Posted by Tony P on May 23, 2003, at 2:51:29
In reply to Re: Niacinamide reduces irritability (anecdotal) » Ron Hill, posted by johnj on May 20, 2003, at 9:22:24
I am interested to hear that other pathways are being discovered for niacin/amide's effects.
In the early 70's I read with considerable personal interest the original research by Hoffer et al. into niacin and niacinamide (which led to most of the "megavitamin" therapies, BTW). They were looking initially at a population of GAD (anxiety) patients. They hypothesized that a considerable proportion of anxiety could be attributed to low blood sugar, especially reactive hypoglycemia. Niacin helps to stabilize blood sugar for such patients.
I personally tried it (up to 3 g/day), with moderately positive results. My 6 hr. blood glucose profile showed a moderate degree of reactive hypoglycemia, so presumably it helped with that. However, it came nowhere near replacing the 40-60 mg./day Valium I had been taking. (YMMV).
I thought it was only niacin that had the blood-sugar stabilizing effect (not niacinamide), but I may be thinking of the cholesterol lowering effect, which I am sure was only niacin.
Maybe I'll give it another try! Cure first, pharmacology later ... details at 11.
poster:Tony P
thread:223158
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030520/msgs/228516.html