Supplements Information

Keeping Tabs on Niacin


Vitamin B3 is one of the vitamins that make up the nutritional powerhouse known as the Vitamin B complex. Vitamin B3 is also called niacin, nicotinic acid and niacinamide and serves many vital purposes in the proper functioning of the body and the mind.

Vitamin B3 works with the other B vitamins to convert food into energy. It also serves to regulate the appetite as well as the proper function of the digestive system. Its primary tasks within the digestive system relate to controlling the levels at which bile and other stomach fluids are secreted.

Among the other important contributions that Vitamin B3 makes to the good health of the body is the essential role that it plays in the respiration of the cells its role in keeping the nervous system healthy and its relationship to the production of the hormones associated with reproduction. Vitamin B3 is also important to the health of the body's biggest organ - the skin.

Vitamin B3 plays an important role in mental health and recent research has made some intriguing connections between the use of Vitamin B3 supplements and the production of serotonin. By using the supplements L-Tryptophan it doesn't have to be spent by the body in the making of niacin thus freeing the L-Tryptophan to be taken to the nervous system where it is processed into 5-http which leads to the production of serotonin which is highly important for mood regulation and feelings of well-being. Serotonin imbalance has been shown to be associated with anxiety and depression.

Vitamin B3 is a water-soluble vitamin which means that it is washed out of the body via the urine and the body must renew its supply of this vital nutrient daily. Deficiencies of vitamin B3 can have serious health consequences for both the body and the mind.

Symptoms of physical irregularities by someone who has niacin deficiency can include muscular weakness and a lack of muscular control particularly in the larger muscles masses such as those found in the legs. Other physical irregularity symptoms are open sores on the skin and in the mouth, a swollen tongue and chronic bad breathe, loss of appetite, chronic diarrhea, joint pain, low blood sugar and headaches. It can also cause the disease pellagra which presents with such symptoms as severe dermatitis, diarrhea and dementia. Symptoms of mental irregularities caused by a severe lack of niacin in the body include depression, fatigue and insomnia. The insomnia makes all of the other symptoms both physical and mental quite much harder to bear.

Dietary supplements are a safe and effective way to be sure that you meet the recommended daily requirements of B3 in your diet. However, it is important to use dietary supplements according to the standard dose levels as taking too much can cause other health problems some that are actually serious in nature. There are cases in which higher than standard doses may be recommended such as to combat symptoms that have been brought about by deficiencies. However, taking doses that are much higher than the standard levels should only be done when under the care and supervision of a qualified healthcare professional who can see to it that you are not causing yourself any harm. Dietary supplements like all other medications should always be kept out of the reach of children.

-------------------------
Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.
-------------------------

Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/


MORE RESOURCES:

Canada.com

Supplements don't help prevent prostate cancer
Newsday, NY - Nov 18, 2008
Harvard College I'm thinking about taking a special supplement for prostate health. It contains mostly vitamins and minerals, such as complex B, vitamin C, ...
(Update) Vitamin Supplements Won’t Help Prevent Prostate Cancer dBTechno
Vitamin E, C supplements don’t reduce cancer risk, but you never know Food Consumer
Supplements Do Not Reduce Cancer, Heart Disease Risk eFluxMedia
Washington Post - Daily Vidette
all 426 news articles


Retrospective Case Series Reports Healthy Lipid Profiles and ...
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
This retrospective analysis suggests a nutritional purification program emphasizing fruit and vegetable consumption with caloric restriction and supplements ...


Voice of America

How to prevent Alzheimer’s disease – part 1
Food Consumer, IL - 2 hours ago
A recent study suggests that taking ginkgo biloba supplements is useless in helping elderly prevent the disease. The finding does not apply to all people at ...
This Week in Health Intelihealth.com
Don't Forget the Gingko: Just Make Sure It's the Right One HealthNews
Study: No Alzheimer's protection from ginkgo biloba Newsday
MedPage Today - KARK
all 555 news articles


Natural News.com

Colloidal Silver Company's Fight for Health Freedom: An Interview ...
Natural News.com, AZ - 4 hours ago
(NaturalNews) Utopia Silver Supplements is a colloidal silver company based out of Utopia, Texas. This natural supplement company has been battling the FDA ...


Emerson Ecologics Announces Acquisition of TIDhealth
MarketWatch - Nov 20, 2008
"Practitioners and their patients will now have expanded access to the highest quality vitamins, herbs, nutritional supplements, homeopathics, ...


Is Your Fish Oil Polluted?
Science News - 10 hours ago
And those pollutants could end up an unwanted bonus in commercial fish-oil supplements. A new survey of some 154 different fish-oil capsules sold by 45 ...


Study: Vitamin C or E pills do not prevent cancer
guardian.co.uk, UK - 17 hours ago
"Well-conducted clinical trials such as this are rapidly closing the door on the hope that common vitamin supplements may protect against cancer," said ...


Wellness International Network's Top-Quality Products Listed in ...
MarketWatch - 5 hours ago
Wellness International Network Worldwide BV participates in the Netherlands Security System Food Supplements Top Sport [NZVT] system with the following ...


UK Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Market Research Report - www ...
Live-PR.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - 6 hours ago
The UK vitamins and mineral supplements market research report analyses the historic and forecast levels of the market size. The report covers multi and ...
UK Corporate Hospitality Market Research Report - www ... Live-PR.com (Pressemitteilung)
all 3 news articles


HealthNewsDigest.com

Adulteration Suspected with Some "Memory" Supplements
HealthNewsDigest.com, NY - Nov 18, 2008
By ConsumerLab (HealthNewsDigest.com) - WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK — Tests by ConsumerLab.com of Ginkgo biloba supplements show that few products meet quality ...

Supplements - Google News

home | site map
© 2006