Vitamin B-3 (Niacin or Niacinamide)
Background
Vitamin B-3 (also known as niacin or niacinamide) is an essential nutrient for fat, carbohydrate, and cholesterol metabolism. It is also a component of glucose tolerance factor. Food sources of vitamin B-3 include legumes, milk, organ meats, liver, eggs, fish, peanuts and whole grains.
Clinical Studies
Type I Prevention
Supplementation with niacinamide (also called nicotinamide) has been shown in both animal and human studies to offer protection from the development of Type I diabetes. There have been six clinical, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies performed on the use of niacinamide on patients suffering from Type I diabetes within 5 years of their diagnosis. Of these six studies, three have demonstrated a positive effect in promoting remission, lowering insulin requirements, and increasing beta cell function (the cells that make insulin). Some of the recently diagnosed Type I patients were able to go into complete remission with niacinamide. The most positive results were achieved in subjects who were older and had higher fasting C-peptide levels.
Theoretically, niacinamide acts as an antioxidant that modulates the immune system’s attack on the pancreatic beta cells. In recent onset Type I diabetes, niacinamide has been shown to slow the destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas, preserving, increasing, and, in some cases, restoring the function of the beta cells. Baseline C-peptide, a measure of endogenous insulin preservation and Hb1ac, can be maintained when niacinamide is added to insulin therapy. The mechanism of action is thought to be an inhibition of macrophage and interleukin-1 mediated beta cell damage and inhibition of nitric oxide production, along with its antioxidant activity.
Dosage
A dosage of 25 mg per kg of body weight is commonly used. Niacinamide therapy should only be undertaken with the guidance of a healthcare practitioner familiar with its use.
