Niacin Supplementation for Healthy Hearts and Minds

Written by Thomas Corriher Thursday, 06 January 2011 18:30

Niacin (vitamin B3) is often ignored or marginalized, even by those in the health community.  Multi-vitamins and B-complex supplements often contain only negligible amounts of it.  In a country where 1 in 3 people die from heart disease, and where depression effects one in every ten adults, niacin supplementation should be paramount.  Niacin is an essential nutrient that we do not get enough of through our diets, due to depleted soils and processed foods.  It can be found in dairy products, poultry, fish, lean meats, and nuts.  Niacin is vital for the digestion of food, as well as nerve health and repair.  It maintains healthy skin.

A condition known as pellagra typically occurs among poor populations, who are deficient in niacin.  Pellagra is synonymous with niacin deficiency.  This condition greatly effects memory and mental health in as much as it causes chronic physical diseases.

Pellegra (pe' • lag • ra) noun.

1. A chronic disease caused by a deficiency of nicotinic acid in the diet and characterized by gastrointestinal disturbances, skin eruptions, and mental disorders: it is endemic in some parts of the world.   Taken from Webster's New World College Dictionary.

Symptoms of Pellagra

• Diarrhea
• Dermatitis
• Dementia
• Hyper-pigmentation
• Thickening of the skin
• Inflammation of the mouth and tongue
• Digestive disturbances
• Amnesia
• Delirium
• Depression
• Death

In modern times, it is extremely rare for deaths to be attributed to pellagra, but niacin deficiencies are a key factor in causing chronic diseases.  A deficiency of niacin will cause digestive problems, slow the metabolism, and decrease one's tolerance to cold temperatures.  Niacin is used for DNA repair, and it assists in the production of steroid hormones inside the adrenal glands.

Niacin is also very helpful for the treatment of depression and anxiety, in part because the body can convert it into L-tryptophan.  Pellagra sufferers have historically displayed the symptoms of 'dementia' (which is not to be confused with the modern, redefined version of 'dementia', which is Alzheimer's disease).  This condition most closely resembles what we now diagnose as 'schizophrenia'.  Thus, niacin is crucial in the area of maintaining mental health.  500 mg. of niacin has been shown to almost double short term memory by a whopping 40%.  The effects on long term memory maintenance could be even greater.

Just like in the case of scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), death from this condition is much slower in this modern age, and these deficiencies often manifest themselves in the form of heart disease.  Niacin protects the arteries from damage, which dramatically reduces cholesterol levels, since cholesterol is produced by the body to patch inflamed arteries.  Therefore, niacin decreases the risk of heart attacks, since it eliminates the conditions that place undue stress upon the heart.

The Coronary Drug Project did a study whereby they gave 8,000 heart attack victims 3 grams of niacin daily for six years.  They reported that there was a reduced incidence of subsequent heart attacks by 27%, and strokes by 26% (compared to the placebo group).  This was the result of niacin alone, with no other dietary or lifestyle changes.

Supplementing With Niacin

Flushing is a condition that is often experienced after niacin supplementation; especially with beginning users, or people who use tobacco products.  Parts of the body (usually the face and upper chest) become rosy red for people experiencing niacin flushes.  Niacin flushes may also produce sensations of hot flashes.  It is common for niacin flushes to last for 2 hours.

Purchasing an optimal niacin supplement may not be a simple task, because several forms are available. There is plain niacin, no-flush niacin, and time-released niacin.  Time-released niacin can be dangerous, and has been known to cause terrible side-effects, including hallucinations and insomnia.  We strongly recommend against using time-released niacin, due to its inexcusable toxic impurities.

No-flush niacin is a fraud, because it does not even contain niacin.  It should be avoided.  It is actually niacinomide, which is believed to be one of the compounds that is metabolized by the body from niacin.  It is believed that this conversion process from niacin to niacinomide is what causes redness in the face and chest known as "flushing".  No-flush niacin attempts to skip this important biological step.  The natural conversion of niacin to niacinomide is what reduces cholesterol and protects the arteries.  So, this lab-created pharma-chemical does not help to reduce cholesterol, or help to protect the arteries.  In addition, it is much more likely to cause liver damage with long term usage.  In other words, no-flush niacin is actually a dangerous chemical with no benefits, and it is not even niacin.  Once again, chemists believe that they can outdo God's work with their potions, and once again, we have the typical result.

Our Recommendations for Usage

The wisest approach is to use plain niacin, and to cope with any initial flushing issues.  Flushing does not occur for everyone, and it usually stops occurring after about two weeks of daily supplementation with a consistent dose.  The flushing is not dangerous, so there is no need to panic, or to confuse it with an allergic reaction.  The redness occurs due to the widening of the blood vessels near the skin, and regionalized itching will indicate that niacin is flushing toxins from that particular area.  Some people may benefit from taking it prior to bed, so that they avoid the flushing effects.

Of course, be watchful for rashes, swelling, and difficulty breathing, which would indicate a true allergic reaction to an impurity within the supplement.  Always keep some activated carbon ready for such potential emergencies, and decide if a hospital visit is necessary using common sense.  Supplement reactions are very unlikely when they have been purchased from a reputable health food or herbal supplies store.  Never buy supplements from general retailers or grocery stores.

We recommend against supplementing with more than 1,500 mg. (1.5 g.) of niacin, due to the risk of liver damage with extreme dosages.  Dosages of this quantity are unnatural, and the optimal effects of niacin can usually be gained from less than 1 gram daily.  It is wise to start with smaller doses (ie. 100 mg.), and gradually increase to the desired level.  Determining your ideal dose will require careful observations over a period of weeks.  Of course, these are adult doses, and children should be given less.

Be advised that nicotine and alcohol greatly intensify the flushing effects of niacin.

 

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