What can a deficiency in nicotinic acid niacin cause?
What can a deficiency in nicotinic acid niacin cause?
Niacin (vitamin B3) deficiency results in a condition known as pellagra. Pellagra includes the triad of dermatitis, dementia, and diarrhea and can result in death. Niacin deficiency can occur through genetic disorders, malabsorptive conditions, and interaction with certain medications.
What amino acid is niacin?
Niacin is not a true vitamin as it can be produced by the metabolism of essential amino acid tryptophan. Because of the contribution of tryptophan, foods containing balanced protein are important contributors to the total niacin equivalent intake.
Is niacin required for glycolysis?
In human being, niacin is believed necessary together with other vitamins for the prevention and cure of pellagra. Some of the most understood metabolic processes that involve niacin are glycolysis, fatty acid synthesis and respiration.
Which amino acid can be converted into niacin and prevent pellagra?
Niacin was shown to be the pellagra-preventive vitamin in 1937. Some years later, the amino acid, tryptophan, was found to be a precursor of niacin in many animal species and in man. Administration of tryptophan is followed by an increase in urinary excretion of niacin metabolites.
What niacin does to the body?
Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is an important nutrient. In fact, every part of your body needs it to function properly. As a supplement, niacin may help lower cholesterol, ease arthritis, and boost brain function, among other benefits. However, it can also cause serious side effects if you take large doses.
Is niacin an additive?
Niacin might have an additive effect when you take blood pressure drugs, herbs or supplements. This could increase your risk of low blood pressure (hypotension).
How is niacin used in cellular respiration?
As with all B vitamins, niacin helps convert food into energy by aiding enzymes. Specifically, niacin is a major component of NAD and NADP, two coenzymes involved in cellular metabolism. Furthermore, it plays a role in cell signaling and making and repairing DNA, in addition to acting as an antioxidant ( 2 ).
What can be converted to niacin?
tryptophan
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, niacin can be formed from an amino acid called tryptophan found in protein products. Vitamin B-6 plays a major role in converting tryptophan to niacin, so your body needs vitamin B-6 to help ensure that it gets enough niacin.
Should I take niacin everyday?
People use prescription niacin (Niacor, Niaspan) to help control their cholesterol. The recommended daily amount of niacin for adult males is 16 milligrams (mg) a day and for adult women who aren’t pregnant, 14 mg a day.
What are the benefits of niacin?
How do you convert quinolinic acid to niacin?
It is generally obtained by the oxidation of quinoline. Oxidants such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide, and potassium permanganate have been used. Electrolysis is able to perform the transformation as well. Quinolinic acid may undergo further decarboxylation to nicotinic acid ( niacin ):
What is quinolinic acid (quinolin)?
Quinolinic acid is a neurotoxic substance produced by our own bodies and a metabolite of tryptophan. Tryptophan and its different pathways: The management of tryptophan converting to serotonin within the brain has some complex moving parts.
How does quinolinic acid (QA) affect depression?
By inducing increased levels of quinolinic acid in the cerebral spinal fluid with interferon α, researchers have demonstrated that increased quinolinic acid levels correlate with increased depressive symptoms.
Is quinolinic acid toxic to the brain?
Brain toxicity due to quinolinic acid has also been implicated in autism, Huntington’s disease, stroke, dementia of old age, depression, HIV-associated dementia, and schizophrenia. Increased levels of quinolinic acid have also been detected in Lyme patients with central nervous system inflammation.
