Introduction
One of the most essential nutrients for your health is niacin. You might know niacin as vitamin b3. Niacin is contained in almost all dairy and whole grain products. Because of this, it is not hard to consume the daily dose if you are living in a developed country. However, there are some health benefits of overdosing niacin. In this article, I will discuss how you can optimally do this in order to improve your cholesterol and to detox your body.
1. Dose
It is important to know the recommended dose. Healthy human adults are advised to consume between 15 and 20 mg niacin per day. In order to overdose your niacin intake, you will need an amount higher than 60 mg per day. Some people fear they will die because of a niacin overdose. However, niacin only becomes toxic in your body when you exceed values of 200,000 mg in a day. Needless to say, this is almost impossible to consume such an amount of niacin rich foods.
2. Niacin rich food
As told earlier, most whole grain and dairy products contain some niacin. However, these products are not the most efficient form of niacin. There are other foods that you have to consume less of, but contain a higher dose. The most important are:
1. Raw Crimini mushrooms (5 OZ-wt). These mushrooms contain 5.40 mg niacin.
2. Shiitake mushrooms (1 cup). These inhibit 5.50 mg niacin.
3. Tuna (4 OZ-wt). Tuna has a dose of 14.60 mg niacin.
4. Tamari (1 tabs). This soy sauce has 0.8 mg niacin.
5. Chicken breast (4 OZ-wt). This equals 14.40 mg niacin.
Be sure to vary your niacin rich food. These foods are in general very good for your health and if you alternate between them, you will consume other highly important nutrients too.
3. Avoiding niacin flushing side effects
The process of taking in an overdose of niacin in order to better your overall health is also known as niacin flushing. Unfortunately, niacin flushing can generate some pretty uncomfortable feelings. One of the most common side effects of niacin is reddening of the skin and a tingling feeling in several parts of the body. In order to avoid these side affects you can take an aspirin, 30 minutes prior to the niacin rich meal. Moreover, vitamin c capsules and garlic extract are also very good to consume during the niacin flushing process.
4. Stay away from alcohol
One of the worst things you can do during niacin flushing or after doing it, is drinking alcohol. Alcohol can destroy niacin stored in the body, and this will make the niacin flushing useless. This fact is also important to remember when you go on a vacation binge drinking for a week long. It is recommended to consume more niacin in those sorts of conditions. The most common effect of binge drinking without increasing niacin intake is niacin depression, a depression caused by a niacin deficiency. Furthermore, avoid hot beverages like thee and coffee during the niacin flushing.
Evaluation
Niacin flushing can be a very good thing to do for your general well-being. It will also lower your cholesterol and detox the body of toxic waste stored in the fatty tissues. It is best to consume a niacin rich meal and take in an aspirin, half an hour prior to this meal to avoid side effects. Do this a few times per week to get optimal results.