Niacin Vitamin Benefits

Oct 20, 2010 | By Leah Webber

Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, comes in two forms: nicotinic acid and niacinamide. Niacin is one of the most stable B vitamins, since it is resistant to the damaging effects of heat, light and oxygen. This is a water-soluble vitamin, and so it must be stored in a cool, dry place and away from any moisture. Niacin is manufactured from the protein amino acid called tryptophan, and therefore is not needed in supplemental form, if adequate amounts of tryptophan-containing protein meats are consumed.

Energy & Digestion

Niacin is a vitamin that plays a key role in helping the body extract energy from carbohydrates and sugar while the digestion process occurs. The enzymes in niacin also help to breakdown and utilize the amino acids and lipids from dietary protein and fats. Pellagra is a nutritional disease which is caused by deficient amounts of this vitamin which inhibits proper digestion.

Brain Function

Niacin is a valuable vitamin for the normal function of the brain. This vitamin has been used to treat many psychological symptoms ranging from senility and alcoholism, to drug addiction, depression and schizophrenia. Since depleted levels of this and other B vitamins have been linked to these psychological disorders, it is known that supplementing them is helpful. However, Elson Haas, MD. states in his book ''Staying Healthy With Nutrition'' that more research is needed in this area.

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a condition linked to high cholesterol, which is the hardening of the arteries. This is a dangerous condition that can be fatal. Niacin has been used to prevent and slow the process of atherosclerosis because it is effective at reducing the blood level of bad cholesterol and lipoprotein which are what accelerates the hardening process. MayoClinic.com's article on niacin states that ''more research is needed in this area before a firm conclusion can be drawn."