How Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Works

Niacin, or Vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin. Like any other vitamins, it is not retained by the body in appreciable amounts. Furthermore, it is water-soluble, meaning that its levels in the body are constantly going down, so daily intake is required.

Niacin is necessary for the manufacture of various compounds calledamines, such as dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These compounds are synthesized in the adrenal glands and the thyroid glands.

The high doses of niacin that are required to restore sleep includeelingic acid, tryptophan, serotonin, and antagonistic polypeptides. These compounds are necessary for the proper functioning of the circulatory and nervous systems. They also affect visual sharpness, taste and smell, and mood.

Niacin is absorbed in the bloodstream and transported in the absence of food through the vasculature, and then transported and stored in the liver. They are converted into eicosanoids, which have important biological functions, such as vasodilation and blood pressure.

When niacin is converted into eicosanoids, it enhances the action of the enzymes that convert amino acids, carbohydrates, and fats into energy. It fulfills the role of an “energy manufacturer” because it transports fatty acids to the mitochondria of the cells and uses them to produce energy.

When niacin is taken in high doses, it may cause fulminic acid, a condition where cells become too acidic and stable to carry out standard chemical functions. Some of the symptoms of fulminic acid include muscle and joint aches, muscle pain, weakness, and mental dullness.

While niacin causes no harm to an individual, serious symptoms may result in the abuse of other drugs. It is not unusual for the supplement to cause dependency on drugs other than niacin, such as antidepressants and anti-Parkinson’s medications.

Improper nutrition can also causeUnique among medical conditions have been attributed to niacin deficiency. These include poor resistance to infection, fatigue, poor memory, poor circulation, and lack of appetite. Other symptoms include poor circulation throughout the body, skin eruptions, and mental dullness.

Niacin, when taken in high doses, can also cause myopathy, a medical condition causing muscle weakness and lack of muscular endurance. Other symptoms include alopecia, which is an excessive growth of hair in areas including theatum and Paxil.

Not all forms of niacin are linked to the development of these symptoms. Apparently, a lack of niacin causes the walls of the blood vessels to harden.

While the overuse of niacin is known to cause these symptoms, they may also be the result of various other medical conditions, such as liver disease or dental decay.

Unchried niacin may also cause vomiting and headaches when taken in very large quantities. Never supplement large quantities of niacin, including several times daily, if you suffer from any of the symptoms of pellagra. You should seek medical attention if you suspect any of these symptoms after using niacin.

Niacin B3 or Vitamin B5 is the latest B vitamin to be widely recognized for its health benefits. It was approved for general use by the FDA in tone of its comprehensive health improvement claims.

B5 helps the body in making use of the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is a precursor complex that converts into niacin. Your body converts tryptophan to niacin through a long, complex process that requires vast amounts of coenzyme and other essential building blocks. Once niacin is made, it is immediately used to convert carbohydrates into energy.

Great sources of tryptophan are: eggs, whole grains, brewers yeast, red meat, tuna, liver, coffee, tea, carbohydrates, and carbohydrates, soybeans, carrots, sweet potatoes, red quickly and soluble fiber, and eggs.

One study showed that vitamin B5 supplements reduced carbohydrate cravings and appetite specifically by making the brain think it is full. By blocking carbohydrate metabolism in the brain , niacin keeps the hunger signals from getting to the brain and controls carbohydrate intake.