Nicotinamide Boosts Natural Immunity
Vitamin B3 boosts the ability of the innate immune system to increase the number and efficacy of phagocyte neutrophils.
There are at least several different variants of vitamin B-3: Niacin, Nicotinic acid, and Nicotinamide. All three versions of vitamin B-3 strengthen your innate immune system.
Niacin and Nicotinic acid produces a flush and helps to reduce high cholesterol levels, while Nicotinamide does neither. All three versions, however, also improves people's mental health, which for most means less depression and lower anxiety levels.
Niacin produces a flush and is every bit as dangerous as a low-end Statin prescription drug. A niacin flush is a tingling, itching sensation, which turns your skin red. Many people do not like experiencing niacin flushes. Nevertheless, your body will get use to these flushes over time, by starting out with low dosages and gradually building up to a higher dosage.
Taking over 1.5 grams of niacin a day is NOT recommended, unless you periodically get blood tests to check for liver damage. Further, lowering your cholesterol levels makes little sense to begin with since dyslipidemia is a symptom rather than a disease. Treating symptoms with niacin, just like conventional medicine does with Statin drugs, wont address the root cause of your cholesterol problems.
Vitamin B3 Fights Superbugs
A recent research study found nicotinamide effective against Staph infections in mice infected with Staphylococcus bacteria. While this study did NOT address prevention, avoiding a vitamin B-3 insufficiency seems to be a reasonable approach to prevent catching a Staph infection in the first place.
Staph infections in humans are deadly superbugs, but in emergencies can be treated with up to 3 grams a day of nicotinamide. Higher dosages, just like with niacin, could lead eventually to liver damage.
It is the position of the Natural Health Perspective that taking nicotinamide as a preventative measure will boost your natural immunity, as well as lower your anxiety levels. As a preventative measure, the recommended daily dosage would be between 50 and 500 mg. Those experiencing a lot of anxiety would probably want to supplement at the higher level.
Suggested Nutritional Supplement Regiment to Strengthen Your Immune System
- Vitamin D-3 - 5,000 IU daily
- Zinc gluconate - 25 mg daily
- Vitamin A - 10,000 IU twice a week
- Nicotinamide - 50 mg daily (Taking a B-50 tablet once a day, usually is the most economical approach to getting a number of different B vitamins, at the price of what supplementing with nicotinamide alone would cost.)
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Please read our Nutritional Supplements Disclaimer.
References:
- C/EBPe mediates nicotinamide-enhanced clearance of Staphylococcus aureus in mice.
Kyme P, Thoennissen NH, Tseng CW, ...
J Clin Invest. 2012 Sep 4;122(9):3316-29.
doi: 10.1172/JCI62070. Epub 2012 Aug 27.
PMID: 22922257
