Vitamin B3 – role, demand, application. Excess and deficiency of vitamin B3

Proven content

Vitamin B3 (PP, niacin, nicotinic acid) plays a very important role in the human body. It is responsible for the proper functioning of the nervous and endocrine systems. According to scientists, it improves immunity and can increase self-confidence and reduce the level of anxiety.

The role of vitamin B3 in the body

Vitamin B3, i.e. niacin, has many very important functions in the human body. First, it is essential for the proper functioning of the peripheral nervous system and the brain. Nicotinic acid amide affects the transformation of proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and carbohydrates, and this is due to the fact that it is a precursor of coenzymes (NAD and NADP) included in oxidoreductases.

Secondly, vitamin B3 is also responsible for the synthesis of sex hormones, thyroxine and cortisol. Niacin is involved in the synthesis of insulin and regulates cholesterol levels by reducing the concentration of bad LDL and serum triglycerides. In addition, vitamin B3 dilates blood vessels, participates in the formation of red blood cells, improves blood circulation, improves the condition of the skin and hair, and has a positive effect on the mental state of a person.

Also read: Vitamin B3 will help fight mycoses

The use of vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 is a B group vitamin that dissolves in water. It is one of the most persistent vitamins. It is practically insensitive to high temperature and UV rays. Vitamin PP plays an important role in medicine. Taken in high doses – exceeding 1 g per day, it is used in the treatment of atherosclerosis (it is used in the treatment of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism disorders, which are the main cause of atherosclerosis). It is worth mentioning that vitamin B3 in fat cells is responsible for the increase in the production of the adiponectin hormone, which has an antiatherosclerotic effect. Additionally, vitamin B3 helps lower blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels.

Research shows that niacin has anti-migraine properties, which is why it is included in this type of drugs. In addition, it has a positive effect on the skin – it soothes acne. Interestingly, vitamin B3 also helps with skin discoloration. It is able to penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, thanks to which it can heal redness, excessive exfoliation and inflammation. In addition, vitamin B3 reduces water loss through the skin, renews it, as well as stimulates collagen production and inhibits the formation of free radicals (it is a great antioxidant). Vitamin B3 also has a protective effect against UV radiation. However, it is important that cosmetics contain vitamin B3 in a concentration of not less than 2 percent. At Medonet Market you can order the Hydration booster with a strong moisturizing serum with niacinamide, a derivative of vitamin B3, with an even skin tone and supporting microcirculation.

There is also more and more talk about the positive effect of vitamin B3 on the human psyche – most likely its regular intake is helpful in the treatment of depression (according to scientific studies there is currently no evidence that niacin can be used in the treatment of depression, however, there is evidence that people with depression may have a deficiency of B vitamins). Vitamin B3 is used in the treatment of mental disorders (e.g. schizophrenia) and hormonal disorders (e.g. decreased libido).

Interestingly, according to the research of scientists from the Federal Polytechnic University of Lausanne in Switzerland, vitamin B3 can increase self-confidence. This is due to the action of niacin, which affects the activity of mitochondria in the nucleus accumbens, the area of ​​the brain responsible for feeling pleasure. In the case of studies carried out on rats, it was possible to reduce their anxiety levels, which resulted in a simultaneous increase in self-confidence.

According to specialists, vitamin B3 improves the ability of immune cells to kill Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. This vitamin increases the number of white blood cells which can kill and absorb harmful bacteria. It should be added, however, that there is no direct evidence of this from clinical trials. However, there is a theory that vitamin B3 supplementation may increase the effectiveness of drugs in treating staphylococcal infections.

Vitamin B3 also has an anti-inflammatory effect. According to the researchers, the use of vitamin B3 reduced the symptoms of inflammation. Additionally, a derivative of vitamin B3 (nicotinamide riboside) may reduce the level of oxidative stress and protect against DNA.

Some studies have found that taking niacin can help stroke patients. According to researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, when rats with ischemic stroke were given niacin, new blood vessels grew in their brains. Ischemic stroke is caused by obstruction of a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain and accounts for 87% of all cases.

Vitamin B3 can also be helpful for people with cancer. A recent study found that nicotinamide significantly reduces the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer in people with basal or squamous cell carcinoma.

In turn, according to a study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, vitamin B3 was found to improve the ability to maintain an erection in men with moderate to severe erectile dysfunction.

However, this is not the end of the use of vitamin B3, because the research shows that this vitamin can positively affect the treatment of arthritis symptoms and increase their mobility. On the other hand, other studies show that high doses of nicotinic acid can reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes in children. However, in both cases, more research is needed.

To supplement the level of vitamin B3 in your body, it is worth considering its supplementation. Try the Vitamin B3 SOLHERBS supplement, which you can buy at an attractive price on Medonet Market. You can also use a comprehensive set of B vitamins – N ° 1 Complex B.

Worth knowing: Vitamin B3 helps fight “superbugs”

The presence of vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 is most abundant in meat and all kinds of meat products (mainly poultry, veal, pork and liver), as well as in peanuts and food yeast. Potatoes, cereal products (buckwheat and barley groats, rice, wheat bran), fish (cod, herring and pollock), legumes, milk and leafy plants (sorrel, lettuce, spinach, parsley) are also rich in vitamin B3. It is also present in small amounts in coffee and tea.

It is worth mentioning here that vitamin B3 is present in food in the form of nicotinic acid and its amide. This acid can be found in greater amounts in animal products, and nicotinamide in products of plant origin.

Interestingly, vitamin B3 can be formed in our body thanks to tryptophan products (60 mg of tryplophan produces 1 mg of niacin). However, if we have too few B vitamins, it is worth reaching for High Five B-Complex Viridian – a supplement that will help to fill the deficiencies. Also Vitamin B Complex Health Labs – a complex of B vitamins is a supplement available in packages of 30 capsules. It is enough for 30 days of supplementation.

See also: Vitamins in food

Excess vitamin B3 in the body

Excess vitamin B3 occurs when we take more than 35 mg of niacin in a day. It is difficult to eat in such a way that too much vitamin PP is introduced into the body. Therefore, excess niacin is caused by an overdose of tablets. The following may appear then: itching, redness and dry skin, rash, nausea, abdominal pain, hyperglycaemia or arrhythmia. It should also be said that excess vitamin B3 increases insulin resistance in adults at high risk of developing insulin-dependent diabetes.

An excess of vitamin B3 also causes liver necrosis.

Read before you start supplementing: Safety in the use of minerals and vitamins

Vitamin B3 deficiencies

Niacin is found naturally in many foods. Therefore, its deficiencies resulting from dietary reasons are possible mainly as a result of malnutrition. However, not always. Alcoholism, long-term use of drugs for tuberculosis and diseases that limit absorption from the intestines and kidneys also contribute to the deficiencies. The problem with niacin also occurs in people with insufficient intake of riboflavin (vitamin B2), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), or iron. Such individuals convert less tryptophan to niacin because these nutrients are dependent on the action of enzymes in the metabolic pathway of this conversion.

It is worth adding that niacin can increase the level of uric acid in the body, which results in gout.

In addition, malabsorption of vitamin B3 has been observed in conditions such as schizophrenia, hypercholesterolaemia, depression and carcinoid tumors. At the very beginning, vitamin B3 deficiency causes a slower metabolism, which in turn results in, for example, a reduction in cold tolerance.

Carcinoid tumors are caused by slow growing tumors in the digestive tract that release serotonin and other substances. It is characterized by facial flushing, diarrhea and other symptoms. In people with carcinoid tumors, tryptophan is preferentially oxidized to serotonin and is not metabolized to niacin. As a result, the body has less tryptophan available that can be converted into niacin. A similar problem is observed in the case of Hartnup disease. It is a rare genetic disorder involving the renal, intestinal and cellular transport processes of several amino acids, including tryptophan. The disease impedes the absorption of tryptophan in the small intestine and increases its excretion in the urine via the kidneys. As a result, the body also has less tryptophan available that can be converted into niacin.

Vitamin B3 deficiency in the body can lead to the development of pellagra known as Lombard erythema. The name of the disease from Latin. pella agra simply means rough skin. Currently, the disease is most common in India, China and Africa. The symptoms of pellagra are: dermatitis (redness, roughness, discoloration, blistering – mainly in the face and hands), diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, dementia, weakness, aggression, insomnia and ataxia (lack of coordination). The important fact is that untreated pellagra is a fatal disease.

If your body does not have enough vitamin B3, buy XeniVIT Vitamin B Complex Premium Xenico, in which you will find not only niacin, but also other B vitamins necessary for proper functioning.

Also read: Symptoms of vitamin deficiency

Daily intake of vitamin B3

The need for vitamin B3 varies and depends on the gender and age of the person. The highest dose in the range of 17-18 mg per day are needed by pregnant women and immediately afterwards (for the sake of breastfeeding). Moreover, successively for men and women, the recommended dose is 14–16 mg per dayand for children from 6 mg to 16 mg depending on age. The daily requirement for niacin increases during breastfeeding, during the use of contraceptives, in people with protein deficiency and with cancer. It is worth adding that the improvement of vitamin B3 absorption is influenced by: B vitamins, vitamin C, phosphorus and chromium.

You can also find vitamin B3 in dietary supplements. We recommend, for example, Niacin Flush-free 250mg.

Interesting facts about vitamin B3

1. Niacin was discovered in 1873 by an Austrian chemist, Hugo Weidel, who conducted research on nicotine. The American biochemist Konrad Elvehjem is responsible for isolating its active ingredient, who called it “anti-pelagic agent” and “anti-cow’s tongue syndrome”.
2. The English name of niacin «niacin» is composed of nicotinic acid + vitamin. This is because we want to emphasize that there is no relationship between niacin-rich foods and nicotine, and between nicotine and vitamins.
3. The name “vitamin B3” comes from the fact that niacin was discovered as the third vitamin from the B group of vitamins.
4. Niacin is also known as “vitamin PP” and the name derives from the original English name “Pellagra-Preventing factor”.
5. Corn is naturally high in niacin, but is bound to carbohydrates, making it difficult for the human body to absorb it. However, when corn undergoes a nixtamalization process (a traditional process in tortilla production in which the corn is treated with calcium hydroxide, cooked and ground), the niacin becomes absorbable through the calcium hydroxide treatment.

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