Nicotinic acid is a vitamin that enters the body with food and is also synthesized in the liver from the amino acid tryptophan. In the human body, the compound is converted into nicotinamide. The substance was discovered 100 years ago by the American epidemiologist Joseph Goldberger as a "Pellagra Preventing" remedy. Hence the other name of the compound - vitamin PP. That's not all. So, all the "names" of vitamin PP are nicotinic acid, niacin, and B3.
Benefit of NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) supplements
NAD+ has neuroprotective properties and plays a role in maintaining optimal brain function. Some research suggests that NMN supplementation may help protect against age-related cognitive decline and promote brain health. NMN's role in boosting NAD+ levels and supporting cellular function has led to speculation that it may have anti-aging effects. Animal studies have shown promising results, including improved metabolism, increased energy, and extended lifespan. However, more research is needed to determine the extent of these effects in humans.
Functions of nicotinic acid
Vitamin PP is a participant in dozens of biochemical processes in the body. The compound promotes the formation of enzymes necessary for cellular respiration. The substance stimulates carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism. After cleavage in the liver, it is excreted by the kidneys as a metabolite.
Why do you need this vitamin?
· Provides normal functioning of the brain.
· Responsible for the usefulness of vision.
· Supports the health of hair, nails, skin, and oral mucosa.
· Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels in tissues and blood.
· Prevents the development of cardiovascular failure.
· Prevents the transformation of normal cells into cancerous cells.
· Opposes the attacks of free radicals.
· Stabilizes the level of sugar in the blood.
· Participates in the functioning of the digestive system.
· Improves blood circulation.
Vitamin PP is used as a medicine. In people with diabetes mellitus, it prevents the destruction of the pancreas. Taking the drug can reduce the dose of insulin injected. Nicotinic acid is included in the treatment of arthritis, as it helps to reduce pain and improves joint mobility. Vitamin B3 has a mild sedative effect, so it is prescribed for nervous disorders caused by prolonged stress and alcoholism.
The norm and deficiency of vitamin PP
For everyday life, an adult must consume 20 mg of nicotinic acid daily. For pregnant and lactating women, the figure is higher - 25 mg. Infants obtain the required vitamin B3 (2-6 mg) from the mother's milk. Children up to three years need 8 mg of nicotinic acid; up to eight years - 10 mg; and to thirteen years - 12 mg. Teenagers need vitamin PP in the same amount as adults.
The use of alcoholic beverages leads to the deficiency of nicotinic acid in the body. A lack of this vitamin can be observed with an unbalanced diet. The element's defect also arises when its expenditure sharply increases. This occurs in physical and mental overstrain, prolonged intoxication, and digestive tract disorders.
Systematic shortage of nicotinic acid leads to pellagra - a vitamin deficiency accompanied by diarrhea and dermatitis. The disease involves motofacient movement disorder, limb paralysis, and dementia. You need vitamin PP in large quantities if you work at high or low temperatures and sweat profusely.
The following symptoms may indicate a deficiency of nicotinic acid:
· apathy and fatigue;
· causeless weight loss, loss of appetite;
· pain and twisting of the head;
· red spots on the face, neck, and hands;
· redness of the mucous membrane of the mouth, cracks in the tongue;
· irritability, aggression;
· decreased immunity ;
· dryness and pallor of the skin;
· difficulties with falling asleep at night;
· cardiopalmus;
· frequent constipation and diarrhea.
Top 10 vegetable products rich in vitamin B3
With vegetarianism and raw food, you need to ensure enough vitamin PP in the diet. In some cases, when there is a prolonged lack of nicotinic acid, special preparations may be required.
Long-term use of the drug may cause liver dystrophy. However, the doctor should prescribe medicinal supplements since an excess intake of vitamin PPIs is also dangerous to health. It leads to an itchy rash on the face and neck and fainting.
The best option is to adjust the diet, including foods rich in nicotinic acid. The primary plant sources of vitamin PP are as follows.
· Dried mushrooms. To obtain a daily norm of nicotinic acid, an adult must eat 24 grams of dry orange-cap boletus or 32 grams per day.
· Peanut flour contains 35.5 mg of niacin.105 g of peanuts or 150 grams of paste can cover the daily need for nicotinic acid.
· Rice bran (60 grams daily) can be added to salads, pastries, or soups. Vitamin PP is present in them in an amount of 33.9 mg.
· Dry spirulina contains 28.3 mg. Thus, you should eat 70 g of seaweed per day.
Cashews– 280 g. · 150 grams of pistachios cover the daily requirement. Cedar nuts and fried sunflower seeds are needed in 240 g.
· Fresh mushrooms. 10.3 mg of vitamin PP is present in 100 grams of honey fungus, 6.4 mg – in rules, and 5.6 mg – in champignons.
· Wheat contains 7.5 mg of nicotinic acid, bread - 5.93 mg, sprouted grains - 4.5 mg.
· Green peas are also rich in niacin. The recommended product for children is 100-180 g and for adults - 300 g.
· Sesame (100 g) contains 4.5 mg of nicotinic acid. Sesame seeds can be added to the main courses.
· Buckwheat groats (100 g) supply 4.2 mg of the vitamin to the body.
Mediated sources of nicotinic acid are products rich in tryptophan. These include peanuts, almonds, cashews, soybeans, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds. From 100 g of these products, the body receives 300-750 mg of amino acid, which is transformed in the liver into 5-12.5 mg of vitamin B3.
Recipes of dishes with a high content of nicotinic acid
· Pumpkin cream soup
Soak 15 g of dried white mushrooms in a glass of water for a quarter of an hour. Cut into cubes 500 g of pumpkin flesh. Grind one onion. Pour water with mushrooms into a saucepan. Cook for half an hour on medium heat. Fry in olive oil pumpkin with onion for 5 minutes. Put the mushrooms. Add enough water to the broth to make 200 ml. Throw the fried vegetables in the boiling broth. Stew for 5 minutes. Lightly fry cooked mushrooms. Blend ready soup in a blender. Serve with mushrooms and fried pumpkin seeds. This is one of the most popular dishes in Nederland, and people mix it with other pleasures.
· Brown rice with green peas
Lightly grind the chopped onions (bulbs) in the saucepan, and cut champignons into thin slices (300 g). Add a pinch of cumin. If you want, season with salt and pepper. Put 100 g of brown rice into the saucepan and add water. After boiling, reduce the heat to a minimum. Boil the rice until ready. Throw 450 g of green peas. Mix everything and cook for 2 more minutes. Add fresh basil and remove from the range.
· Salad from leaf beet and champignons (one of the favorites of this gentleman)
Grind fresh mushrooms (100 g) with plates. Slice the fresh zucchini (100 g) into cubes. Mix zucchini with mushrooms. Add chopped leaf beet (50 g). Salt if necessary. Season with olive oil.
Peculiarities of vitamin PP consumption
When you correct the nutrition, remember that nicotinic acid in cereals has a tightly bound form. Naturally, this complicates the process of digesting the body's vitamins. Another thing is legumes. Vitamin PP is easily digestible in peanuts, peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, and soy. Absorption of nicotinic acid by the body is hampered by malabsorption - a chronic disorder of digestion, transportation, and absorption of nutrients in the intestine. Disturbance in the absorption of vitamin B3 is observed in the elderly.
AbouThe process of obtaining nicotinic acid from tryptophan requires a sufficient number of elements, such as iron, pyridoxine, and riboflavin. Vitamin B2 is found in brewer's yeast, almonds, mushrooms, broccoli, white cabbage, and buckwheat. Iron-rich plant products include dried fruits, vegetables, nuts, dark greens, and legumes.
Sources of vitamin B6 are unrefined cereals, avocados, bananas, carrots, and spinach.
Nicotinic acid is a reasonably stable compound. Vitamin PP does not lose its properties when interacting with acids and alkalis when drying, freezing, and during a long-term storage. Only heat treatment is destructive for it. Up to 40% of niacin is destroyed in the process of frying. Loss of vitamin PP will be less if you cook foods in a small amount of water.
