A Cure For Alzheimer's Disease? - Research with Niacinamide Shows Great Promise!

It wasn't an interest in Alzheimer's or dementia that first got my attention. It began with a severe itching in the ears and my face turned bright red. Within ten minutes the upper half of my body was crawling with a sensation of pins and needles and my skin was the color of freshly boiled lobster. By the time it reached my lower legs and feet, my whole body was perspiring and I glowed from top to bottom. To say the least, I was uncomfortable.

So what was this burning sensation in my skin that made me want to go swimming in Lake Ontario in the middle of winter. Was it an allergy, an insect bite or a bad reaction to the wrong medication? None of the above! It was, quite simply, my first experience with a "niacin flush."

Niacin, sometimes called nicotinic acid, was the third B vitimin to be discovered, hence it is also known as B3. This vitamin has the unique characteristic in that it causes the blood vessels near the skin to dialate bringing about a flushing sensation. While it can be uncomfortable, the burning, tingling and red flushing is not dangerous and the body seems to build up a sort of tolerence with continued use. Some people are more sensitive to the flushing than others and some even claim to enjoy it. If it is taken right after a meal the flushing sensation seems to be lessened.

Just the same, given the nature of the reactions, why would anyone put themselves through it. Simply put, niacin does wonders for your health! Around the year 1942, doctors discovered that niacin worked remarkably well easing the stiffness and pain associated with arthritis. Unfortunately, since the drug companies at that time were promoting their own treatment for arthritis - cortisone - research into the benefits of niacin fell by the wayside. Luckily, good ideas never get totally lost.

Research

Research today is revealing that niacin is good for a long list of ailments. This same research is also demonstrating the "niacinamide," an alkaline form of niacin, works just as well for most conditions, yet doesn't cause the flushing. The reason being is that niacinamde opens deeper blood vessels than niacin - ones below the skin - like those, for instance, that surround joints inflamed with arthritis. Apparently taking 250mg several times a day can have remarkable relief for joint pain and larger does can be taken for more severe cases.

Cholesterol Reduction

Perhaps the area where niacin is used the most extensivley today is for the reduction of cholesterol. Studies have shown that niacin lowers cholesterol just as well as the statin drugs usually prescribed by doctors, yet niacin only costs pennies a day. As a vitamin it can't be patented and sold to consumers at prescription drug prices, so niacin remains relatively inexpensive. Studies have shown that taking 1,000 to 3,000mg of niacin per day can reduce cholesterol by up to 25%. Unfortunately, if you do opt to lower cholesterol with niacin, the non-flushing niacinimde does not work as well. For flushing sensitive people like myself, the "no pain - no gain" principle may have to apply.

Heart Disease

Another area where niacin is showing great promise is in the treatment of heart disease. In a five year study cardiac patients using niacin had fewer related heart problems and deaths than those not using it. Lowering cholesterol, in and of itself, does wonders for heart health, but niacin also lowers triglycerides ( a type of fat in the blood). High levels of triyglycerides have been linked to arteriosclerosis, which interferes with blood circulation resulting in heart disease and stroke. Niacin even has some blood pressure lowering effects.

If all the above weren't enough, niacin improves blood sugar problems which could lead to damaged arterial walls. Add to this the fact that when niacin dialutes the blood vessels it is improving blood circulation bringing blood to areas that may be starved of nutrition and oxygen. For this reason niacin is sometimes used to treat skin problems such as acne.

Alzheimer's Disease

Another insidious disease that is plaguing modern society is Alzheimer's Disease and research into the use of niacinamide as a treatment is exciting. The journal of NuroScience reported a study done by Dr. Kim Green at the University of California. Dr. Green gave lab rats with Alzheimer's disease the human daily equivalent of 2,000 to 3,000mg of niacinamide. Four months into the study the rats were so improved that the researchers used a word seldom heard in research circles. They said the rats were cured!

Of course, success with rats doesn't always translate into success with humans. So consider the following study done in Chicago. A group of 815 individuals without Alzheimer's disease were monitored for diet, in particular their niacin intake. Niacin occurs naturally in foods such as whole grains, beans, salmon, peanuts, liver and some mushrooms. After an average of four years, 131 people from this group had developed Alzheimer's disease. After adjusting for all the other risk factors, the people who had the lowest amounts of niacin in their diets were 80% more likely to have developed Alzheimer's than those with the highest amounts.

Another researcher, Dr. Abram Hoffer was well known for his mega vitamin therapies to treat schizophrenia, depression and alcoholism. Niacin played a large role in these treatments. Dr. Hoffer reported that 1,000mg of niacin taken three times a day can improve memory and correct some senility problems.

Other Uses For Niacin

If all the above benefits for niacin weren't enough, the list just seems to keep on growing. It is used to treat hearing problem by increasing the blood supply to the ears. It has been used to treat motion sickness and insomnia. Niacin is used to increase the blood supply in the extremities of diabetics and the elderly. Some people have even reported that it improves their sex lives. If pharmaceutical companies could create a drug that could do a fraction of what niacin does it would be hailed as a wonder drug. Yet, niacin seems to remain under the radar of the general public. Perhaps in this age of technological wonders, it is difficult for us to comprehend that a simple vitamin could be so beneficial.

If there was a program in place to ensure that every idividual in this country received the proper amounts of niacin the benefits to society would be enormous. We spend a fortune of health care! The cost to individuals, insurance companies and governments on heart disease, arthritis and Alzheimer's alone is staggering. That a lowly vitamin could prevent and even reverse some of these problems is one worth considering. It could save our health care billions of dollars, not to mention the improvement of the quality of life for people who suffer from these maladies. Since goverments are unlikely to iniate such a program it becomes the responsibilty of every health conscious individuals to do it themselves.

Cautions

For those wishing to add niacin and/or niacinimde to their list of daily supplements, a few word of caution are in order. First, always consult with your doctor before you add anything new to your health regime. Niacin works best with other B vitamins so always take it with a good multivitamin. Rather than taking one large dose of niacin or niacinimide it is best taken in several small doses throughout the day. Niacin can irritae the stomach lining if taken on an empty stomach so always take it after a meal. For those with gout problems, taking large amounts of niacin can precipatate a gout attack, so again, consult your doctor. Avoid the time release forms of niacin and niacinimide as these have been linked to liver problems. Finally, if you opt to get your niacin from food rather than as a supplement, avoid refined grains. Whole grains have much higher niacin content.

Niacin and niacinamide remain one of the most valuable, yet under appreciated and under utilized vitamins available to the public today. It is relativley safe and inexpensive. For most conditions mentioned above, the uncomfortable flushing that some people may experience can be avoided by using niacinamide. For cholesterol, where niacin should be used, the benefits far outweigh the possible discomfort. Ah yes, even now I can feel the warm tingling starting in my ears. I will continue to take it to, hopefully, reduce my chances of developing Alzheimer's.