Niacin – The vitamin B3 that helps to lower the cholesterol

Niacin is known for being one of the substances that helps to treat cardiovascular diseases above all. In fact, it improves the health of the nervous system and helps to regulate the blood sugar levels.

What is niacin?

Niacin or vitamin B3 is water-soluble. Therefore, our body cannot store it. All in all, it is a supplement that can help to lower the cholesterol levels.

“It is an unsaturated alcohol from the family of steroidal compounds; Above all, it is essential for the functionality of the cells from all animals and a fundamental element of its membranes.

Moreover, it is a precursor form of several crucial substances. For instance, the adrenal and gonad steroidal hormones, as well as bile acids” Cox & García-Palmieri, 1990.

After reading this, nobody would say that the concept we are referring to is bad, right? Well, what if I told you we are talking about cholesterol?

When the body does not use niacin immediately, our body excretes it through the urine. In short, if we want to keep healthy niacin levels in the body, we need to eat foods rich in niacin or take niacin supplements daily. On the contrary, our body can experience a deficiency of this vitamin.

Benefits of niacin for our health

Properties of niacin

Lowering the cholesterol and protecting the heart

Above all, niacin is known for its properties to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Taking the recommended daily dose regularly will lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing the good one (HDL). Consequently, reducing the triglyceride level both prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and the onset of cardiovascular diseases.

Niacin is usually prescribed with statins (medicines) in order to get better results.

Preventing Alzheimer

A niacin deficiency is related to the onset and development of dementia. In fact, there are many clinical studies that support the benefits of niacin dietary supplements to prevent Alzheimer and other degenerative diseases.

The most recent clinical study has been conducted on 3718 people. Finally, the conclusion was that a diet rich in niacin or niacin supplements improve the intellectual performance and prevent the onset of Alzheimer.

Improving the health and beauty of the skin

Actually, niacinamide is commonly used as an ingredient for skin care products. In fact, it is used to treat several skin problems and diseases such as acne and rosacea. Apart from the symptoms associated with aging, such as wrinkles and skin patches.

Treating pellagra

This disease is due to a niacin deficiency. Actually, it tends to happen when we eat a lot of corn products, or when we follow a poor diet or due to niacin absorption problems. For instance, gastrointestinal diseases, alcoholism HIV / AIDS and other disorders like bulimia and anorexia.

In these cases, taking a niacin dietary supplement can heal the pellagra.

For instance, the most common symptoms of pellagra are:

Niacin and food

There are many animal and vegetable products that are sources of niacin.

Milk and dairy products (yogurt, cheese, etc) as well as eggs are also rich in this vitamin.

On the other hand, some of the vegetable sources are beet, peanuts, oats, wheat, rice, peas, kidney beans, asparagus, spinach, peppers, ginger and sunflower seeds.

Recommended Daily Dose

The recommended daily dose of vitamin B3 changes depending on the age, sex and individual circumstances above all.

Athletes or people with certain pathologies will need higher doses than the general population.

The dose of niacin is shown in micrograms (mcg):

Niacin Deficiency

The most common symptoms of a deficiency of this vitamin are the following:

Niacin and cholesterol

Foundations of cholesterol

For a long time, cardiologists have blamed cholesterol as one of the main causes of cardiovascular accident.

However, cholesterol is necessary for our organic functionality, cell integrity and hormone function.

But all this changes as soon as we talk about hypercholesterolemia (high blood cholesterol)

In other words, it is a type of dyslipidemia or an alteration of the lipid profile

We just simply need to know that:

The lipoprotein density will depend on the amount of lipids in relation to their transport proteins (apolipoprotein). Therefore, LDL has a very high lipid concentration, while HDL has a lower concentration.

Niacin and its effect on plasma cholesterol

You probably know someone who suffers dyslipidemia, perhaps even you do…

In fact, dyslipidemia is strongly connected to genetic and epigenetic factors (smoking, alcoholism, sedentarism, malnutrition…).

But there are some resources that we can use if we suffer a serious case of dyslipidemia with important risks.

How does Nicotinic Acid or Vitamin B3 lower the cholesterol?

In short, this vitamin works on the GPR109A and GPR109B receptors (HM74A and HM74 respectively in humans); which are present in the adipocytes and immune cells.

Figure I. Pharmacodynamics of nicotinic acid

The overexpression of GPR109A in the adipocytes lowers the lipolysis of triacylglycerides caused by lower cAMP levels. Consequently, it produces a lower free fatty acid concentration and, therefore, a lower TG hepatic synthesis.

Moreover, niacin inhibits the DGAT2 in the liver, which enhances the breakdown of apoB and reduces its excretion

In addition, it slows down the apoA-I catabolism, the main APO from HDL. Its higher content reduces the HDL oxidation, increasing its hepatic concentration and reducing the cholesterol.

Figure II. DGAT2 Expression in the control group vs the experimental group

Study about Nicotinic Acid and Cholesterol

The following graphic shows the changes produced in 5 groups of mice. Only the groups 4 (non-diabetic) and 5 (diabetic) took nicotinic acid supplement (8.5mg/100g of weight) for 42 days.

Figure III. Variations in the Values Total-c, HDL-c, LDL-c, Total Triglycerides and Lipids in different groups

Results

We can see significant drops in the total cholesterol concentration, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and total lipids. Moreover, there is a marked increase in the HDL-c concentration. In other words, there was also a significant improvement in the plasma lipid concentrations.

Contraindications

However, the intake of this vitamins can cause some problems, the biggest one is that it improves the hepatic lipidemia.

Insulin resistance

Inhibiting the DGAT2 increases the hepatic diacylglycerol concentrations, which in turn increases the local insulin resistance. Above all, this is caused by the accumulation of lipid molecules in ectopic places.

Therefore, insulin resistance is the main cause/consequence of the metabolic syndrome. Moreover, this considerably increases the risk of dying.

Niacin Flush

Secondly, some people report skin reddening and itchiness after taking this vitamin, known as “Niacin Flush”.

This over-activates the GPR109A, which is in charge of regulating the production of D2 prostaglandins in the macrophages and Langerhan cells. Consequently, the peripheral blood vessels dilate, producing the flushing.

But we can avoid this phenomenon by taking time released niacin

However, some of the time released formulas can cause hepatic toxicity. This is due to stress caused to the pharmacological metabolization of this formula. Therefore, it is better to always take nicotinamide instant release formulas.

Tips and side effects:

In fact, we will experience the most intense effects of niacin on an empty stomach or after drinking alcohol or a hot drink.

Or if we take a high dose of niacin, we will experience the following side effects:

Interactions:

Niacin can interact with the following medication:

Conclusions

According to the review by Kamal para Examine.com, we can experience its benefits with a dose over 1g. Although my personal advise is not exceed 3g by any means.

Who can benefit from niacin dietary supplements?

Anyone who wants to benefit from the properties of niacin can take dietary supplements of this vitamin.

It is advisable to take a regular dose of niacin if you do not get it from the diet. For example, the elderly tend to not take the necessary amount of this vitamin.

Pregnant women and lactating mothers also need a niacin supplement. Also those who undergo a high levels of physical or mental wear (athletes, students, etc).

Niacin, niacinamide an inositol hexanicotinate are available as dietary supplement. In fact, you can take them alone or combined as a vitamin complex. These supplements tend to come in capsules or tablets. Always follow the product instructions and take the recommended dose, since it can change from one product to another.

Bibliography

1. Vitamin B3 (Niacin). Examine.com, published on 28 January 2015, last updated on 14 June 2018.
2. Ganji, S. H., Tavintharan, S., Zhu, D., Xing, Y., Kamanna, V. S., & Kashyap, M. L. (2004). Niacin noncompetitively inhibits DGAT2 but not DGAT1 activity in HepG2 cells. Journal of Lipid Research, 45(10), 1835–1845. https://doi.org/10.1194/jlr.M300403-JLR200
3. Kamanna, V. S., & Kashyap, M. L. (2007). Nicotinic acid (niacin) receptor agonists: will they be useful therapeutic agents? The American Journal of Cardiology, 100(11 A), S53-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2007.09.080
4. Pike, N. B. (2005, December). Flushing out the role of GPR109A (HM74A) in the clinical efficacy of nicotinic acid. Journal of Clinical Investigation. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI27160
5. Rader, J. I., Calvert, R. J., & Hathcock, J. N. (1992). Hepatic toxicity of unmodified and time-release preparations of niacin. The American Journal of Medicine, 92(1), 77–81.
6. Zeb Shah, T., Ali, A. B., Ahmad Jafri, S., & Qazi, M. H. (2013). Effect of Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B(3) or Niacin) on the lipid profile of diabetic and non – diabetic rats. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences. Karachi, Pakistan.

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