Vitamin B3
Alternate Names : Niacin, Nicotinic Acid, Nicotinamide
Niacin is a water-soluble vitamin. It is one of the eight
B complex vitamins. These include vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12,
folate, biotin, and pantothenic acid. Water-soluble vitamins are not
stored in the body.
Information
In the early 1900's, a disease called pellagra was common
in the southern United States. At this time, corn was a staple of the diet.
This diet provided neither niacin-rich foods like meats and certain vegetables,
nor protein-rich foods containing tryptophan. Pellagra
was caused by this lack of niacin intake. Pellagra is uncommon today.
This is due to widespread niacin enrichment of most cereals, flours, pastas,
and corn meals.
For people who eat enough protein, niacin
deficiency is not common. Niacin deficiency symptoms include:
weakness
loss of appetite
digestive upsets
insomnia
headaches
irritability
frequently, a sore, swollen, purple-red tongue.
More drastic niacin shortfall leads to pellagra, which can result
in symptoms such as:
skin and gastrointestinal lesions
swollen mucous membranes
diarrhea
dementia
death, in extreme cases
But, as mentioned above, pellagra is all but a
thing of the past in the United States.
In recent years, niacin has been used with some
success to treat people with high cholesterol levels.
The high dose required to bring about any change in cholesterol, up to 3,000
mg per day, can bring on side effects. Common side effects include flushing
of the skin and itching. High doses of niacin may also cause liver damage or
stomach ulcers. Because of these potentially dangerous side effects, niacin
should only be used to control cholesterol when prescribed by a doctor.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance,
called the RDA, for niacin is:
Adult males, age 19 to 50: 19 milligrams (mg)
Adult males, age 50 and older: 15 mg
Adult females, age 19 to 50: 15 mg
Adult females, age 50 and older: 13 mg
Pregnant women: 17 mg
Lactating or breastfeeding women: 20 mg
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