http://www.nutrasource.com/bvitamin.htm
Nutrasource
5630 Telephone Road
Pascagoula, Ms. 39567
To order call 601-762-7824
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Tuesday,September 2, 1997
Niacin information
Nutrasource Niacin Products
(1) Niacin 100 mg., PR-210, 250 Tablets, $ 8.95
(2) Niacin 500 mg., PR-212, 100 Tablets, $ 7.95
(3) Niacin Non-Flush 500 mg., 60 Capsules, PR-250, $ 15.95
Positive Claims: (1) Lowers cholesterol and protects against cardiovascular
disease; (2) Protects against and detoxifies pollutants, alcohol,
narcotics; (3) Prevents or cures schizophrenia and some other mental
disorders; (4) May be of benefit in diabetes; (5) Relieves migraine
headaches; (6) Alleviates arthritis; (7) Stimulates the sex drive; (8)
Reduces high blood pressure.*
Negative Claims: (1) Toxic in high doses.*
*This information was from The Doctors Vitamin & Mineral Encyclopedia.
Copyright all rights reserved. To order you copy or find out how to get
your free copy call the toll free number above.
Read more about niacin below:
NUTRITION
From: Healthline, October 1995
Niacin: Vitamin or Drug?
Large doses of niacin act like a drug in the nervous system, and on blood
lipids and blood glucose. Niacin can lower LDL cholesterol ("bad"
cholesterol) by about 20 percent and triglycerides by 40 percent and it can
raise HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) by approximately 20 percent. In
a nine-year study of men with a history of a heart attack, those who took 3
grams of niacin per day had fewer subsequent fatal heart attacks and
strokes than those who took a placebo.
Niacin as a Vitamin
Niacin (vitamin B3) is unique among the B vitamins because it can be
manufactured by the body. About half of the niacin our bodies use comes
from food. Our bodies make the other half from the amino acid tryptophan.
When tryptophan is consumed, our bodies first use it to build needed body
proteins. Leftover tryptophan is used to make niacin. Each 60 milligrams of
leftover tryptophan yields about 1 milligram of niacin. Animal proteins
(except gelatin) are rich sources of tryptophan.
The adult Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for niacin is 15 to 19
milligrams per day for men and 13 to 15 milligrams per day for women. The
average American diet contains 1.4 times the RDA per person per day,
without considering the contribution from tryptophan. Food tables also
usually ignore this contribution.
Niacin has a prominent role in the metabolism of glucose, fat and alcohol.
It also supports the health of the skin, nervous system and digestive
system. Since almost every cellular metabolic pathway uses a form of
niacin, a deficiency causes widespread changes in the body, including
dementia, diarrhea and dermatitis. The entire group of symptoms is known as
pellagra, which means "rough skin." Prolonged niacin deficiency often
results in death. A pellagra epidemic in the United States in the early
1900s led to a federally sponsored program in 1941 to enrich grains. As a
result, pellagra is extremely uncommon today, except in people with
alcoholism.
Niacin Sources
The most nutrient-dense sources of niacin are mushrooms, wheat bran, tuna
and other fish, chicken, asparagus, and peanuts. Most niacin in the
American diet comes from enriched white bread, rolls, crackers, and
breakfast cereals; and beef, chicken and turkey. Mushrooms, asparagus, and
green leafy vegetables are among the richest vegetable sources per calorie.
Niacin is heat stable, so little is destroyed by cooking. However, all the
B vitamins and vitamin C dissolve easily in water, so large amounts of
these vitamins can be lost during food processing and preparation.
Niacin as a Drug
When taken in doses of 2000 to 3000 milligrams per day, the nicotinic acid
form of niacin makes the liver produce less of a protein that carries
triglycerides and cholesterol. As a result, blood levels of triglyceride
and cholesterol are reduced.
Niacin should be started in low doses. The dose is increased gradually as
tolerated. The higher the dose, the more effective the lowering of
cholesterol. It can take several months before a therapeutic dose level is
reached.
Niacin Flush
The most common side effect is a "niacin flush." Niacin in large doses
dilates the capillaries and causes a tingling effect that, if intense, can
be painful. One's skin can become warm and red for 15 to 30 minutes after a
dose. Taking niacin with meals or taking aspirin 30 minutes before the
niacin tablet can reduce this effect. The flushing tends to disappear after
several weeks at a given dose level, but it may recur when the dose level
is increased. If you miss a dose, do not take the dose on an empty stomach;
try it with some food, or wait for the next scheduled dose time. If you
miss several doses, drop back to a lower dose level.
Although there is less flushing with time-release niacin, this form seems
to cause more stomach upset. For this reason, standard tablets are used
unless the flushing becomes intolerable.
Other possible side effects include a rise in blood sugar (especially in
people with diabetes), an increase in uric acid (which may make gout
worse), abnormalities in liver tests, itching of the skin, and stomach
upset. Niacin should be used with caution in people with a history of
peptic ulcers, gall bladder or liver disease, or heart rhythm disturbances.
It is important to check liver function periodically while taking niacin.
High doses of niacin may injure the liver and should be taken only under
the supervision of your physician.
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©1995 by Healthline Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.
The contents of this site is intended to be a source of information for
readers about ways to help themselves avoid illness and live longer,
healthier lives-- not to provide advise for individual problems. For
medical advise and treatment, consult with your physician or health care
professional.
Nutrasource
5630 Telephone Road
Pascagoula, Ms. 39567
To order call 601-762-7824
email [log in to unmask]
Internet Address http://www.nutrasource.com
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