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B3 (Niacin):
B3 (Niacin):
Niacin is a water-soluble B vitamin – and the common name for two very different compounds: nicotinic acid and niacinamide. Like all B-vitamins, niacin plays a role in many aspects of energy metabolism (as a component of NAD) and nervous system function. One of the most common uses for supplemental niacin is cholesterol regulation (used at very high doses – see below). Rich dietary sources of niacin include many high-protein foods such as meat, chicken, tuna and other fatty fish, peanuts, pork and milk.
Lowers Cholesterol & Triglyceride Levels (Niacin)
Prevents / Treats Diabetes (Niacinamide)
Improves Circulation (Inositol Hexaniacinate)
Relieves Arthritis (Niacinamide)
Because niacin is involved in the proper functioning of more than 200 metabolic enzymes, it plays a role in a wide range of bodily processes, including synthesis of hormones and blood cells and the release of energy from fats, carbohydrates and proteins. As a nutrient (vitamin B3) consumed at low doses (20-40mg), there is virtually no difference between the different chemical forms of niacin. In the mid-1950s, however, it was shown that high doses of niacin (as nicotinic acid) could lower cholesterol levels (although the exact mechanism of action is still not known). The other form of niacin (nicotinamide or niacinamide) does not provide a cholesterol-lowering effect, but there is some evidence that it may be helpful in preventing the development of childhood diabetes (Type I) in high-risk children. It should be cautioned that there is a strong possibility of liver inflammation with large doses of any form of niacin (see safety considerations below).
Scientific Support
Niacin has been studied for its cardiovascular benefits in about a half-dozen major clinical trials. The primary cardiovascular measures such as cholesterol and triglyceride levels, heart attacks and strokes are all significantly reduced with niacin therapy (sometimes used alone and sometimes used along with other drug therapy). Overall, the use of niacin (nicotinic acid, but not niacinamide) to prevent or treat elevated blood lipids and reduce cardiovascular disease risk is well substantiated. In a large number of clinical trials, nicotinic acid has been shown to consistently lower total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol (by about 15-20%) and triglycerides (by 10-25%), while increasing levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol (by 15-25%). The down-side is that the amount of niacin needed to lower cholesterol levels also tends to result in “niacin intolerance” in 15-40% of people who try it and the unpleasant side effect of “skin-flushing” (similar to hot flashes) as well as the serious risk of liver damage (see Safety considerations below).
Niacin supplements are available in regular and “slow-release” forms. The slow-release forms of nicotinic acid, such as Endur-acin, are intended for prolonged release of niacin during its 6-8 hour transit time in the intestines, but they are also associated with greater toxicity and safe doses are only about half of normal-release forms of niacin.
There have also been some reports that niacinamide (but not nicotinic acid) may be effective in controlling blood sugar and possibly preventing the development of diabetes in certain high-risk children. Although nicotinamide is being used in trials to prevent or delay the development of insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), the nicotinic acid form of niacin has been shown to cause insulin resistance and increased insulin secretion in normal subjects – so the “jury is still out” on the benefits of using high-dose niacin supplements to treat or control diabetes.
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