Niacin for Anxiety: A Better Route for Relief Now
Can you think of a time when you feel that tightness in your chest and a sense of panic starts to overcome you?
You can’t seem to focus on anything other than the anxiety building up inside you. It doesn’t matter if it’s because of something really stressful at work, an upcoming event, or just general worry about day-to-day life – we all get anxious sometimes.
The great thing is that there are things we can do to naturally calm our nerves and relieve some stress on our bodies! One way is by taking niacin for anxiety, which has been shown to help individuals cope with their symptoms better than medication alone. In this blog post, I will discuss: how to take niacin for anxiety and the benefits of taking it.
Niacin is a safe substance with only minor side effects when taken in appropriate doses – but high doses can cause severe damage. That’s why starting low and working your way up is highly recommended! That buying good quality, affordable Niacin supplements online is accessible. This allows people who suffer from Anxiety to get inexpensive relief at home without having to leave their house or go into public places like other stores that sell overpriced products found there.
If you don’t feel like reading the whole article but want to know what the best niacin’s to take are, these would be two that I recommend.
- Life Extension - No Flush Niacin - 800 Mg - 100 Caps (2-Pack)
- Doctor's Best TimeRelease Niacin with niaxtend NonGMO Vegan Gluten Free 500 mg Tablets, 120 Count
No Flush Niacin offers all the benefits people get in niacin supplements: metabolism health, cardiovascular and neurological support. However, it doesn’t cause the flushing many people experience.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Real Niacin provides niacin in an 8-hour extended-release form that enables you to enjoy the health benefits of niacin without experiencing the uncomfortable skin flushing that commonly accompanies other forms of niacin.
Niacin, also known as vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid, supports more than 500 enzymatic reactions that play pivotal roles in metabolism, energy production, and healthy aging
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Table of Contents
Is Niacin Good For Anxiety?
Niacin vs. Niacinamide
Niacin or Niacinamide are known as Vitamin B3 and the coenzymes or the active forms are known as both nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP). Coenzymes are required to help an enzyme function, either to initiate it or aid in its functioning. There are numerous reasons to take niacin for anxiety, but one reason is that it works for all different types of Anxiety.
Niacin is a type of vitamin B that helps to regulate cholesterol levels as well as the flow of blood cells and nutrients around our body. When taken in higher doses than the recommended level, it can help with anxiety by causing vasodilation – this means that niacin causes our blood vessels to dilate (open up) which sends more oxygen-rich blood through them.
This makes us feel less frazzled because there’s an increased supply of blood flowing into vital organs like your brain and heart. It also has been shown that taking Niacin for Anxiety reduces “fight or flight” hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol, epinephrine, and others!
Fight or flight hormones are great if a lion is chasing you, however, long-term producing your fight or flight hormones can burn you out.
When you get burnout and depressed, you can end up not having a desire to fix these problems.
Anxiety disorders such as OCD, Generalized Anxiety, and Panic Disorder can be improved with Niacin supplementation. Since B vitamins are water-soluble, your body will urinate out whatever is not used by the body.
In addition to using the niacin for anxiety, Pellagra is a condition caused by a severe deficiency in Niacin or Vit B3. Common symptoms of Pellagra are dermatitis, dementia, and diarrhea.
Does Niacin have a calming effect?
Yes, Niacin is a vitamin that can help with anxiety by causing vasodilation.
This means the blood vessels open up and send more oxygen-rich blood to vital organs in our body, such as our brain and heart, which helps us feel less frazzled because there’s an increased supply of blood flowing into these critical areas.
That is partially why the flush can be unsettling but it is beneficial by allowing your body to increase its blood flow.
How much niacinamide should I take for anxiety?
A study showed anxiety sufferers took 2,000-2,500mg of Niacinamide consistently and it relieved their anxiety. Anxiety sufferers gained relief due to the Benzodiazepine-like effects which were increasing Serotonin levels.
If someone is deficient in Vitamin B3 then supplementation could help alleviate anxiety symptoms.
A study showed that taking 6,000mg or more of niacin could cause nausea, and it is common for B Vitamins to make your urine a bright color.
If you suffer from anxiety, there are many different articles on supplements, and nutritional and lifestyle recommendations for Coping With Anxiety here.
Does Vitamin B 3 help with anxiety?
Yes, niacin is vitamin B-3. It improves blood flow causing you to relax better, it increases serotonin helping you feel good and an increase in serotonin helps you increase your melatonin production.
Melatonin is a hormone your body naturally produces; tryptophan and serotonin help you produce it naturally.
Which a good night’s sleep can decrease your symptoms of anxiety as well.
Niacin Flush
Niacin flush is a common side effect when consuming niacin, it is caused by the blood vessels dilating.
The Niacin flush is a feeling in your skin that causes it to gain a redness and tingle a little. It is totally normal, do not think you are allergic or you purchased a bad product, it is unfortunately normal.
Some niacin supplements are “no-flush niacin” such as niacinamide. However, there is a benefit for the flush; since it is a vasodilator it can help improve circulation. Which is beneficial for heart health, and detoxing.
Tips for minimizing flushing is to take a smaller dosage, eat food and then take the rest. This can help slow the digestion and minimize the flush. Or you can take it before you go to bed to avoid feeling the flush.
Best Niacin for Anxiety
No Flush Niacin offers all the benefits people get in niacin supplements: metabolism health, cardiovascular and neurological support. However, it doesn’t cause the flushing many people experience.
Real Niacin provides niacin in an 8-hour extended-release form that enables you to enjoy the health benefits of niacin without experiencing the uncomfortable skin flushing that commonly accompanies other forms of niacin.
Niacin, also known as vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid, supports more than 500 enzymatic reactions that play pivotal roles in metabolism, energy production, and healthy aging
Vitamin B3 Foods
Most foods that are rich in Niacin are low compared to supplements, that’s because supplements are concentrated. However, supplements are to help supplement and make up for nutrients that aren’t as rich in our food as they once were.
Some Foods High in Niacin to help with Anxiety are:
- Peanut Butter- 33.83 mg
- Emu- 22.26 mg
- Sunflower Seeds- 11.67mg per cup (Sunfower Seeds are very rich in B Vitamins)
- Anchovy – 19.9 mg
- Brown Rice – 16mg per 100 g
Conclusion
If you’re struggling with anxiety, make sure to check out my other posts on the topic. I also discuss how niacin can help reduce stress levels and improve sleep quality. But before you try any of these methods for alleviating your anxiety symptoms, consult a doctor or qualified medical professional first!
In addition to all this helpful information about niacin, I’ve got tons more blog posts covering everything from foods rich in vitamins for anxiety to supplements for child anxiety. Check them out if you want some additional reading material that’s relevant to your interests!
References:
Originally posted 2021-04-30 16:43:28.
Megan Santiago
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