What is the Meaning & Definition Niacin (vitamin B3)

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is one of the vitamins of the B group, also called NICOTINAMIDE or Nicotinic Acid.
This vitamin is found in various foods such as organ meats, wheat, fish, dairy products, eggs, nuts and legumes. Also is present in some cereals however many of them are not bioavailable, i.e., it cannot be taken food to be ingested, as it is the case of the rye and corn that must be processed before consumption so that this vitamin can absorb.
Once in the body, niacin is distributed inside the red blood cells or cells, only blood found in minimum concentrations. Even though the main source of this vitamin is food, the body is capable of producing it from an amino acid called tryptophan.
This vitamin is involved in a large number of biochemical organism reactions such as the degradation of glucose in a process called Glycolysis and in the metabolism of fatty acids, both necessary to produce energy; It is also involved in cellular respiration, in the production of hormones, in the removal of alcohol from the body, and in the synthesis of nucleic acids needed to to be DNA.
The deficit of niacin gives rise to the emergence of a disease known as pellagra, which can lead to death. It is characterized by the presence of lesions on skin, loss of hair, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, dementia and disorders of the nerve roots. Today it is very rare, however in the past it was common among peasants who based his power in corn and cereals, especially if your protein intake was low.
Treatment of the deficit of this vitamin is based on the use of supplements in the same. In medicine this vitamin is used for the treatment of elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels since it is able to decrease LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol, and raise HDL or cholesterol well, which has a protective effect vascular to delaying the onset of disorders as atherosclerosis; However, their use should be carried out under strict medical surveillance by the high incidence of side effects that accompany their consumption among which stands out the sensation of heat or hot flashes which requires stopping treatment.