Is Niacin Good For Diabetes

Symptoms Of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause potentially severe and sometimes irreversible damage to the nervous system. A severe health complication of vitamin B12 deficiency is pernicious anemia, the inability of the body to produce healthy red cells. Without sufficient red cells, the body does not get enough oxygen to function properly.

If the levels go only slightly below normal, symptoms like:

• fatigue
• pale skin and
• breathlessness

Initially, you may disregard these symptoms as part of your underlying diabetic condition. But over time, the deficiency may become more severe and may cause irreparable damage to your body.

Niacin Vs Niacinamide Vs Nicotinamide

Niacin is found in three different forms, including:

• Nicotinic acid
• Nicotinamide/niacinamide
• Inositol hexaniacinate

Nicotinamide, also sometimes called niacinamide, is one of the most common forms of vitamin B3, found in both food and supplement sources. Nicotinamide is often preferred over other supplemental forms of niacin because its less likely to cause flushing and can be used for a wide variety of purposes, including treating pellagra, acne and arthritis. However, unlike niacin, nicotinamide is not as effective at lowering cholesterol levels and improving heart health.

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What Is Niacin For Kids

Niacin is a vitamin that the body needs for many different functions. It belongs to the B complex group of vitamins. B complex vitamins are water-soluble. Since water-soluble vitamins cant be stored by the body, they must be consumed regularly to prevent deficiencies.

Niacin is an essential nutrient, meaning the body can’t produce it and it must be obtained from the diet or supplements. Although our bodies usually convert an amino acid called tryptophan into niacin, the amount converted isnt enough to meet the nutritional requirements.

There are two active forms of niacin in the diet and supplements: nicotinic acid and nicotinamide . Niacin is usually absorbed in the small intestine and excreted in urine.

A lot of parents have questions about what the benefits of adding niacin to their kids diet are. If this is you, read on to learn all about the amazing health effects of niacin.

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What Is The Glycemic Index Of Nectarine

The glycemic index is a system of measuring how carbohydrates affect blood sugar. The glycemic index is measured on a scale from 0-100, and the higher the number on this list, the more it affects your body’s ability to maintain stable levels of glucose in your bloodstream.

Plain popcorn with no toppings any added sugar has a glycemic index of 55, which is not too bad and is listed to the low GI foods. This means that when you eat plain popcorn your blood sugar levels will not increase quickly and too high over time.

However, it’s important to note that the glycemic index of a food can change depending on how it’s prepared and what you add to it before eating. Such as salt, butter, and sugar. Therefore, if your goal is to keep your blood sugar levels steady then avoid adding too much butter or salt because this can spike up the numbers of the glycemic index.

As mentioned earlier in this article, there are some varieties of popcorn such as air-popped or homemade stove-top popped corn made with healthy ingredients one serving size contains 50 calories and around 11 grams of carbohydrate.

Niacin Safely Lowers Lipids In Type 2 Diabetes

Fran Lowry

Chicago, IL – Niacin, currently considered to be contraindicated in patients with type 2 diabetes because of concerns that it adversely affects glycemic control, may be a safe and effective alternative to statins and fibrates in diabetics who are unable to tolerate these traditional lipid-lowering drugs, or in whom they are ineffective, the Arterial Disease Multiple Intervention Trial investigators say in the September 13, 2000 issue of JAMA.

In a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 468 subjects, including 125 with type 2 diabetes, were assigned to niacin, in the form of crystalline nicotinic acid , or placebo for 48 weeks, after a 12-week active run-in period. During the run-in period, participants received immediate-release niacin tablets in increasing doses of 50, 250, and 500 mg twice daily. The tablets were dispensed at 4-week intervals, ADMIT lead investigator Dr Marshall B Elam et al report.

At randomization, the dosage of niacin or placebo was increased to 750 mg twice daily, with subsequent increases to 1000 mg, and finally 1500 mg twice daily. Dosages were titrated at 6-week intervals.

The main outcome measures were plasma lipoprotein, glucose, hemoglobin A1C , alanine aminotransferase, and uric acid levels hypoglycemic drug use, and compliance. Adverse events in both groups were also noted.

Effect of niacin on total cholesterol, LDL-C, triglycerides, and HDL-C in diabetic and nondiabetic patients

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The Efficacy Of Niacin

Aaron Wood,1,3 Taylor Claybaugh,1,3 Yuriy Slyvka,1,3 Jean Thuma,2,3 Kelly McCall,2,3

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1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ohio University, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, USA2Department of Specialty Medicine, Ohio University, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, USA3The Diabetes Institute at Ohio University, USA

Correspondence: Kelly McCall, Department of Specialty Medicine, Ohio University, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, USA, The Diabetes Institute at Ohio University, USA

Received: June 30, 2016 | Published: August 2, 2016

Citation: Wood A, Claybaugh T, Slyvka. The efficacy of niacin-bound chromium to slow the progression of diabetic nephropathy in type ii diabetic rats. MOJ Anat Physiol. 2016 2:156160. DOI: 10.15406/mojap.2016.02.00064

How Does The Vitamin B Family Work

Vitamin B Complex is a combination of eight B vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12. The B family of vitamins plays a variety of critical roles in our body, including converting the food we eat into energy. Health researchers and experts have found a deep connection, especially between Vitamin b12 and diabetes.

In addition to this, research has shown that several drugs commonly prescribed by doctors to diabetics begin to cause depletion of the Vitamin B family from the human body. This process is called drug induced nutrient depletion and is often the reason behind drug side effects. Folic Acid or Vitamin B9 and Vitamin B12 are easily depleted by daily use of anti-diabetic medication, making it all the more important for diabetics to put back these vitamins.

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Vitamin B3 Vs B12 Vs Other B Vitamins

There are eight B vitamins required by your body, each of which plays a unique role in your health. While vitamin B3 is well-known for its ability to lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation and optimize heart health, vitamin B12 is involved in maintaining the health of the nervous system, synthesizing red blood cells and creating DNA. Meanwhile, other B vitamins help with energy production, liver function, metabolism, growth and development, immune health, and more.

All B vitamins are water-soluble, which means that they dissolve in water and are carried to the tissues of the body but are not able to be stored long-term and require a steady stream in your diet to ensure youre meeting your needs. They are also often found in similar sources, such as animal products, fortified foods, and select fruits and vegetables. Plus, they all work together in the body to promote proper health, which is why taking a B complex is often recommended over individual B vitamin supplements.

Supplements That Impact Blood Sugar

Supplements may cause unwelcomeor dangerousside effects, especially if they interact with your medications. While some ingredients could intensify the effects of your diabetes meds, causing hypoglycemia , others may have the opposite effect, leading to hyperglycemia .

Research on many supplements is inconclusive. Talk to your health care provider before you start taking chromium, vitamin E, St. Johns wort, or niacin.

Confused about what to take? Unless your health care provider recommends a specific vitamin or supplement, its probably not all that helpfulor economicalto add another pill to your regimen.

Also Check: Healthy Diet For Diabetes And High Cholesterol

Diabetic Friendly Kiwi Snack Recipes

Kiwi can be prepared and eaten in many ways, from jams, cakes, ice creams, and many other sweet, dessert recipes. It is even used in cooking meat dishes, as it gives a tinge of tangy taste to the meat. Kiwis can also be made into wine.

One of the most famous ways of eating kiwi for diabetics is by blending it with other fruits and making a delicious and healthy smoothie. You can never go wrong with that.

Kiwi, alongside other fruits, can be made into a yummy fruit salad that can be eaten along with yogurt or oatmeal.

With children as well as adults are popular fruit popsicles, where blended fruit is put into popsicle moulds and left to freeze a couple of hours.

Side Effects Of Vitamin B12

While normal levels of vitamin B12 supplementation have no side effects whatsoever, higher dosages might have minor side effects like flushing, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

Vitamin B12, however, may cause side effects in individuals with certain health problems. For example, people sensitive to vitamin B12, cobalt or any other ingredient in the supplement product may show allergic response to the supplement. People with low levels of potassium should take vitamin B12 supplementation with caution because as soon as the deficiency of B12 is corrected, potassium can go down to potentially fatal levels.

People with a history of gout should also be careful while taking vitamin B12 supplementation as correction of the deficiency may trigger a gout attack.

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The Recommended Dietary Allowance

Niacin equivalent

The term “niacin equivalent” is used to describe the contribution to dietary intake of all the forms of niacin that are available to the body. In healthy individuals, less than 2% of dietary tryptophan is converted to NAD in the kynurenine pathway . The synthesis of NAD from tryptophan is fairly inefficient and depends on enzymes requiring vitamin B6 and riboflavin, as well as a heme -containing enzyme. Nonetheless, tryptophan is essential as a precursor for NAD+. Inherited defects in tryptophan transport and metabolism result in severe clinical disorders attributed to NAD+ depletion . On average, 60 milligrams of tryptophan are considered to correspond to 1 mg of niacin or 1 mg of NE.

Daily recommended intakes

The recommended dietary allowance for niacin is based on the prevention of deficiency. Pellagra can be prevented by about 11 mg NE/day, but 12 mg to 16 mg NE/day has been found to normalize the urinary excretion of niacin metabolites in healthy young adults. Because pellagra represents severe deficiency, the Food and Nutrition Board of the US Institute of Medicine chose to use the excretion of niacin metabolites as an indicator of niacin nutritional status rather than symptoms of pellagra . However, it has been argued that cellular NAD and NADP content may be more relevant indicators of niacin nutritional status .

Decreases The Risk Of Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is common for all ages. This autoimmune disorder attacks cells and causes insulin levels to drop very low. Niacin works to protect these cells and stabilize insulin levels.

Nicotinamide can sometimes cause a spike in blood sugar levels, justifying why it may not be a useful treatment for type 2 diabetes.

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Use Of Niacin In Patients With Diabetes

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Niacin is highly effective at reducing total cholesterol, LDL andtriglycerides, as well as increasing HDL. However, there is some concern overits effect on glucose and whether it is safe to use in patients with diabetesand hyperlipidemia.

Several studies have evaluated the effect of niacin on glucose inpatients with diabetes. Goldberg and Jacobson studied the effects of addingniacin as treatment for 13 patients with diabetes and a mean HbA1c of 9.6%. Thepatients were assigned immediate-release niacin, which was titrated up to 4.5 gper day over four weeks. Niacin-treated patients experienced a 21% increase inHbA1c and a 16% increase in mean plasma glucose.

Other studies

Coronary Drug Project

The Coronary Drug Project evaluated use of 3 g per day of immediaterelease niacin, along with other agents or placebo, in patients with a pastmyocardial infarction. No differences were observed in glycosuria or theaddition of new diabetes medications in patients receiving niacin vs. placebo.Fasting glucose increased modestly and significantly in the niacin-treatedgroup at one year, two years and four years.

After treatment was discontinued, fasting glucose returned to baselinein the niacin-treated group but increased in the placebo group. Subsequentanalysis indicated that the long-term cardiovascular benefits of niacinoutweighed any effects on glucose.

Practice Discussions: Niacin In Diabetes Care

Originally it was thought that type 2 diabetes can increase heart attacks by up to 2-3 times in men and women. The most recent research in Diabetes Care states that women may be as much as 50% more at risk for fatal heart events than men, and that diabetes is more of a potential risk factor for heart events in women compared to men. Women with diabetes have more than 5 times an increased risk of a cardiac event than women without diabetes. The researchers continue to state that current clinical guidelines may need to be revised to offer more aggressive treatment to women with diabetes.

Good Luck!

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Blood Sugar Rises But Heart Is Grateful Still

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2002 — Niacin supplements can reduce by about 50 percent the chance of a second heart attack in people with diabetes and milder blood sugar problems, who are at sharply increased risk of cardiac diseases.

So says a new study, which found that although the B vitamin nudges blood sugar higher, it more than overcomes that effect by suppressing dangerous blood fats that promote heart attacks. The study also found that diabetics seemed to derive more heart protection from niacin than people without the disease.

“In the past, we’ve been hesitant to use it because of the increase in glucose levels,” said Dr. Michael Davidson, director of preventive cardiology at Rush Medical College in Chicago, who was familiar with the findings. “But even though it goes up some, the benefits of raising HDL, lowering LDL and triglycerides more than offsets that risk. The net benefit is still significant.”

LDL and triglycerides are linked to heart problems, while increasing levels of HDL protect the heart and vessels. The magnitude of niacin’s effects on lowering heart attack risk is similar to that of other drugs, including aspirin, statins and other treatments that cut cholesterol, and beta-blockers, experts said.

At the time, the researchers didn’t ask whether the effect was different in people with blood sugar trouble. So in the new analysis, they divided 1,119 of the original subjects into four categories depending on their ability to process blood sugar.

Improves Blood Fat Levels

Niacin may help to improve your blood fat levels by:

• increasing your HDL cholesterol
• reducing your LDL LDL cholesterol
• reducing your triglyceride levels

This may translate to a decrease in heart disease risk, although several studies have found no link between niacin supplementation and a decrease in heart disease risk or deaths (

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Niacin For Kids: A Healthy Dose Of Good Health

As children grow, their bodies need certain nutrients to be healthy and full of energy. Niacin is one of these important nutrients. It supports brain health, energy levels, and even skin health.

It can be hard to ensure your kids get enough niacin especially when theyre picky eaters. Vitamin supplements can help you stay on track with their nutritional requirements.

If youre looking for high-quality, organic multivitaminsupplements, Llama Naturals whole-fruit multivitamingummies are your best choice. Choose Llama Naturals for the perfect health boost your kids deserve.

Llama Naturals is a plant-based nutrition brand that has created the Worlds First Whole Fruit Gummy Vitamins that are made with no added sugar and whole-food vitamins. They are USDA Organic, Vegan, Gluten-Free, free of common allergens, and are slow-cooked on low heat to retain rich phytonutrients & fruit flavor. Its a win-win gummy vitamin that the whole family will love.

Niacin Side Effects Vs Benefits: 9 Reasons You Need Vitamin B3

By Rachael Link, MS, RD

• Precautions

Niacin is an incredibly important water-soluble vitamin that plays a role in many aspects of health, from brain function to heart health and beyond. Although associated with a number of potential niacin side effects, its also one of the few micronutrients frequently prescribed by physicians to treat health concerns like high cholesterol, skin conditions, schizophrenia and more through both supplementation and niacin foods.

So what is niacin good for, and how can it improve your health? Keep reading for everything you need to know about this essential vitamin and why you should make sure youre getting enough in your diet.

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