Stakeholder Panel Meeting Book - September 6, 2014

Vitamin B 3

Niacin

 Niacin or vitamin B 3 refers to two compounds  Nicotinic Acid and Nicotinamide. Both forms of  the vitamin are equally biological active  In addition to B 3 Niacin has historically been  referred to as vitamin PP meaning pellagra‐ preventative  The name Niacin was chosen in order to  disassociate it from nicotine thus to not give the  impression that cigarettes contain vitamins!

B 3 Deficiency  Severe deficiency of niacin in the diet causes the disease  pellagra  Pellagra is characterized by diarrhea, dermatitis, and  dementia, as well as lesions on the lower neck,  hyperpigmentation, thickening of the skin, inflammation  of the mouth and tongue, digestive disturbances,  amnesia, delirium, and eventually death, if left untreated.  Mild deficiency has been shown to cause reduced  metabolism and lowered tolerance to cold  Deficiency is occasionally seen in developed countries, but  more so in conditions of poverty. It can also occur more  frequently in areas with corn as a central staple food.

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