CANCER AND NUTRITION: NIACIN AND PANTOTHENIC ACID
A diet deficient in niacin produces pellagra in humans. At one time, pellagra was endemic in Europe and America because the main diet consisted of cornmeal, molasses, and pork fat almost exclusively. Niacin performs the following functions:
Niacin converts food to energy.
It prevents pellagra, a disease that affects the central nervous system, skin, and gastrointestinal tract.
It reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels and has been shown to be beneficial to cardiac patients. The Coronary Drug Project Study showed a decrease in mortality of 11 percent in cardiac patients given niacin.
Those using niacin should take only the immediate-release form. The timed-release form can damage your liver. Do not exceed 1,500 milligrams of niacin per day. Take it with food to decrease flushing. Niacin may aggravate diabetes, gout, and stomach problems.
Rarely is a human diet ever deficient in this important vitamin, because pantothenic acid is distributed in almost all plant and animal tissues. It has the following functions:
It is required in almost all energy-producing reactions in the body involving fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
It is required for the formation of some hormones and nerve-regulating substances.
It helps to regulate the blood-sugar level.
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