Niacin Informative Speech

When you hear the word Niacin, what does it mean to you? What about Vitamin B3? You may have seen them on the back of cereal boxes, energy drinks or even in your daily multivitamin. Well they are in fact one in the same. However vitamin B3 comes in two different forms, nicotinic acid or Niacin and nicotinamide, while nicotinamide is a vitamin it does not have the same practical uses as Niacin.,,,, Today I am going to tell you a little about the history, biological uses, sources and the consequences of an overdose or deficiency in Niacin. As a Biology major I think it is vital to stress the importance of getting the suggested daily dose of Niacin. But first let’s discuss the history of Niacin.,,,,,
According to vitamin-basics.com, the
,,,,,, As you may remember from your high school biology courses, glycolysis, the citric acid cycle and the electron transport chain are responsible for creating ATP which is our body’s main energy source. Niacin also plays an important role in DNA repair as well as steroidal hormone production from the adrenal glands.,,,,,,
As a prescription, Niacin is prescribed in quantities ranging from 500mg to 5000mg. Niacin is most commonly used to treat high cholesterol and it does so by lowering your LDL or “bad” cholesterol and increasing your HDL or “good” cholesterol. Because Niacin reduces your LDL and increases your HDL it also helps prevent atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries when coupled with other medication.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Niacin is also being tested for the possible treatment and/or prevention of diabetes types one and two as well as for osteoarthritis and Alzheimer’s disease. High doses of Niacin can have its drawbacks so it is crucial to speak to your doctor if at all interested in exploring these avenues of