Niacinamide, also called nicotinamide, is a form of vitamin B3 derived from another form of B3 called niacin. Use of niacinamide can potentially delay the need for injections of synthetic insulin in people who have type 1 diabetes. However, scientists disagree on niacinamide's usefulness as a diabetes treatment, and you should consult your doctor before taking a niacinamide product.
Niacinamide Basics
When you eat foods that contain niacin, your body uses as much of this form of B3 as it needs then takes the remainder and creates niacinamide. You can also make a form of niacinamide in your liver from dietary sources of an amino acid called tryptophan. You need niacinamide to break down the protein, fat, carbohydrates and alcohol in your diet. You also need it to create cholesterol and substances called fatty acids. Most supplements labeled as niacin actually contain niacinamide; niacinamide is also commonly used to add vitamin B3 to fortified foods.
Type 1 Diabetes Basics
Type 1 diabetes is caused by decreased or absent production of a hormone called insulin, which your body creates in specialized cells inside your pancreas. You need insulin to control your blood levels of a substance called glucose, and without its effects, you will develop chronic high glucose levels that severely damage your body over time. In the majority of cases, doctors uncover type 1 diabetes in children or adolescents; however, you can also develop the disorder much later in life. People with this form of diabetes eventually need injections of insulin to control their blood glucose levels.
Conflicting Results
Niacinamide can potentially delay the need for insulin injections in type 1 diabetics by preserving function in the pancreas's insulin-producing cells, according to the University of Michigan Health System. In addition, niacinamide can potentially delay the onset of type 1 diabetes in children with high diabetes risks. However, not all available research supports the beneficial effects of niacinamide, and some studies give it no more importance in treating diabetes than medically worthless placebo medications. Due to such conflicting results, the University of Maryland Medical Center emphasizes the need for further research on niacinamide's medical value to type 1 diabetics.
Considerations
Niacinamide or niacin use can potentially raise your blood glucose levels, the U.S. Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus reports. If you have diabetes, avoid using these supplements unless you have your doctor's explicit approval. In addition to insulin, niacinamide and niacin can lower the effectiveness of diabetes medications such as glyburide, metformin and glipizide. Other conditions that may make you an unsuitable candidate for niacinamide or niacin use include gout, gallbladder disease, heart disease and ulcers in your stomach or intestines. Consult your doctor for more information on niacinamide's potential effects on type 1 diabetes.
References
- Oregon State University - Linus Pauling Institute: Niacin; Jane Higdon, Ph.D.; August 2002
- MedlinePlus: Niacin and Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- University of Michigan Health System: Vitamin B3
- EndocrineWeb: Type 1 Diabetes; James Norman, M.D., FACS, FACE; March 23, 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
