Niacin, or nicotinic acid, is a nutrient known as vitamin B3, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. The body synthesizes niacin to create nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, which are enzymes the body uses to assist in various biochemical processes. Niacin appears in the same foods in which most B-complex vitamins appear, including meat, poultry, fish, grains, legumes and coffee. Niacin is also available as supplements in its enzymatic forms.
Metabolic Benefits
Once converted into enzymes, the body uses niacin to process carbohydrates to release usable energy. Moreover, high doses of niacin "flushes" the body -- that is, helps remove excess substances and wastes from the body. Accordingly, niacin raises metabolism and can assist with weight loss as well as overall health. Alternately, niacin does cause minor increases in blood glucose levels, although Leonid Poretsky indicates that this does not make it unsafe for diabetics in "Principles of Diabetes Mellitus." The Linus Pauling Institute says that doctors sometimes use niacin to treat diabetes.
Health Benefits
Niacin is an antioxidant, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. It also plays a role in stress response and DNA repair as well as cell regulation, signaling, apoptosis and transcription. Substantial evidence shows that niacin lowers LDL cholesterol, or the cholesterol that's prone to cause cardiovascular health problems, and raises HDL cholesterol, the type considered beneficial to health. Moreover, niacin can prevent various disease, including cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Pellagra Prevention
Pellagra is a niacin deficiency. Niacin deficiencies occur mostly in poor populations but can occur in anyone with a diet that is sufficiently imbalanced. The four primary symptoms of pellagra in its advanced states is diarrhea, dementia, dermatitis and death, which is consistent with many B-complex vitamin deficiencies. Its most notable symptom is dermatitis, which manifests as a sun allergy, whereby the skin becomes thick, darkly pigmented, scaly and inflamed symmetrically in areas exposed to the sun.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute: Niacin
- "Cardiovascular Therapeutics: A Companion to Braunwald's Heath Disease"; Elliot M. Antman, M.D.; 2006
- "Handbook of Nutrition and Food"; Carolyn D. Berdanier, Johanna T. Dwyer and Elaine B. Feldman; 2007
- "Principles of Diabetes Mellitus"; Leonid Poretsky; 2008
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