Niacin-B3

Vitamin b3 also known as niacin or nicotinic acid is a water soluble vitamin essential for the body. Nicotinic acid was originally discovered as an oxidation product of nicotine therefore the origin of its name. Vitamin b is responsible for cell repair, help releasing energy, metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins proper circulation, healthy skin and normal function of the nervous system. Niacin also helps with removing toxic chemicals from the body and assists with the production of steroid hormones (such as sex hormones and stress related hormones).

Niacin is sometimes used to flush organic poisons such as pesticides out of the body and because of its fat flushing attributes some people even think they can use niacin for flushing of marijuana, a blood-attaching particle to fool drug-screening tests.

Niacin, not nicotinamide, can help improve the cholesterol profile in the blood. Niacin and cholesterol are natural enemies. Another derivative of niacin, niacinamide, also known as nicotinamide can also be used as a treatment for arthritis by adding with cartilage production as well as an anit-flammatory treatment in acne and rosacea.

Deficiencies of niacin can cause the disease pellagra, while the effects of low niacin levels slow down the metabolism in the body. Other symptoms of vitamin b3 deficiency include aggression, insomnia, weakness, mental confusion, diarrhea and dermatitis.

Side effects of niacin are also high blood sugar, high uric acid, jaundice and sweating. Niacin can have several minor side effects too. One reaction to niacin if used for the first time or at a higher dose than usual can be flushing or a warm sensation, especially on the face, neck and ears. This appearance of flushing after the use of niacin can be used for treatment in rosacea. Rosacea gets treated with photoderm treatment and flushing with niacin has shown higher rates of improvement. Other niacin side effects sometimes recorded are skin rash, raised stomach acid, insomnia and joint pains.

Actual problems or effects of niacin overdoses are not really recorded in the medical history. Various studies have shown that nicotinic acid can significantly lower cholesterol in the human blood system. Niacin has also been found by more than one study to improve heart health and lower the risk of fatal heart attacks. These studies found that high doses of nicotinic acid significantly decrease cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in those with coronary heart disease. The thought is that this effect is due to nicotinic acid's antihyperlipidemic activity.