cancer. Sunscreen, shade, and UPF clothing are now common habits. But if you’ve already had a non-melanoma skin cancer such as basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, you may wonder what else you can do to lower your future risk.
The good news is that, along with sun protection and regular skin checks, research suggests that a specific form of vitamin B3 may help reduce the recurrence of some skin cancers.
Protection is the best defence
Physicians continue to recommend the basics first: UV-protective clothing, daily sunscreen, avoiding prolonged sun exposure, and seeing a skin cancer physician for yearly exams. For more support, some people may benefit from adding a vitamin B3 supplement called nicotinamide.
Research on Vitamin B3
A 2015 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine followed 386 adults who had previously experienced at least two non-melanoma skin cancers. Participants took either a placebo or 500 mg of nicotinamide twice daily for one year.
Compared to the placebo group, those taking nicotinamide experienced:
- 20% fewer basal cell carcinomas
- 30% fewer squamous cell carcinomas
- 13% fewer actinic keratoses
One key finding: the protection stopped once the supplement was discontinued. To maintain benefits, it needed to be taken consistently.
Researchers are still learning how nicotinamide works, but one theory is that it helps cells produce ATP (important for healthy cell repair). Since UV radiation can interfere with ATP production, nicotinamide may help counteract that effect.
The bottom line
If you’ve had basal or squamous cell carcinomas and are at increased risk of melanoma, nicotinamide may be worth discussing with your physician. Be sure to choose nicotinamide, not niacin. Niacin can cause flushing, while nicotinamide does not.
Typical recommendations are two 500 mg tablets of nicotinamide daily. This does not replace sun protection or regular skin checks, but it may give you one more tool to support your skin health.
For more information about Vitamin B3, see our post on Niacinamide.
