Re: Vitamin B3(Niacin)
- From: rpautrey2 <rpautrey2@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 18:48:49 -0800 (PST)
niacin-B3
What can foods high in vitamin B3 do for you?
Help lower cholesterol levels
Stabilize your blood sugar
Support genetic processes in your cells
Help your body process fats
What events can indicate a need for more foods high in vitamin B3?
Generalized weakness or muscular weakness
Lack of appetite
Skin infections
Digestive problems
Excellent sources of vitamin B3 (niacin) include crimini mushrooms and
tuna. Very good sources include salmon, chicken breast, asparagus,
halibut, and venison.
Description
Function
Deficiency Symptoms
Toxicity Symptoms
Cooking, storage and processing
Factors that affect function
Drug-nutrient interaction
Nutrient interaction
Health conditions
Supplements
Food Sources
Public Recommendations
References
Description
What is vitamin B3?
Vitamin B3, also commonly called niacin, is a member of the B-complex
vitamin family whose discovery was related to work by the U.S. Public
Health Service in the early 1900's. At that time, a disease called
pellagra, characterized by cracked, scaly, discolored skin, digestive
problems, and overall bodily weakness was increasingly prevalent in
the southern region of the country. The Public Health Service
established a connection between the prevalence of the disease and
cornmeal-based diets, and addition of protein to these diets was found
to cure many cases of pellagra.
Several years later, vitamin B3 was formally identified as the missing
nutrient in the cornmeal-based diets that had led to the symptoms of
pellagra. We now know that corn as a whole food contains significant
amounts of vitamin B3, but that vitamin B3 cannot readily be absorbed
from corn unless corn products (like cornmeal) are prepared in a way
that releases this vitamin for absorption.
For example, the use of lime (as in limestone, the mineral, not lime
juice in the fruit) can help release vitamin B3 from corn and make it
available for absorption. Native American food practices that involve
the addition of ash from cooking fires ("pot ash" or "potash") to corn-
based recipes are one type of cooking technique that helps make
vitamin B3 available for absorption.
The term "niacin" used interchangeably with vitamin B3 is actually a
non-technical term that refers to several different chemical forms of
the vitamin. These forms include nicotinic acid and nicotinamide.
(Nicotinamide is also sometimes called niacinamide.) The names
"niacin," "nicotinic acid," and "nicotinamide" are all derived from
research studies on tobacco in the early 1930's. At that time, the
first laboratory isolation of vitamin B3 occurred following work on
the chemical nicotine that had been obtained from tobacco leaves.
How it Functions
What is the function of vitamin B3?
Energy Production
Like its fellow B-complex vitamins, niacin is important in energy
production. Two unique forms of vitamin B3 (called nicotinamide
adenine dinucleotide, or NAD, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
phosphate, or NADP) are essential for conversion of the body's
proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into usable energy. Niacin is also
used to synthesize starch that can be stored in the body's muscles and
liver for eventual use as an energy source.
Metabolism of Fats
Vitamin B3 plays a critical role in the chemical processing of fats in
the body. The fatty acid building blocks for fat-containing structures
in the body (like cell membranes) typically require the presence of
vitamin B3 for their synthesis, as do many fat-based hormones (called
steroid hormones).
Interestingly, although niacin is required for production of
cholesterol by the liver, the vitamin has repeatedly been used to
successfully lower total blood cholesterol in individuals with
elevated cholesterol levels. This cholesterol-lowering effect of
vitamin B3 only occurs at high doses that must be obtained through
nutrient supplementation, and most likely involves a chemical feature
of vitamin B3 that is not directly related to fat or fat processing.
Support of genetic processes
Components of the primary genetic material in our cells, called
deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) require vitamin B3 for their
production, and deficiency of vitamin B3 (like deficiency of other B-
complex vitamins) has been directly linked to genetic (DNA) damage.
The relationship between vitamin B3 and DNA damage appears to be
particularly important in relationship to cancer and its prevention.
Regulation of insulin activity
Although experts cannot agree on the precise mechanism though which
vitamin B3 affects blood sugar regulation and function of the hormone
insulin, the vitamin has repeatedly been shown to be involved in
insulin metabolism and blood sugar regulation. Some (but by no means
all) researchers support the idea of a "glucose tolerance
factor" (GTF) molecule that includes vitamin B3 and must be present
for optimal insulin activity.
Deficiency Symptoms
What are deficiency symptoms for vitamin B3?
Because of its unique relationship with energy production, vitamin B3
deficiency is often associated with general weakness, muscular
weakness, and lack of appetite. Skin infections and digestive problems
can also be associated with niacin deficiency.
Toxicity Symptoms
What are toxicity symptoms for vitamin B3?
Use of high-dose, supplemental niacin to lower serum cholesterol
levels has given nutritional researchers a unique opportunity to
examine possible toxicity symptoms associated with this vitamin. In
the amounts provided by food, no symptoms of toxicity have been
reported in the scientific literature. In 1998, the Institute of
Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences set a tolerable upper
limit (UL) for niacin of 35 milligrams. This UL applies to men and
women 19 years or older, and is limited to niacin that is obtained
from supplements and/or fortified foods.
Impact of Cooking, Storage and Processing
How do cooking, storage, or processing affect vitamin B3?
Vitamin B3 is one of the more stable water-soluble vitamins and is
minimally susceptible to damage by air, light, and heat.
Factors that Affect Function
What factors might contribute to a deficiency of vitamin B3?
Intestinal problems, including chronic diarrhea, inflammatory bowel
disease, and irritable bowel disease can all trigger vitamin B3
deficiency. Because part of the body's B3 supply comes from conversion
of the amino acid tryptophan, deficiency of tryptophan can also
increase risk of vitamin B3 deficiency. (Tryptophan deficiency is
likely to occur in individuals with poor overall protein intake.)
Physical trauma, all types of stress, long-term fever, and excessive
consumption of alcohol have also been associated with increased risk
of niacin deficiency.
Drug-Nutrient Interactions
What medications affect vitamin B3?
Birth control pills (oral contraceptives) have been shown to decrease
availability of vitamin B3 in the body. Use of the antituberculosis
drug isoniazid can result in severe niacin deficiency.
Nutrient Interactions
How do other nutrients interact with vitamin B3?
As described above, part of the body's B3 supply comes from conversion
of the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan deficiency can therefore
increase risk of vitamin B3 deficiency. (Tryptophan deficiency is
likely to occur in any individual with poor overall protein intake.)
The conversion of tryptophan to vitamin B3 also requires the presence
of vitamins B1 and B6, and when B1 and/or B6 are deficient, B3 can
also become deficient.
Vitamin B3 deficiency also appears to be related to vitamin B12
status, since even mild deficiencies in vitamin B12 can increase loss
of vitamin B3 in the urine.
Health Conditions
What health conditions require special emphasis on vitamin B3?
Vitamin B3 may play a role in the prevention and/or treatment of the
following health conditions:
Alzhiemer's disease and age-related cognitive decline (August 23,
2004)
Cataracts
Convulsions
Depression
Diabetes
Gout
Hallucinations
Headaches
HIV/AIDS
Hyperactivity
Hypothyroidism
Inflammatory bowel disease
Insomnia
Intermittent claudication
Menstrual pain
Multiple sclerosis
Osteoarthritis
Pellagra
Rheumatoid arthritis
Smelling disorders
Taste disorders
Vertigo
Niacin Protects against Alzheimer's Disease and Age-related Cognitive
Decline
Niacin (vitamin B3) is already known to lower cholesterol. Now,
research published in the August 2004 issue of the Journal of
Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry indicates regular consumption
of niacin-rich foods also provides protection against Alzheimer's
disease and age-related cognitive decline.
Researchers from the Chicago Health and Aging Project interviewed
3,718 Chicago residents aged 65 or older about their diet, then tested
their cognitive abilities over the following six years.
Those getting the most niacin from foods (22 mg per day) were 70% less
likely to have developed Alzheimer's disease than those consuming the
least (about 13 mg daily), and their rate of age-related cognitive
decline was significantly less. In addition to eating the niacin-rich
foods, another way to boost your body's niacin levels is to eat more
foods rich in the amino acid tryptophan. Your body can convert
tryptophan to niacin, with a little help from other B vitamins, iron
and vitamin C. Foods high in tryptophan include shrimp, crimini
mushrooms, yellowfin tuna, halibut, chicken breast, scallops, salmon,
turkey and tofu. As you can see, several foods rich in tryptophan
provide two ways to increase niacin levels as they are also rich in
the B vitamin.(august 23, 2004)
Form in Dietary Supplements
What forms of vitamin B3 are found in dietary supplements?
The term "niacin," often used interchangeably with the term "vitamin
B3," is a non-chemical term that can actually refer to several
different forms of the vitamin. Most often, "niacin" is used to refer
to "nicotinic acid," the form of vitamin B3 with documented
cholesterol-lowering potential. This form of the vitamin also carries
with it the greatest risk of side effects. Supplements focused on
cholesterol reduction and alteration of fat metabolism typically
include vitamin B3 in the form of nicotinic acid.
The nicotinamide form of vitamin B3 is also widely available in
supplement form. This chemical form of vitamin B3 carries a much lower
risk of side effects and is commonly used in supplement formulas
designed to support health in conditions not involving cholesterol
excess or altered fat metabolism. Particularly in formulas for
pregnancy or in children's formulas, the nicotinamide version is often
preferred. Many formulas include both forms of vitamin B3, with small
amounts of nicotinic acid and larger amounts of nicotinamide.
Food Sources
Introduction to Nutrient Rating System Chart
The following chart shows the World's Healthiest Foods that are either
excellent, very good or good sources of this nutrient. Next to each
food name you will find the following information: the serving size of
the food; the number of calories in one serving; DV% (percent daily
value) of the nutrient contained in one serving (similar to other
information presented in the website, this DV is calculated for 25-50
year old healthy woman); the nutrient density rating; and the food's
World's Healthiest Foods Rating. Underneath the chart is a table that
summarizes how the ratings were devised. Read detailed information on
our Nutrient Rating System.
Introduction to Nutrient Rating System Chart
In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high
concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a
Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that
are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows
the World's Healthiest Foods that are either an excellent, very good,
or good source of vitamin B3 (niacin). Next to each food name, you'll
find the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient
composition, the calories contained in the serving, the amount of
vitamin B3 (niacin) contained in one serving size of the food, the
percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient
density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating
we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings,
we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found
in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for
Nutrition Labeling." Read more background information and details of
our rating system.
World's Healthiest Foods ranked as quality sources of:
vitamin B3 (niacin)
Food Serving
Size Cals Amount
(mg) DV
(%) Nutrient
Density World's
Healthiest
Foods Rating
Crimini mushrooms, raw 5 oz-wt 31.2 5.39 26.9 15.6 excellent
Tuna, yellowfin, baked/broiled 4 oz-wt 157.6 13.54 67.7 7.7 excellent
Tamari (Soy Sauce) 1 tbs 10.8 0.72 3.6 6.0 good
Chicken breast, roasted 4 oz-wt 223.4 14.41 72.0 5.8 very good
Calf's liver, braised 4 oz-wt 187.1 9.61 48.0 4.6 very good
Halibut, baked/broiled 4 oz-wt 158.8 8.08 40.4 4.6 very good
Asparagus, boiled 1 cup 43.2 1.95 9.8 4.1 very good
Salmon, chinook, baked/broiled 4 oz-wt 261.9 11.34 56.7 3.9 very good
Venison 4 oz-wt 179.2 7.61 38.0 3.8 very good
Romaine lettuce 2 cup 15.7 0.56 2.8 3.2 good
Lamb loin, roasted 4 oz-wt 229.1 7.75 38.8 3.0 good
Turkey breast, roasted 4 oz-wt 214.3 7.22 36.1 3.0 good
Tomato, ripe 1 cup 37.8 1.13 5.6 2.7 good
Mustard greens, boiled 1 cup 21.0 0.61 3.0 2.6 good
Shrimp, steamed/boiled 4 oz-wt 112.3 2.94 14.7 2.4 good
Summer squash, cooked, slices 1 cup 36.0 0.92 4.6 2.3 good
Green peas, boiled 1 cup 134.4 3.23 16.1 2.2 good
Cod, baked/broiled 4 oz-wt 119.1 2.82 14.1 2.1 good
Collard greens, boiled 1 cup 49.4 1.09 5.5 2.0 good
Carrots, raw 1 cup 52.5 1.13 5.6 1.9 good
Broccoli, steamed 1 cup 43.7 0.94 4.7 1.9 good
Eggplant, cooked, cubes 1 cup 27.7 0.59 3.0 1.9 good
Peanuts, raw 0.25 cup 207.0 4.40 22.0 1.9 good
Spinach, boiled 1 cup 41.4 0.88 4.4 1.9 good
Fennel, raw, sliced 1 cup 27.0 0.56 2.8 1.9 good
Turnip greens, cooked 1 cup 28.8 0.59 3.0 1.8 good
Spelt grains, cooked 4 oz-wt 144.0 2.91 14.6 1.8 good
Beef tenderloin, lean, broiled 4 oz-wt 240.4 4.44 22.2 1.7 good
Raspberries 1 cup 60.3 1.10 5.5 1.6 good
Winter squash, baked, cubes 1 cup 80.0 1.44 7.2 1.6 good
Swiss chard, boiled 1 cup 35.0 0.63 3.1 1.6 good
Cauliflower, boiled 1 cup 28.5 0.51 2.5 1.6 good
Kale, boiled 1 cup 36.4 0.65 3.3 1.6 good
Green beans, boiled 1 cup 43.8 0.77 3.9 1.6 good
Mustard seeds 2 tsp 35.0 0.60 3.0 1.5 good
Cantaloupe, cubes 1 cup 56.0 0.92 4.6 1.5 good
World's Healthiest
Foods Rating Rule
excellent DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%
very good DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%
good DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%
Public Health Recommendations
What are current public health recommendations for vitamin B3?
The Recommended Dietary Allowances for vitamin B3 set in 1998 by the
National Academy of Sciences are as follows:
0-6 months: 2 milligrams
6-12 months: 4 milligrams
1-3 years: 6 milligrams
4-8 years: 8 milligrams
Males 9-13 years: 12 milligrams
Males 14 years and older: 16 milligrams
Females 9-13 years: 12 milligrams
Females 14 years and older: 14 milligrams
Pregnant females of any age: 18 milligrams
Lactating females of any age: 17 milligrams
References
Alvarsson M, Grill V. Impact of nicotinic acid treatment on insulin
secretion and insulin. 1996 1996.
Ames, BN. Micronutrient deficiencies. A major cause of DNA damage. Ann
N Y Acad Sci 1999;889:152-6 1999.
DiPalma JR, Thayer WS. Use of niacin as a drug. Ann Rev Nutr
1991;11:169-187 1991.
Goldenberger J. A study of the diet of nonpellagrous and pellagrous
households. JAMA 1918;71:944 1918.
Groff JL, Gropper SS, Hunt SM. Advanced Nutrition and Human
Metabolism. West Publishing Company, New York, 1995.
Henderson LM. Niacin. Ann Rev Nutr 1983;3:289-307 1983.
Jacob RA, Swendseid ME. Niacin. Chapter 19. In: Brown ML. (Ed).
Present knowledge in nutrition. Sixth edition. International Life
Sciences Institute, Nutrition Foundation, Washington, DC, 1990;163-169
1990.
Jacobson EL, Shieh WM, Huang AC. Mapping the role of NAD metabolism in
prevention and treatment of carcinogenesis. Mol Cell Biochem
1999;193(1-2):69-74 1999.
Sugiyama K, Ohishi A, Siyu H, et al. Effects of methyl-group acceptors
on the regulation of plasma cholesterol level in rats fed high
cholesterol diets. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 1989;35(6):612-626
1989.
Tavintharan S and Kashyap ML. The benefits of niacin in
atherosclerosis. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2001 Jan;3(1):74-82 2001.
www.whfoods.org
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