Niacin

[Jimpsull]

From
http://www.benthamscience.com/open/todd ... ODDISJ.pdf


Niacin plays an important role in myelination associated with the synthesis of cerebrosides which contain high levels of long chain fatty acid [77, 78]. Niacin activates the G-protein coupled receptor GPR109a to produce the IDO- inducing tolerogenic prostaglandins PGE (2) and PGD (2). PGD (2) is converted to the anti-inflammatory prostaglandin. These prostaglandins exert potent anti-inflammatory activities [79]. Niaspan treatment experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice significantly reduce inflammatory infiltrates and demyelination areas, and stimulate oligodendrogenesis and axonal regeneration [80]. Neurological functional recovery was significantly increased when treatment of EAE mice with niaspan starting on the immunization or clinical onset day [80]. In addition, nicotinamide, an NAD biosynthesis precursor, profoundly prevents the degeneration of demyelinated axons and improves the behavioral deficits in EAE models [81]. Nicotinamide profoundly ameliorates and prevents autoimmune-mediated demyelination in EAE via maintaining levels of NAD, without activating PPAR nor any G-protein-coupled receptor [82]. Therefore, niacin and nicotinamide may be a target for MS treatment.

[THX1138]

I think you will find this thread interesting:

http://www.thisisms.com/forum/chronic-c ... tml#p67664

[jimmylegs]

hey since i'm here anyway... at the risk of putting words in jim's mouth and driving him even more crazy: THX, jim is taking niacin as a statin drug, gets the flush response intermittently, and is not particularly interested in the flush for its own sake. of course, that thread is vastly interesting to you and i hehehe

[THX1138]

Remember, it is a strong flush that goes down to the toes. Less strong ones do little or no good. Flushes wane after a number of days of taking niacin.

[jimmylegs]

and absent ones after a hefty dose indicate something amiss in the works

[THX1138]

and absent ones after a hefty dose indicate something amiss in the works

Yes, and I would like to figure out what.

[jimmylegs]

PUFAs, for one thing, according to the research I've found to date..

oh this is newer stuff, the original study i found was from some time in the 80s. i hadn't seen this bit about gene polymorphisms before:

The impact of PLA2G4A and PTGS2 gene polymorphisms, and red blood cell PUFAs deficit on niacin skin flush response in schizophrenia patients
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23219238

[jimmylegs]

wow it looks like a ton of research has been done on that over the last few yrs. more reading

[CureOrBust]

No research, just a personal thought, but maybe anti-histamine's would have some effect on the feeling of the flush

[THX1138]

and absent ones after a hefty dose indicate something amiss in the works

Yes, and I would like to figure out what.

I seem to recall reading that Hoffer spoke of schizophrenics not flushing at all until they had taken high-dose niacin for some time. Then they were getting better along with the new found flushing.

Gotta Love the Flush.

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=hof ... CDIQgQMwAA

[jimmylegs]

that was in the 60s and other scientists could not duplicate the early findings or benefits so the whole thing got canned by the mainstream for decades. I will have to track down that research from the 80s in which the flush-pufa connection was brought to light.

[jimmylegs]

zinc can increase the flush reaction too, so presumably insufficient zinc may also be involved w absent flush. for that matter, there are interactions btw pufas and zinc so all three may work together to produce a nice hearty flush.

[THX1138]

Thanks for the info.

I recall reading a study awhile ago in which FFA (not Future Farmers of America) levels plummeted and returned to previous or above levels closely following the degree of flushing.

[THX1138]

zinc can increase the flush reaction too, so presumably insufficient zinc may also be involved w absent flush. for that matter, there are interactions btw pufas and zinc so all three may work together to produce a nice hearty flush.

I'm on it - I've got my Zn picolinate right here beside me and I have been taking it seriously since reading some of your writings about Zinc. I will get out the copper too. What amounts do you recommend. I'm at the low end of normal for Zn; copper score is more middle normal.

[jimmylegs]

kind of all hangs together, huh. re the ffa etc.

for zinc it's 50mg and for copper, 2mg. best to take in the am, but not on an empty stomach.

for targets, get the serum zinc up to around 18-19, and the copper up to 17-18 umol/l. (these are healthy averages but esp. in the case of zinc, the ranges are very small and close to the average). you want the zinc a bit higher than the copper so that the zn/cu ratio is 1.1.