Supplement Guide: Niacin for Muscle Growth

niacin-for-muscle-growth

Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, is a form of B Vitamin. It occurs naturally in animals and plants and is also available as a vitamin supplement. Niacin helps the body convert carbohydrates into glucose (fuel), which the body then uses to produce energy. Niacin is not only involved in the production of energy at the cellular level, but it’s also responsible for muscle growth, synthesis of the fatty acids, steroids and cholesterol.

Niacin is actually needed for over 50 different crucial metabolic processes in the body, which are ultimately related to energy production. This vitamin also involved in helping enzymes functions, so that chemical reactions can occur properly. This is one of the main reasons why everybody needs to have a certain amount of niacin (whether from foods or from supplements), for the body to function properly; this amount is known as the DRI (abbreviation for, dietary reference intake). Deficiency in niacin may have some negative effects on your health and can impair the oxidation process in the citric acid cycle (also known as Krebs cycle). This can result in much decreased anaerobic and aerobic performance.

Niacin, like other B vitamins, is water-soluble and can effectively travel throughout the body via the blood stream; this means that niacin can be administered through food and also through liquid. That being so, the best food sources of niacin include, but not limited to; salmon, meat, cheese, nuts, dried beans, green vegetables, turkey, eggs, tuna, brewer’s yeasts, oats, peanuts, legumes, potatoes, brown rice, barley, milk, wheat flakes, among others. These foods contain the amino acid known as tryptophan, which your body converts into niacin.

Niacin usage in general medicine

In general medicine, niacin is popularly used as a therapeutic vitamin to relieve various joint ailments. Niacin helps with joint mobility and can be used to treat arthritis. Various research studies have shown that the intake of niacin lowers joint pain, enhances muscle strength, and reduces the symptoms that are associated with joint or muscle fatigue. Here are the uses and benefits of niacin;

  • Niacin increases blood circulation through what is known as, Niacin flush. Improving the circulation of blood means that more oxygen will be transported much more efficiently, and will reach every single muscle fibre in the body, at a faster rate. This also means that you will be able to exercise for much longer periods since the muscles that are being used, are getting all the oxygen they need in order to work at their optimum potential; this ultimately results in enhanced performance and increased muscle growth.
  • Niacin works to increase the body’s metabolism by helping metabolise the carbohydrates (the food group which contains the most energy); it basically assists with the production of L-Carnitine (an amino acid which encourages burning of fats by transporting the fatty acids into the cells’ mitochondria where energy is normally produced). This means that by using niacin supplements, you will indirectly contribute to fat burning and weight loss.
  • By increasing the rates at which the fatty acids are turned into energy, Vitamin B3 gives the user an energy boost, which enables them to work out or exercise for much longer periods, hence enabling them to maximise their muscle growth potential. Recent research studies have actually revealed that taking niacin supplements can be of great help when it comes to enhancing sports’ performance and enhancing muscle growth.
  • Using niacin supplements helps stimulate generation of the human growth hormone, which is extremely important for building muscle and gaining muscle strength. The human growth hormone (often abbreviated as, HGH) is important for everybody, especially for bodybuilders and athletes, as it boosts generation of cells in the muscles, bones and organs, allowing the muscles to grow faster. HGH also boosts recovery of the injured tissues. Normally, the pituitary glands produce the growth hormone when you are doing heavy or intense exercises like deadlifts or squats, but a good niacin supplement will serve as a great alternative. Moreover, the production of the growth hormone by the pituitary glands tends to decline as we grow older, hence why people need to take niacin supplements.

The other uses and health benefits of niacin (or Vitamin B3) include:

  1. Maintaining proper blood flow
  2. Boosting memory power
  3. Promoting healthy skin condition
  4. Enhancing the brain’s functionality
  5. Aiding the body’s digestive tract system absorb sufficient proteins, carbohydrates, and fats (metabolism)
  6. Maintaining healthy cardiovascular system
  7. Preventing impotence (or erectile dysfunction)
  8. Lowering high blood pressure
  9. Preventing diabetes

Well, you should know that, at high a dosage, niacin for muscle growth can have some minor effects. It will make the body blood vessels dilate, which then results in a tingling sensation that’s accompanied by a flushing of the skin. However, if you start out with a low amount of niacin (about 50 mg to 100 mg per day), and slowly increase the dose, you will quickly build up good tolerance, and avoid the flushing.

Taking niacin right after a meal helps lessen the flushing sensation.

 

Niacin for Muscle Growth

One of the best niacin supplements for muscle growth on the market right now is NiacinMax (reviewed here). It is not only the most powerful niacin supplement available on the market, but it is also very fast acting. Unlike most other niacin supplements, NiacinMax uses a unique delivery technology which enables it to deliver up to about 90% pure niacin directly into your bloodstream; this makes it 45x more effective than all the other niacin supplements on the market. Moreover, NiacinMax has a pleasant citrus taste and has zero side effects (apart from a mild flush).

By using NiacinMax, you will enjoy enhanced flow of blood and oxygen throughout your body, which will maximise the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, improving your focus and energy, thus enabling you to work out much longer and much harder, resulting in increased muscle growth. Niacin Max will also increase the production of the human growth hormone (HGH) and the red blood cells, which will enhance muscle growth, thus allowing you to achieve the desired physique in a short period of time. The use of niacin for muscle growth is currently a major health trend and has actually given many sportsmen, athletes and bodybuilders a great competitive advantage during competitions.

About The Author

Mike is one who's "been there, done that" guy. Working from home for over 10 years, he had gained over 40lbs of excess weight. He came to a realisation that his life can't go on like this anymore and it needed to change. He found CrossFit and started learning about healthy eating. Having lost all his excess body weight in the last 2 years he now regularly takes part in CrossFit competitions.

Related posts