Niacin- Secret of Bodybuilders

Niacin is a supplement that is used by the bodybuilders to gain extra edge that they don’t get from exercise. There are many supplements available in the market. Every supplement is good in its own way and provides the edge needed by bodybuilders. But you need to choose that best suits you.

Before taking a supplement you need to know the benefits of that supplement. It’s always best to know the pros and cons of the supplement you are taking and any side effects which it might have.

Niacin is considered one of the best supplements, but you need to know the benefits of niacin, the effects of it on your body and why exactly it is good for body building.

What niacin is?

First thing that you need to know is, what exactly is niacin?

Niacin belongs to the vitamin B groups and is known as B3. The vitamin B group helps maintain healthy liver, eyes and skin. The B group of vitamins basically converts carbohydrates into glucose. The functionality of nervous system can also be aided by these vitamins.

Basic function of niacin is that it improves the circulation, helps adrenal glands produce hormones and put a halt to inflammation.

Niacin helps in calming the effect of stiffness by opening the blood vessels. The most common use of B3 vitamin in the beginning was of an inflammatory, which helped the people who were suffering from arthritis and joint stiffness.

People who have cholesterol are also prescribed niacin, as it helps in lowering the cholesterol level in blood. It must be taken under your doctor’s supervision as it might have some side effects. These side effects can be avoided if you are taking niacin as prescribed and seeking your doctor’s advice.

Niacin has many benefits. It can help you in different ways. You need to do your proper research to know what this little supplement can do.

Niacin can be used for curing the above enlisted illnesses:

• Insomnia
• Depression
• Cataracts
• Diabetes
• Raynard’s disease

Use of niacin in bodybuilding:

Other than niacin being a cure to many illnesses, it also helps in body building. Niacin has both short term and long term uses; both affect the body in different ways.

An overdose of niacin causes niacin flush. It usually start in the scalp causing tingling sensation and redness on the body. Your body starts feeling warm and itchy. The parts that are mostly affected by the overdose of niacin are back, shoulders, chest, head and neck.

Some might think it is an allergic reaction. You might need to see your doctor if you see any unusual symptoms. It is not really dangerous but it is better to immediately visit your doctor.

Other than niacin flush there are some other symptoms that you might experience, these include:

• Bloating
• Headache
• Cramps

You can reduce the symptoms or may even prevent them if you know what exactly you are doing. You need to increases your dosage slowly with time. Take niacin after your meal and avoid eating spicy food, drinking alcohol, taking hot drinks and hot baths.

Here are some short term and long term benefits of niacin.

Short term benefits of niacin:

Short term use of niacin increases the vascularity that is why it is used by many body builders. Body builders prefer flushing before a competition and before a photo shoot.

Body building is all about having good muscles. You score well if you have strong visible vascularity. Make sure that you are not taking niacin first time before a competition. You never know what results it might show the first time you take it. Niacin, if taken too much, can cause a flush that might look like a sunburn and might affect you score in the competition. In long term use the effects of niacin might not be as prominent, because your body get used to this vitamin and doesn’t show much affective results.

Long term benefits:

Human growth hormone is one of the most powerful chemical produced by the body. Human growth hormone helps in staying youthful; it helps in building muscle and also helps in shredding fat. It is produced in the pituitary gland while doing heavy exercise like squats and dead lifts.

Flushing can stimulate an increase in the production of human growth hormone. Niacin flushing is more of a habit for some body builders. It is believed that if you take niacin on an empty stomach before going to bed, niacin shows best results. But these results are seen when your body get used to niacin.

It’s best to speak to a doctor about the use of niacin. Prolonged use of niacin can damage your liver. It might even show some other nasty side effects.

Dosage of Niacin:

You should ask your doctor about the dosage of niacin that is best for you. Body builders mostly take 300-500 mg of niacin to see the desired results. But the normal dosage is between 14-16 mg per day. Some people even take more than 500 mg of niacin.

It is best to start with a low dosage and simultaneously increase the dosage. If you start with high dosage it might affect you adversely.

Natural solutions to increased niacin:

Niacin can be found naturally in some food. It is better to consume these foods instead of taking supplements. But if you want to see visible results in just few weeks than supplements is the best source for it.

Some foods which contain niacin are:

• Tuna -5.8 mg per 100 g
• Pork- 15 mg per 100 g
• Cereal – 30-58 mg per 100 g
• Peanuts – 12 mg per 100 g
• Liver – 11.5 mg per 100 g
• Turkey – 11.75 mg per 100 g
• Cremini mushrooms – 4 mg per 100 g

Niacin not only helps you maintain your desired features and looks but it also has many health benefits. It is reasonably cheap. So, if you are low on budget but want to maintain your features niacin is highly recommended. But be cautious of the brand you are buying, because you might find many niacin supplement but not all show the same results. Some of them are scam, so be very careful while you are buying it.

How to choose the right supplement?

Before you buy supplements you need to know details of the supplement you are buying. You can choose the best niacin supplements for your needs by:

• Avoid buying niacin which is flush free because mostly body builders take niacin for the flush. Flush free supplements stop the flush and many body builders report these supplements for not showing the desired effect.
• Do total research of the supplements. Talk to colleagues who have already used niacin or are taking it. Check out product reviews on sites. And after full satisfaction buy the desired product.
• Increase your dosage of niacin slowly. When increasing dosage slowly you will know about the best amount of dosage for you.

Niacin supplements: the best of the bunch

You will be amused by the amount of niacin supplements available in the market from different brands. The ones buying it for the first time will have a hard time choosing which niacin brand is best for you.

Here is a review of NiacinMax which is best suited to body builders for different reasons.

NiacinMax:

NiacinMax is one of the best niacin supplements present in the market. It has shown amazing results and is geared towards improving high performance in body building and many other cardio sports.

• NiacinMax is a strip that dissolves on your tongue and directly enters into the blood stream.
• The intensity of flush is reduced to mild sensation because of the new delivery system.
• NiacinMax is protected by a thin layer of bubbles that prevents from any damages.
• The recovery time is reduced and the production of HGH is increased. It is best to take NiacinMax before starting the training which allows HGH release to start.
• One strip of NiacinMax is 45 times more effective than the 100 mg pill. One strip of NiacinMax contains 75mg of niacin.

Conclusion:

To conclude, niacin products provide similar results but its effect is different on very individual. For best results of Niacin you must either consult your physician or some expert bodybuilder who can guide you with its proper dosage and product. NiacinMax is considered the best due to its property of not getting wasted and for directly getting absorbed in the bloodstream.