Niacin, also known as vitamin B-3, aids digestion and improves the health of your hair, skin and eyes. It also helps your liver and nervous system function properly. If you take an over-the-counter formula of niacin, it likely won't alleviate symptoms of menopause, but it may cause uncomfortable and serious side effects. If you need help coping with symptoms of menopause, ask your doctor about safe and appropriate remedies.
Niacin Needs
Your diet naturally supplies niacin. Men need about 16mg a day and women about 14mg daily. Most people obtain this amount through their diet. Good sources include nuts, fish, beef, chicken, yeast, fortified breakfast cereals, beans and eggs. In Western countries, niacin deficiencies prove rare except among persons who abuse alcohol. If you're not deficient in niacin, you probably don't need to take niacin supplements. Niacin in prescription formulas can help treat high cholesterol, but the form of niacin usually found in supplements does not.
Niacin and Menopause Symptoms
Niacin helps your body produce sex and stress hormones. So it seems logical that taking niacin might help offset the effects of hormonal changes, such as lowered amounts of estrogen and progesterone, that occur during menopause. Unfortunately, science does not support this logic. Some--but insufficient--evidence suggests that niacin may help treat depression and memory loss--two symptoms of menopause. Niacin may actually increase two symptoms of menopause: skin flushes and irregular heartbeat. Niacin will not likely affect other common symptoms of menopause such as insomnia, lessened interest in sex, increase or decrease in frequency and amount of menstrual flow and aches and pains in your joints.
Precautions
If you decide to try niacin to help with symptoms of menopause, understand the potential risks. Niacin available at drugstores may contain up to 500mg of niacin--35 times the recommended daily allowance. If you take more than 100mg of niacin, serious side effects can occur, including vision loss, stomach ulcers, gout and liver damage. If you have type 2 diabetes, taking niacin might cause dramatic elevations in your blood sugar levels. If you suffer from kidney disease, niacin could worsen symptoms. In May 2011, the National Institutes of Health halted a planned five-year niacin study 18 months early because of safety concerns. Participants who took 2,000mg of niacin daily suffered more than twice as many strokes as study participants who did not take niacin.
Considerations
Some women take another B vitamin--B-6, also known as pyridoxine--to treat problems with menstruation and menopause. B-6, if taken in large amounts, also poses serious side effects, including nerve and brain problems. Ask your doctor about taking niacin, pyridoxine or other menopause treatments. Alternative treatments such as soy supplements as well as traditional hormone replacement therapy also carry risks. Other remedies include acupuncture, tai chi and yoga. It may also help to avoid caffeine and spicy foods and to wear light layers of clothing.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
- MedlinePlus: Niacin and niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- National Institutes of Health; NIH Halts Clinical Trial on Combination Cholesterol Treatment; May 26, 2011
- CBC News; Niacin Trial For Heart Disease Stopped Early; May 27, 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Menopause
- MedlinePlus: Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
