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Individuals with a specific type of Parkinson's disease (PD) could gain from increasing vitamin B3 (niacin) content in their diet, say British investigators.
B3 is one of eight B vitamins. It is also known as niacin (nicotinic acid) and has 2 other forms, niacinamide (nicotinamide) and inositol hexanicotinate, which have different effects from niacin.
Nicotinamide riboside has been linked to a number of surprising and powerful benefits. Foods high in Nicotinamide include Brewer's Yeast, Sunflower Seeds, Raw Peanuts and Beets. Interestingly Beet Juice & Yeast have been shown to have remarkable cancer killing attributes. Possibly due to the sugars in the beets causing a beneficial form of fermentation to occur with the B vitamins in the Brewer's Yeast.
The findings point to niacin's ability to increase levels of a compound responsible for energy generation and DNA repair.
These factors -- if left unattended -- result in faulty mitochondria function that contributes to the progression of the neuro-degenerative disorder.
"This study strengthens the therapeutic potential for Vitamin B3/niacin-based dietary interventions in the treatment of Parkinson's disease," said Dr Miguel Martins, lead study author and programme leader of the MRC Toxicology Unit at the University of Leicester.
It can also be made from tryptophan, an essential amino acid found in most forms of protein.
