HH333: Key Nutrients-Vitamin B3 & Niacin

Welcome back to another health hack episode as I continue talking about key nutrients, and this week, I'm talking about our B vitamins. And B vitamins are really critical in helping support the body in many, many ways, including coping with the stress that the body is under. And one thing that people need to be aware of is that a lot of people have a gene mutation, MTHFR, which makes it harder for their body to be able to absorb B vitamins, unless they're buying the methylated version of those B vitamins. And so if you are using a multivitamin or or a multi B vitamin, it is best if you don't know if you have that gene mutation or not, if you look for the methylated version, in order to ensure that your body is actually able to break it down and absorb the goodness in those in that multivitamin. So today I want to talk specifically about niacin, or vitamin b3 which is an essential nutrient that plays a critical role in maintaining overall health. And I'm just going to quickly go through some of the areas or in your body that this is helping with. So first of all, it supports cardiovascular health health because it is increasing good HDL and helps to decrease bad LDL, cholesterol and triglycerides, and this can reduce risk of heart disease and improve overall cardiovascular health. It also boosts energy production, because it's very good for converting food into energy. It enhances brain function because adequate niacin levels are essential for maintaining healthy brain function and help protect against age related cognitive decline. It helps improve skin health by improving its barrier function and reducing inflammation and protecting against sun damage. It also aids in digestion, and it supports joint health because it has anti inflammatory properties and can reduce symptoms of arthritis. It helps to detoxify the body of chemicals and other prescription drugs and just helping maintain overall liver health. It also reduces oxidative stress, protecting the cells from damage and caused by free radicals, and it helps to regulate blood sugar levels, improving insulin sensitivity. And then it also helps to promote mental well being, because it supports the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which is our feel good neurotransmitter, and that can help reduce anxiety. So that's 10 things right there that vitamin b3 or niacin are really helpful for in your body, and again, you can get these through a good quality multivitamin, as well as incorporating niacin rich foods such as chicken, turkey, fish, peanuts and avocados into your diet. So hopefully that's some helpful information for you about vitamin b3 and join me later in the week as I continue talking about the powerful benefits of our B vitamins.