Vitamin B for Memory Loss, Headaches, and Brain Fog?

I take Rx version of niacin called Niaspan ... but the doc said OTC would be fine so long as it is of the nicotinic acid version and also from a reputable manufacturer.

As for memory, too late for that, I destroyed most of my good grey cells in my late teens ans early 20's with recreational drugs and loud rock-n-roll

Hey I supported Ron Paul til he bailed out. As for the constitution, the GOP trashed it pretty bad during the last 8 years ... most unfortunate and very sad

Oh, and I get blood work done every 3 to 4 months.

DreamStalker wrote:I destroyed most of my good grey cells in my late teens ans early 20's with recreational drugs and loud rock-n-roll

Hey I supported Ron Paul til he bailed out.

Cause and effect?

MusicMan wrote:

DreamStalker wrote:I destroyed most of my good grey cells in my late teens ans early 20's with recreational drugs and loud rock-n-roll

Hey I supported Ron Paul til he bailed out.

Cause and effect?

Yea that is one cause of many effects .... the other cause was living with untreated OSA for 25+ years and the effects are very similar

Rooster, thanks for the invite and it could happen since I have a friend that moved down your way (from Alaska and I'll give you one guess why.

In terms of mental fog, almost all blood pressure meds except diuretics can have that effect, particularly beta-blockers. I have a mild-to-moderate heart murmur and since my cardiologist wants to keep it contained, he wants my blood pressure really low. So I'm on a cocktail of meds. Without xPAP to provide a reasonable quality of sleep, I'd be a particularly dull zombie or at least feel like one. Many thanks to all those here who have provided and continue to provide such valuable information!

rooster wrote:

DreamStalker wrote:.......
There are two types of B3 ... need to make sure it is niacin (nicotinic acid) form, 500 mg just before bedtime. It may cause flushing/hot flashes (has not for me though) ... however only very temporary if it does.

I need to take it in the morning because I cannot stand to put the mask on my face when it is tingling.

As far as the flushing goes, I kind of like it. I get asked, "Have you been out on your yacht?" and I answer, "Every chance I get."

DS, Are you taking otc niacin or prescription? Does the doc do a liver function check regularly? How often?

I read this thread only just now; read through almost all the postings. Some of what I am saying is already touched upon before, I am summarizing; plus adding some additional important info and references; I am changing the subject line just for this post.

1. There are two forms of Vit B3, Niacin (Nicatonic acid) or Niacinamide. Either form will satisfy the needs of the vitamin. Niacin is converted to niacinamide internally along the normal bodily processing flow of the chemical. For vitamin use the quantities are very small 100mg per day. The over the counter (otc) form is almost always Niacin. If you ask a pharmacist for Niacinamide, you might be erroneously given Niacin (since both are Vit B3)!!

2. For HDL (good cholesterol) increase, and LDL decrease, only Niacin works, the Niacinamide form does not do this!! This is not at all obvious.
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pagere ... ageindex=1
As the above article shows, sometimes even some doctors are not aware of this.

3. The quantities needed for cholesterol change is much higher, 500 to 1000+ mg per day. At that qty, Niacin is no longer a vitamin, but it is a very potent drug with potential for very serious liver damage in some patients. Some other side effects such as flushing may be only an inconvenience. There is a prescription form of Sustained Release, called Niaspan. Either Niacin or Niaspan can cause all the potential side effects. One need to be testing/monitoring for liver toxicity after about one month and about 6 months, and then at regular intervals of 12 months or so; that would be the guidelines from a well trained endocrinologist.

4.There is also a slow release version of NON-PRESCRIPTION (otc) niacin. The potential for liver toxicity appears to be much higher from the otc slow release form than the regular OTC niacin (!!) or the prescription Niaspan. When the regular (non Sustained Release) niacin is used for cholesterol reduction, it is taken spread over the day in 3 or 4 doses. But the other forms can be in one dose. Both regular Niacin and the extended Niaspan has the same effectiveness in cholesterol reduction; Niaspan is quite a bit more expensive since it is a new Brand Name drug without a generic, but the Niaspan is more convenient to use because of its single dose, and for many it reduces flushing. But for some people even Niaspan could produce serious flushing with trips to emergency rooms (Googling will get discussions about this.)

5. Another not so well know side effect of Niacin or Niacinamide is that it tends to increase your blood sugar level. If you are diabetic or borderline d., need to check this carefully.

Now about the recent study about Niacinamide for memory loss / Alziermer's reversal, that Raj mentioned:

Raj wrote:Research on rodents with a specific form of B3 (nicotinamide) has been so promising for reducing the effects of Alzheimer's that human trials are already getting started. Lots of reports on this such as this one: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/128297.php. But one thing this article didn't mention is that nicotinamide seemed to increase memory function in normal rats. Alas, I don't think plain old niacin has this trick up its sleeve.

M1. The references in many of the articles was most often to Niacinamide (but the popular ones talked about Vit B3); it was not clear whether Niacin (nicotonic acid) would have this effect on memory. It was considered a possible break through, there was a NPR talkshow with the researchers:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... d=96747179
You can listen to the entire show.

M2. They are looking for human study volunteers. The study is being done at Univ of California, Irvine. At the initial phase, they may take only people locally. If anybody is interested, try and kindly report anything they find out about the study here.

M3. The toxicity effect on the body is cumulative of Niacin and Niacinamide one takes. Assuming the memory effect is only from taking Niacinamide, and if you are already taking Niacin, you need to keep that in mind.

If anybody has any additional info on the second topic of effect of memory and the related research, kindly post here.

I just read this post! I was recently diagnosed with a b12 deficiency, and had a shot. Since then, I've been taking sublinqual B12. (1000 mgs a day)
The difference is amazing! I started on Nov 11, and already, my gait disturbance is gone, and I have so much more energy!
I've been taking 80 mgs of Protontix for many years . I kept telling the Dr. that I felt like I was not digesting my food ( for many reasons.)
I'm just blown away by the stuff I'm reading here.
As usual, Thanks, Guys.
Lee Lee

Lee Lee wrote:........The difference is amazing! I started on Nov 11, and already, my gait disturbance is gone, and I have so much more energy!
........
Lee Lee

Good for you Lee Lee,

By authority not vested in me, I hereby promote you to this thread: viewtopic/t36067/If-you-have-Apnea-you- ... onite.html.

Rooster...
Looks like I need EVERY vitamin B,C,D and niacin on the market...

I just bought the B12 dots but I can't remember why?

I did, too. I think it's so we can have sex while hosed up. Ask Rooster.

SleepyNoMore wrote:Rooster...
Looks like I need EVERY vitamin B,C,D and niacin on the market...

This is getting dang ridiculous. Tomorrow I am cleaning out my 54-tray tackle box to keep up with all my vitamins and supplements.



What have you heard about ground organic elderberry seeds?

stepbill wrote:I just bought the B12 dots but I can't remember why?

You were going to send them to me as a Christmas present... remember?

rooster wrote:

SleepyNoMore wrote: What have you heard about ground organic elderberry seeds?

"Your mother was a Hampster, and your father smelled of Elderberry!"

That's what I heard!
B.

My oncologist darn near fell over when she saw the two page list of vitamins I take. After I healed from the surgery with no wound opening and no infections, she asked which ones I thought had had the most effect. (Beforehand, she was mainly concerned that nothing I took clashed with the meds she wanted me to have.)

Came across this B12 link ...

http://www.doctoryourself.com/nasal.html

Sounds like the Columbian method ... not that there is anything wrong with that.