Niacinamide and anxiety

Alternative to Anti-Anxiety Drugs

Athough there are dozens of different names for Vitamin B3, there are actually only three different forms - niacin, inositol hexaniacinate, and niacinamide. The second two forms are just niacin molecules attached to other substances to change their molecular structure and therefore change their therapeutic benefits.
Niacinamide, or amide of niacin, is a molecule of niacin attached to another substance called an amide. In this form, you will not get the flushing effect(redness, itching, and heat) associated with high doses of regular niacin. You will usually see this labeled as a "flush-free source of vitamin B3", but make sure it's niacinamide and not inositol hexaniacinate, as the inositol form is also flush free. Among many other benefits, niacinamide has been found in both scientific studies and numerous user reports to have the same or stronger anti-anxiety effects than benzodiazepines without the dangerous side effects or highly addictive properties of benzos or the uncomfortable flushing effect of regular niacin.

Most doctors who are aware of niacinamide's anti-anxiety effects will probably start you off at 500mg 3 times daily and slowly increase the dosage until the desired effect is achieved. Some people require as much as 6000mg daily to achieve optimal results.

Although rarely associated with any side effects, you should always consult a healthcare professional before trying niacinamide in any high dosage, especially if you have liver problems.

If you are one of the tens of millions of people around the world taking Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Ativan, or any other anti-anxiety drugs in a class called benzodiazepines, you might want to consider a healthier, natural alternative known as niacinamide.

Benzodiazepenes have been linked to some very serious side effects, ranging from mild cognitive dysfunction to extreme addiction to death. In the 1990's, statistics show that there were more benzo-related deaths than deaths from heroin, morphine, and cocaine combined.

Studies show that benzos can become highly addictive within just 4 weeks, and once addicted, it is quite difficult and can even be dangerous to end use of the medication even when weaned off slowly over several years. Also, in long-term usage, they can actually increase the psychiatric and anxiety-related problems they were meant to help.

So how about a healthy alternative? Not only one that can work as well or better than benzos without the dangerous side effects and with a similar mechanism of action, but one that has also shown in clinical studies to significantly decrease withdrawal effects from benzos.

" Although rarely associated with any side effects, you should always consult a healthcare professional before trying niacinamide in any high dosage, especially if you have liver problems. "

Niacinamide aggravates liver conditions?

Edony,

Yes, apparently it can in high doses. Some info says to monitor the liver, while other info doesn't mention it. I only suspect it's an issue for those with existing conditions.

Niacinamide is fascinating stuff. Apparently the drug companies developed clonazepam (valium) as a result of trying to copy the structure of niacinamide. The co-founder of alcoholics anonymous- Bill Wilson, used niacin to cure his depression and recommended it be given to alcoholics in the US. The idea was shunned by AA international and it was removed from AA. It can treat schizophrenia with doses as high as 11+ grams a day.

To be accurate more recent findings are that niacin (both niacinamide and regular niacin) are not injurious to the liver, not need to consult with a doctor. Although would avoid sustained release niacin however.

CausticSymmetry wrote:To be accurate more recent findings are that niacin (both niacinamide and regular niacin) are not injurious to the liver, not need to consult with a doctor. Although would avoid sustained release niacin however.

Thanks CS,

Do you happen to have links to those findings? Someone is claiming that niacin is liver toxic, and quoting the FDA, and I'd like to reconcile this. BTW- I meant to type 'diazepam' not 'clonazepam' above.

I forgot to ask why to avoid sustained release? My mom started taking it per doctor's recommendation.

Paradox - The sustained form may be hard on the liver.

You may have already seen this but there is more info on the link between niacinamide and anxiety here and some text related to Kaufman's findings as well. http://digitalnaturopath.com/treat/T44289.html

There is also some good info on Alzheimer's and niacinamide in the same post.

My wife and I have been taking it for a year now. She is a high anxiety person and that has definitely diminished since she's been taking it.

Can anyone tell me the difference between Niacin USP (as niacinamide) http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SW052/ItemDetail?n=0

and Niacin (as niacinamide)
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/NW328/ItemDetail?n=0

What is the "USP" for? Thanks.

Can anyone recommend a specific niacin supplement?

So niacinamide recommended over niacin?

So niacinamide recommended over niacin??

i second this question.
I tought niacin is more effective??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niacin

Niacinamide is the best to remove anxiety and provide cool and calm atmosphere. Doctors that suggest Niacinamide as a treatment for anxiety recommend much much higher doses. its provide extreme effects on anxiety. really this is great website which contains such kind of information related to the better health.

Had to bump this old thread. On Tuesday I started taking niacinamide at 1500mg 3x with meals, I know its a lot, but from what I read 4500mg a day was a safe dosage.

Anyways, since Tuesday I have been having increased anxiety which is a surprise after reading everything regarding niacinamide as a safe alternative for anxiety.

I've been taking other supplements along with it to include K-MG and B2 which I just aded Tuesday along with the niacinamide, a multi, and other stuff from the top6 as well as MCP Iodine and selenium.

I changed things up a bit to see what was really causing this increased anxiety and after only taking 1500mg of niacinamide, earlier today, I felt the anxiety increase. Does anyone have a clue as to why it could be causing this symptom?

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1837221#i

Thanks for the link. How much B2, no flush niacin, and niacinamide do you take a day?

Started with 1 150mg - noflush niacin, 1 1500mg niacinamide timed release and 2 100 mg b2 three times a day.

Now ive lowered my niacinamide to one or two a day

elan164 wrote:http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1837221#i

That warning is about niacin, not niacinamide....

Cutler archive is offline ATM otherwise I could show you that people took way more than 4500mg per day...

Low doses help while high doses cause similar problems for me.

Niacinamide is antimicrobial and possibly be giving detox reactions

You'll want to lower your dose to even as little as 500 mg and go from there.

http://onibasu.com/archives/am/86905.html

Andy-Any idea how much niacinamide per day is safe over the

long-term

for our 6 yo 50 lb boy?


So much you'll get scared if I talk about it. Lots of people take 20
or 30 grams a day for psychiatric illness, so by weight he might take
7-10 and be fine.

We currently give him 125 mg every other
day. 10mg every day in his nu-thera. Liver issues? How often

would

you check liver enzyme levels?


Niacinamide is liver safe. Niacin is liver toxic. You can give him
500 mg several times a day with little problem. It slows down phase 1
metabolism somewhat - good if he is chemically sensitive.

Does anxiety release any chemicals in the brain?
Meaning anxiety/worrying can increase hair loss...

You guys getting more depressed on niacinamide, do you have any symptoms of heartburn or low stomach acid?