Meat is an excellent source of vitamin B (niacin).
Patients with Parkinson’s typically have a vitamin B3 deficiency. Many Parkinson’s symptoms are similar to vitamin B3 deficiency. An over-the-counter option, vitamin B3, cannot be patented, and clinical studies are expensive.
Niacin Study
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2021.667032/full. A small study was undertaken to investigate any link between vitamin B3 (niacin) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Less than 50 people, primarily men, diagnosed with PD were placed into a double-blind study using a placebo, 100 mg of niacin, or 250 mg of slow-release niacin. The study lasted just over a year.
The UPDRS (Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale III) measures the severity and progression of PD (https://www.physio-pedia.com/Unified_Parkinson%27s_Disease_Rating_Scale_(UPDRS)). The patients were monitored during the testing and at the end. The UPDRS improved by 3.5 points (significant improvement) as the general population of similar patients would typically show a decline of 5.5 points.
Some quality-of-life measures that improved were handwriting, perception of fatigue, mood, postural control, frontal EEG rhythm, etc. Quality of sleep, however, did not improve or degrade.
Niacin & PD
https://www.lifespan.io/news/niacin-tested-against-parkinsons-disease/. The results were published in the Frontiers of Aging Neuroscience (17June21). Since animal studies proved a positive relationship between PD and niacin, human studies were undertaken. Other than flushing, which often occurs with niacin, there were no other testing issues. The result of the small-scale research indicates that further clinical trials should be considered.
Niacin & Health
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/niacin-benefits. Niacin is one of eight B vitamins found in both food and supplements. The two forms of niacin are nicotinic acid and niacinamide or nicotinamide. Nicotinic acid is used to reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. Niacinamide does not lower cholesterol but is used to treat psoriasis and reduce the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer.
Niacin assists in the food to energy conversion through two coenzymes – NAP and NADP (https://pediaa.com/difference-between-nad-and-nadp/). Niacin acts as an antioxidant.
People deficient in niacin have memory loss or confusion, fatigue, depression, headaches, diarrhea, skin problems, and more. Vitamin B3 deficiency in Western cultures is rare.
Niacin is recognized to lower LDL cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, reduce heart disease risk, improve brain function, and treat skin issues. In addition, some believe it aids in treating Alzheimer’s disease and may help treat type I diabetes. Niacin is found in meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and legumes.
Conclusion
As always, never add something new, like niacin, to your daily regimen without consulting your doctor, especially if you are already on prescription medicines. Niacin can produce a flush – red face, heat, and itch are prevalent. It is harmless but
unpleasant and lasts an hour or two.
Live Longer & Enjoy Life! – Red O’Laughlin – RedOLaughlin.com