Ascending oral doses of nicotinamide (1000 to 3000 mg) and pyruvate (1500 to 3000 mg) vs placebo (2:1 randomization) were tested in 32 participants (21 from the intervention group and 11 from the placebo group). A combination of nicotinamide and pyruvate yielded significant short-term improvement in visual function, supporting prior experimental research suggesting a role for these agents in neuroprotection for individuals with glaucoma and confirming the need for long-term studies to establish their usefulness in slowing progression. Nutritional supplementation with high doses of nicotinamide and pyruvate can yield short-term improvement in visual field sensitivity in treated glaucoma patients with moderate functional loss.