bright yellow. There are also some medications that can reduce the effectiveness of riboflavin in the body, such as tri-cyclic antidepressants. This is because of the structural similarities between B2 and the tri-cyclic antidepressants.
.....Niacin is up next because it is called vitamin B3. Niacin and its related vitamins (nicotinic acid, nicotinamide and niacinamide) are responsible for assisting in over 200 chemical reactions in the body. It is also plays a part in the creation of fatty acids and cholesterol. Niacin deficiency is now very rare, but it is called pellagra. The major symptoms of pellagra are the four “D”s: dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia and death. The current |
focus for niacin is its ability to help lower cholesterol. Higher doses of niacin, 1-2grams a day, can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower triglycerides. These higher doses should only be taken under recommendation from your physician. The most troublesome side effects of niacin at these doses are a very intense flushing and stomach upset. Taking it in divided doses after meals, and slowly increasing the dose over several weeks can reduce these problems. Some people take a ‘no-flush’ version of niacin called Inositol Hexanicotinate. While it does not cause a flushing reaction; there is some evidence to suggest that it |
tmight not work as well as regular niacin in reducing cholesterol. Niacinamide also does not cause flushing but is ineffective in lowering cholesterol.
.....Now we skip number four and discuss vitamin B5, pantothenic acid. Like niacin, pantothenic acid is used in many chemical reactions in the body. It has no specific known use except in the production of the brain chemical acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is associated with memory; unfortunately taking more doesn’t help increase your memory. Deficiency of this vitamin is very rare. It is so rare that special diets and drugs must be used to study vitamin B5 deficiency.
.....Vitamin B6, Pyridoxine, has
Ian Lloyd...Continued On Page 8 |
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