Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Health Article

Health Benefits of Niacin

Although few people in the industrialized world are actually deficient in niacin, many may benefit from additional amounts in supplement form to help treat assorted complaints. Keep in mind that each of the three forms of niacin affects the body differently. niacin vitamin has notable anti-inflammatory properties, for example, while nicotinic acid and inositol hexaniacinate affect blood lipid levels and circulation.

Specifically, niacin may help to:
Niacin Lowers Cholesterol and Protects against Cardiovascular Disease
Niacin vitamin improve blood cholesterol levels. People who choose to take other B vitamins in the hope of reducing cardiac risk by lowering homocysteine levels can do so safely without medical supervision. But niacin is unlike other B vitamins in one important respect. Nicotinic acid is prescribed for patients to reduce blood cholesterol levels, and niacin vitamin is the form of niacin normally found in supplements.

Niacin Fight depression
Based on niacin's well-recognized role in promoting the sound functioning of nerve cells, some experts recommend the vitamin for relieving depression as well as for soothing feelings of anxiety and panic. Most B-vitamin complexes contain sufficient amounts of niacin for this purpose; as an added plus, the complexes also offer the mood-enhancing benefits of other B vitamins.

Niacin Ease symptoms of arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
The anti-inflammatory properties associated with niacin vitamin may help in calming joint inflammation, a frequent cause of rheumatoid arthritis pain. In a double-blind, 12-week study, osteoarthritis sufferers who received niacin vitamin supplements reported less inflammation and greater joint flexibility than other participants who were given a placebo. The niacin vitamin group also required less conventional anti-inflammatory medication to relieve their customary pain and swelling.

Niacin Treat tinnitus
The persistent ringing, humming and buzzing in the ears associated with this condition has been linked to poor blood circulation. By widening blood vessels in the brain, inositol hexaniacinate may help to relieve these and other tinnitus symptoms.


More Detail About Niacin