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Vitamin B3 (niacin, niacinamide) is needed for release of energy from food; it maintains the health of skin, mouth and digestive tract; it is necessary for normal mental function and can increase circulation and reduce high blood pressure. It aids in the functioning of the nervous system; in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and also lowers cholesterol.
Vitamin B3 (niacin) is used commonly to refer to two different compounds, nicotinic acid and niacinamide. B3 was first isolated during oxidation of nicotine from tobacco and was thus given the name 'nicotinic acid vitamin', shortened to niacin. It is not, however, the same as or even closely related to the molecule nicotine. Niacin, as nicotinic acid or niacinamide, is converted in the body to the active forms, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and a phosphorylated form (NADP). Niacin is commonly known as vitamin B3, the water-soluble vitamin that prevents the deficiency disease pellagra.
Vitamin B3 is necessary for the manufacture of the hormones cortisone, thyroxine, insulin, and the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. It increases the production of prostaglandins, which are hormone-like chemicals that tissues produce to help control such physiologic processes as blood clotting and inflammation.
It is helpful against schizophrenia and other mental illnesses, and is also a memory enhancer.
The Coronary Project Research Group's major study in 1975 found that niacin not only reduces cholesterol levels but cuts back the likelihood of subsequent heart attacks by almost 30% while increasing HDL ("good" cholesterol). It also found that these same patients who continued with niacin had fewer medical problems later. In fact, those treated with designer drugs did not live longer than those treated with a placebo, but those treated with niacin outlived the other two categories. All this has been known for a long time but, in spite of this, designer drugs are still being pushed as the only answer.
Niacin appears to reduce symptoms of vertigo, as in Meniere's syndrome. It is also known to eliminate bad breath, aid in healing canker sores, and to ease some bouts of diarrhea. Low doses of niacin can relieve migraine headaches. For hypoglycemics, supplements of niacin may help to regulate blood sugar levels.
Niacin, along with pantothenic acid, is proving helpful in treating arthritis. In fact, the lower the level of these vitamins, the more severe the symptoms of arthritis. Niacin is also used as a detoxifying agent to rid the body of many poisons, which may explain the reduction of some arthritic symptoms.
Niacin can be made in the body from the essential amino acid tryptophan. The conversion of tryptophan to niacin requires the presence of other nutrients, such as thiamin, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), biotin, vitamin C and iron.
Niacin forms the two coenzymes NAD and NADP, which are involved in over 50 different metabolic reactions. They play a key role in glycolysis (extracting energy from carbohydrate and glucose), are important in fatty acid synthesis and in the deamination (nitrogen removal) of amino acids, are needed in the formation of red blood cells and steroids, and are helpful in the metabolism of some drugs and toxins.
In other words, niacin is a vital precursor for the coenzymes that supply energy to body cells; they help break down and utilize proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Vitamin B3 also stimulates circulation, reduces cholesterol levels in the blood of some people, and is important to healthy activity of the nervous system and normal brain function. Niacin supports the health of skin, tongue, and digestive tract tissues. Also, this important vitamin is needed for the synthesis of the sex hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, as well as other corticosteroids.
Causes & Development
Frequent causes of deficiency include a poor diet, alcoholism, isoniazid therapy and carcinoid tumors. In rare cases, a deficiency can occur in the presence of hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, cirrhosis, pregnancy or lactation.
Niacin needs are increased during pregnancy, lactation, and growth periods, as well as after physical exercise. Athletes require more B3 than less active people. Stress, illness and tissue injury also increase the body's need for niacin. People who eat much sugar or refined, processed foods require more niacin as well.
Niacin deficiency is common in certain maize-eating populations because the niacin in maize (and other cereal grains) is bound in such a way as to make it unavailable to the body. To compound this problem, maize is also a relatively poor source of tryptophan.
Niacin deficiency symptoms can be seen in diets with niacin intake below 7.5mg per day, but often this is not the only deficiency; vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and other B-vitamins, as well as protein and iron, may be low.
Pellagra is disease caused by a lack of Vitamin B3 (niacin) in the diet or poor absorption of the vitamin. It is common throughout the world but infrequent in the U.S. It primarily strikes those lacking protein in their diets or who have a high corn diet or are unable to assimilate the vitamin. Amino acid imbalance may play a part in pellegra.
Signs & Symptoms
In general, niacin deficiency affects every cell, especially in those systems with rapid turnover, such as the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and nervous system. Other than photosensitivity, the first signs of niacin deficiency are noted as decreased energy production and problems with maintaining healthy functioning of the skin and intestines. These symptoms include weakness and general fatigue, anorexia, indigestion, skin eruptions, depression and loss of memory.
These can progress to other problems, such as a sore, red tongue, canker sores, nausea, vomiting, tender gums, bad breath, and diarrhea. The neurological symptoms may begin with irritability, insomnia and headaches, and then progress to tremors, extreme anxiety, depression - all the way to full-blown psychosis. The skin will worsen, as will the diarrhea and inflammation of the mouth and intestinal tract. There will be a lack of stomach acid production (achlorhydria) and a decrease in fat digestion and, thus, lower availability from food absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D and E. Death could occur, usually from convulsions, if the niacin deficiency is not corrected.
Deficiency symptoms include: failing vision, hypersensitivity to light, pellagra, skin inflammations and hypersensitivities including skin rashes, cracked and scaly skin, bad breath, tender gums, mouth sores, diarrhea, digestion upsets, ulcers, nausea, decreased appetite, decreased sense of taste, hyperacute sense of smell, fatigue, nervousness, emotional instability, depression, alternating depression and emotional agitation, irritability, apathy, confusion, nervousness, hallucinations, headaches, memory loss, insomnia, muscle weakness, deterioration of amino acid utilization, acne, increased serum cholesterol. Niacin deficiency can also produce a bronzing of the skin, indicating early stages of pellagra.
Pellagra (a severe niacin and tryptophan deficiency disease), is rare in modernized societies. Symptoms often begin with weakness, listlessness, insomnia, and weight loss. Exposed skin becomes red and scaly. Later symptoms include loss of appetite, dermatitis, diarrhea, mental changes, headaches, dizziness, aches, muscle tremors, beefy tongue, and digestive and mental/emotional disturbance.
Deficiency problems have been much more common than toxicity, and for a long period of history the niacin deficiency disease, pellagra, was a very serious and fatal problem. Characterized as the disease of the "three Ds", pellagra causes its victims to experience dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia. (The fourth D was death).
One of the first signs of pellagra is the skin's increased sensitivity to light. The skin also becomes rough, thick, and dry (pellagra means "skin that is rough" in Italian). The skin then becomes darkly pigmented, especially in areas of the body prone to be hot and sweaty or those exposed to sun. The first stage of this condition is extreme redness and sensitivity of those exposed areas.
Treatment & Prevention
To treat pellagra and niacin deficiency disorders, vitamin B3 supplements should be taken along with good protein intake to obtain adequate levels of the amino acid tryptophan. Some 50% of our daily niacin requirement comes from the conversion in our livers of tryptophan to niacin with the help of pyridoxine (vitamin B6).
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Conditions that suggest Vitamin B3 Requirement:
Risk factors for Vitamin B3 Requirement:
Vitamin B3 Requirement could instead be:
Recommendations and treatments for Vitamin B3 Requirement:
KEY | | Weak or unproven link |  | | Proven definite or direct link |  | | Strongly counter-indicative |  | | Very strongly or absolutely counter-indicative |  | | May do some good |  | | Highly recommended |
GLOSSARY
Achlorhydria
The complete absence or failure of stomach acid secretion.
Acne
A chronic skin disorder due to inflammation of hair follicles and sebaceous glands (secretion glands in the skin).
AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. An immune system deficiency disorder that suddenly alters the body's ability to defend itself. The AIDS virus invades the T4 helper/inducer lymphocytes and multiplies, causing a breakdown in the body's immune system, eventually leading to overwhelming infection and/or cancer, with ultimate death.
Amino Acid (Amino Acids)
An organic acid containing nitrogen chemical building blocks that aid in the production of protein in the body. Eight of the twenty-two known amino acids are considered "essential," and must be obtained from dietary sources because the body can not synthesize them.
Anorexia Nervosa (Anorexia)
An eating disorder characterized by excess control - a morbid fear of obesity leads the sufferer to try and limit or reduce their weight by excessive dieting, exercising, vomiting, purging and use of diuretics. Sufferers are typically more than 15% below the average weight for their height/sex/age and typically have amenorrhea (if female) or low libido (if male). 1-2% of female teenagers are anorexic.
Anxiety
Apprehension of danger, or dread, accompanied by nervous restlessness, tension, increased heart rate, and shortness of breath unrelated to a clearly identifiable stimulus.
Arthritis (Arthritic)
Inflammation of a joint, usually accompanied by pain, swelling, and stiffness, and resulting from infection, trauma, degenerative changes, metabolic disturbances, or other causes. It occurs in various forms, such as bacterial arthritis, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis, the most common form, is characterized by a gradual loss of cartilage and often an overgrowth of bone at the joints.
Biotin
An essential coenzyme that assists in the making of fatty acids and in the burning of carbohydrates and fats for body heat and energy. It is also essential for function of red blood cells and hemoglobin synthesis.
Canker Sores (Aphthous Ulcers, Apthous Stomatitis)
Small, painful ulcers that occur on the inside of the cheek, lip or underside of the tongue. Caused by an assortment of viruses, doctors call this condition aphthous stomatitis. Canker sores usually clear up by themselves within a week or so, but they often recur, sometimes in the form of multiple sores.
Carbohydrates (Carbohydrate)
The sugars and starches in food. Sugars are called simple carbohydrates and found in such foods as fruit and table sugar. Complex carbohydrates are composed of large numbers of sugar molecules joined together, and are found in grains, legumes, and vegetables like potatoes, squash, and corn.
Cholesterol
A waxy, fat-like substance manufactured in the liver and found in all tissues, it facilitates the transport and absorption of fatty acids. In foods, only animal products contain cholesterol. An excess of cholesterol in the bloodstream can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.
Corticosteroid (Corticosteroids)
Steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex.
Dermatitis
A general term used to refer to eruptions or rashes on the skin.
Diarrhea
Excessive discharge of contents of bowel.
Estrogen (Oestrogen)
One of the female sex hormones produced by the ovaries.
Fatty Acids (Fatty Acid)
Chemical chains of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms that are part of a fat (lipid) and are the major component of triglycerides. Depending on the number and arrangement of these atoms, fatty acids are classified as either saturated, polyunsaturated, or monounsaturated. They are nutritional substances found in nature which include cholesterol, prostaglandins, and stearic, palmitic, linoleic, linolenic, eicosapentanoic (EPA), and decohexanoic acids. Important nutritional lipids include lecithin, choline, gamma-linoleic acid, and inositol.
Gastrointestinal (GI, GI Tract)
Pertaining to the stomach, small and large intestines, colon, rectum, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.
Glucose
A sugar that is the simplest form of carbohydrate. It is commonly referred to as blood sugar. The body breaks down carbohydrates in foods into glucose, which serves as the primary fuel for the muscles and the brain.
Hallucination (Hallucinations)
A false or distorted perception of objects or events, including sensations of sight, sound, taste, smell or touch, typically accompanied by a powerful belief in their reality.
High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)
Also known as "good" cholesterol, HDLs are large, dense, protein-fat particles that circulate in the blood picking up already used and unused cholesterol and taking them back to the liver as part of a recycling process. Higher levels of HDLs are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease because the cholesterol is cleared more readily from the blood.
Hormones (Hormone)
Chemical substances secreted by a variety of body organs that are carried by the bloodstream and usually influence cells some distance from the source of production. Hormones signal certain enzymes to perform their functions and, in this way, regulate such body functions as blood sugar levels, insulin levels, the menstrual cycle, and growth. These can be prescription, over-the-counter, synthetic or natural agents. Examples include adrenal hormones such as corticosteroids and aldosterone; glucagon, growth hormone, insulin, testosterone, estrogens, progestins, progesterone, DHEA, melatonin, and thyroid hormones such as thyroxine and calcitonin.
Hyperthyroidism (Hyperthyroid)
An abnormal condition of the thyroid gland resulting in excessive secretion of thyroid hormones characterized by an increased metabolism and weight loss.
Insulin
A hormone secreted by the pancreas in response to elevated blood glucose levels. Insulin stimulates the liver, muscles, and fat cells to remove glucose from the blood for use or storage.
Iron
An essential mineral. Prevents anemia: as a constituent of hemoglobin, transports oxygen throughout the body. Virtually all of the oxygen used by cells in the life process are brought to the cells by the hemoglobin of red blood cells. Iron is a small but most vital, component of the hemoglobin in 20,000 billion red blood cells, of which 115 million are formed every minute. Heme iron (from meat) is absorbed 10 times more readily than the ferrous or ferric form.
Lactation (Lactate, Lactates, Lactating)
Production of milk; period after giving birth during which milk is secreted in the breasts.
Meniere's Disease (Menieres, Meniere's, Ménière's)
An affliction of the middle ear characterized by vertigo, nausea, vomiting, tinnitus and progressive deafness.
Metabolism (Metabolic, Metabolize, Metabolizes, Metabolizing)
The chemical processes of living cells in which energy is produced in order to replace and repair tissues and maintain a healthy body. Responsible for the production of energy, biosynthesis of important substances, and degradation of various compounds. Also defined as the sum total of changes in an organism in order to achieve a balance (homeostasis): Catabolic burns up, anabolic stores and builds up; the sum of their work is metabolism.
Migraine (Migraine Headache, Migraine Headaches, Migraines)
Not just a headache, but a disorder affecting the whole body, characterized by clearly defined attacks lasting from about 4 to 72 hours, separated by headache-free periods; progresses through five distinct phases. Prodrome: experienced by about 50% of migraineurs and starting up to 24 hours before the headache - changes in mood, sensory perception, food craving, excessive yawning, or speech or memory problems. Aura: experienced by about 15% and starting within an hour before the headache - disruption of vision (flashing lights, shimmering zigzag lines, blind spot) or sensation (numbness or 'pins and needles' around the lips or hand), or difficulty speaking. Headache: usually pulsating and occurring on one side of the head, it may occur on both sides of the head and alternate from side to side. Muscles in the neck and scalp may be tender; there may be nausea and the desire not to eat, move, see or hear. Resolution: the headache disappears and the body returns to normal. Resolution may occur over several hours during sleep or rest; an intense emotional experience or vomiting may also end the headache. Postdrome: After the headache stops, the sufferer feels drained, fatigued and tired. Muscles ache, emotions are volatile and thinking is slow.
Milligram (mg, Milligrams)
0.001 or a thousandth of a gram.
Nausea
Symptoms resulting from an inclination to vomit.
Nervous System
A system in the body that is comprised of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, ganglia and parts of the receptor organs that receive and interpret stimuli and transmit impulses to effector organs.
Niacin (B3, B-3, Niacinamide, Vitamin B3)
A coenzyme B-complex vitamin that assists in the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Essential for the health of the skin, nerves, tongue and digestive system. It is found in every cell of the body and is necessary for energy production. Niacin is also needed for DNA formation.
Pantothenic Acid
A B-complex vitamin necessary for the normal functioning of the adrenal gland, which directly affects growth. It is also essential for the formation of fatty acids. As a coenzyme, it participates in the utilization of riboflavin and in the release of energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
Pellagra
A disease caused by a deficiency of thiamine (B1), usually occurring in alcoholics or in persons with malabsorption disorders.
Placebo (Placebos)
A pharmacologically inactive substance. Often used to compare clinical responses against the effects of pharmacologically active substances in experiments.
Progesterone
This is the hormone secreted after ovulation by the corpus luteum. It is a steroid (similar to a cholesterol), enters receptive cells to stimulate their growth, and acts as an anabolic agent. Estrogen should be viewed as the primary coat underneath all the cycles during a woman's reproductive years, with progesterone, its antagonist, surging for ten or twelve days in ovulatory months. Most of the actions of progesterone cannot occur without estrogen having previously induced the growth of progesterone-receptive binding sites.
Prostaglandin (Prostaglandins)
Any of a class of physiologically active substances present in many tissues, with effects such as vasodilation, vasoconstriction, stimulation of the smooth muscles of the bronchus or intestine, uterine stimulation; also involved in pain, inflammation, fever, allergic diarrhea, and dysmenorrhea. A potent hormone -- similar in structure to an unsaturated fatty acid -- that acts in extremely low concentrations on local target organs; first isolated from the prostate.
Protein (Proteins)
Compounds composed of hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen present in the body and in foods that form complex combinations of amino acids. Protein is essential for life and is used for growth and repair. Foods that supply the body with protein include animal products, grains, legumes, and vegetables. Proteins from animal sources contain the essential amino acids. Proteins are changed to amino acids in the body.
Pyridoxine
A B-complex vitamin that plays a role as a coenzyme in the breakdown and utilization of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It facilitates the release of glycogen for energy from the liver and muscles. It also participates in the utilization of energy in the brain and nervous tissue and is essential for the regulation of the central nervous system.
Red Blood Cell (Erythrocyte, Erythrocytes, RBC, Red Blood Cells)
Any of the hemoglobin-containing cells that carry oxygen to the tissues and are responsible for the red color of blood.
Riboflavin (B2, B-2, Vitamin B2)
A B-complex vitamin that acts as a coenzyme that activates the breakdown and utilization of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It is essential for cellular oxidation and necessary for healthy skin and eyes.
Schizophrenia
Any of a group of psychotic disorders usually characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations, and accompanied in varying degrees by other emotional, behavioral, or intellectual disturbances. Schizophrenia is associated with dopamine imbalances in the brain and defects of the frontal lobe and is caused by genetic, other biological, and psychosocial factors.
Serum
The cell-free fluid of the bloodstream. It appears in a test tube after the blood clots and is often used in expressions relating to the levels of certain compounds in the blood stream.
Steroid (Steroids)
Any of a large number of hormonal substances with a similar basic chemical structure containing a 17-carbon 14-ring system and including the sterols and various hormones and glycosides.
Stomach
A hollow, muscular, J-shaped pouch located in the upper part of the abdomen to the left of the midline. The upper end (fundus) is large and dome-shaped; the area just below the fundus is called the body of the stomach. The fundus and the body are often referred to as the cardiac portion of the stomach. The lower (pyloric) portion curves downward and to the right and includes the antrum and the pylorus. The function of the stomach is to begin digestion by physically breaking down food received from the esophagus. The tissues of the stomach wall are composed of three types of muscle fibers: circular, longitudinal and oblique. These fibers create structural elasticity and contractibility, both of which are needed for digestion. The stomach mucosa contains cells which secrete hydrochloric acid and this in turn activates the other gastric enzymes pepsin and rennin. To protect itself from being destroyed by its own enzymes, the stomach’s mucous lining must constantly regenerate itself.
Testosterone
The principal male sex hormone that induces and maintains the changes that take place in males at puberty. In men, the testicles continue to produce testosterone throughout life, though there is some decline with age. A naturally occurring androgenic hormone.
Thiamine (B1, B-1, Thiamin, Vitamin B1)
A B-complex vitamin that acts as a coenzyme necessary for the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose, which is burned in the body for energy. It is essential for the functioning of the nervous system.
Tryptophan
Essential amino acid. Natural relaxant and sleep aid due to its precursor role in serotonin (a neurotransmitter) synthesis. Along with tyrosine, it is used in the treatment of addictions.
Ulcer (Ulceration, Ulcers)
Lesion on the skin or mucous membrane.
Vertigo
The sensation of spinning or whirling; a state in which you or your surroundings seem to whirl dizzily.
Vitamin B6 (B6, B-6)
Influences many body functions including regulating blood glucose levels, manufacturing hemoglobin and aiding the utilization of protein, carbohydrates and fats. It also aids in the function of the nervous system.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
A water-soluble antioxidant vitamin essential to the body's health. When bound to other nutrients, for example calcium, it would be referred to as "calcium ascorbate". As an antioxidant, it inhibits the formation of nitrosamines (a suspected carcinogen). Vitamin C is important for maintenance of bones, teeth, collagen and blood vessels (capillaries), enhances iron absorption and red blood cell formation, helps in the utilization of carbohydrates and synthesis of fats and proteins, aids in fighting bacterial infections, and interacts with other nutrients. It is present in citrus fruits, tomatoes, berries, potatoes and fresh, green leafy vegetables.
Last updated: May 11, 2008
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