The vitamin Niacin is essential to bodily health, playing a vital role in the body's energy production from carbohydrates, fats, and protein, as well as aiding in the composition of both male and female sex hormones. In addition to these important roles, Niacin also helps the boy maintain healthy skin and keep nervous and digestive systems functioning properly.
Additionally, Niacin helps promote good mental health. Niacin can be used to treat Schizophrenia, and can even improve mental alertness due to its unique ability to aid and enhance microcirculation by relaxing vein and artery walls. Because of these attributes, Niacin is invaluable in fighting vascular conditions such as Raynaud's disease, cramping, numbness and other symptoms of poor circulation, such as tinnitus.
The health benefits of Niacin are numerous beyond just energy production and mental health. Niacin is also known to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, which helps prevent heart disease. Niacin acts as a detoxifier, assisting the body to rid itself of toxins, pollutants, organic poisons, certain insecticides and drug residues. Taking Niacin may even improve conditions such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
Morbid deficiencies in Vitamin B3 are rare. Pellagra, a condition characterized by rash, appetite loss, diarrhea, mental disturbances and a coarse, thickened tongue, is a possible complication that results from a lack of proper Vitamin B3. More common low-grade deficiencies result in:
fatigue
dizziness or headaches
indigestion
halitosis
hypoglycemia
depression
muscle aches
skin conditions such as sores, cankers and acne
Vitamin B3 works best when combined with Vitamins B1, B2 and C and is usually taken together as a B-complex + C source. Many people cannot take niacin because of the "flush," an unpleasant, itchy skin condition that results after each does, associated with it. No-flush niacin (inositol hexanicotinate) is very similar to nicotinic acid and studies indicate that it is just as effective without causing a flush.