Niacin deficiency

[Tanya Shivari]

Niacin deficiency (causing pellagra) is uncommon in developed countries. Many people with niacin deficiency also have deficiencies of protein, riboflavin (a B vitamin), and vitamin B6.

A distinctive dark red rash appears on the hands, feet, calves, neck, and face, and the tongue and mouth turn dark red.
People have digestive tract problems, fatigue, insomnia, apathy, and later confusion and memory loss.
The diagnosis is based on the diet history, symptoms, and sometimes urine tests.
High doses of nicotinamide or nicotinic acid, taken by mouth, can correct the deficiency.

Niacin , a B vitamin, is essential for the processing (metabolism) of carbohydrates, fats, and many other substances in the body and for the normal functioning of cells.
Good sources of niacin include dried yeast, liver, red meat, poultry, fish, legumes, and whole-grain or enriched cereal products and bread. Foods rich in tryptophan (an amino acid), such as dairy products, can compensate for not consuming enough niacin in the diet because the body can convert tryptophan to niacin .
The term

[exinilu]

Dietary niacin deficiency (causing pellagra) is uncommon in developed countries. Clinical manifestations include the three Ds: localized pigmented rash (dermatitis); gastroenteritis (diarrhea); and widespread neurologic deficits, including cognitive decline (dementia). Diagnosis is usually clinical, and dietary supplementation (oral or, if needed, intramuscular ) is usually successful.
Niacin (nicotinic acid, nicotinamide) derivatives include nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP), which are coenzymes in oxidation-reduction reactions. They are vital in cell metabolism.
Dietary sources of niacin include liver, red meat, fish, poultry, legumes, and whole-grain or enriched cereals and breads. Because dietary tryptophan can be metabolized to niacin , foods rich in tryptophan (eg, dairy products) can compensate for inadequate dietary niacin .
(See also Overview of Vitamins.)