Dietary Niacinamide (B3) Deficiency May Be A Cause Of Schizophrenia

haidut

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As many of my readers know, the link between niacinamide and schizophrenia dates back at least the 1950s and possibly much earlier. The late Abram Hoffer, one of the founders of the orthomolecular approach, was convinced that stress was a huge factor in mental illness and ran several successful trials with high dose niacin/niacinamide as treatment for schizophrenia. While his results were replicated several times, the medical industry never accepted his hypothesis and continued to argue that schizophrenia is primarily genetically driven. It is easy to see why - if chronic stress and other poor environmental conditions are accepted as causes of one of the most severe psychiatric disorders then it is a short step from there to the general population asking "if stress causes X, what else does it cause?" As such, the medical industry and its mouthpieces spent millions on trying to discredit Hoffer and his work, largely succeeding in convincing the public in believing that both the stress hypothesis of (mental) disease is false as well as that vitamin therapy is ineffective.

Well, the study below may vindicate Hoffer, if not in his belief in "adrenochrome" at least in his belief that niacinamide is therapeutic. The study has a more plausible explanation, and one that has become quite familiar to followers of metabolic therapy. Namely, that schizophrenia is driven by energetic deficiency largely resulting from insufficient NAD production. According to the authors of the study, this decline in NAD levels is likely driven largely by a simple deficiency of niacinamide. Thus, it can, at least in principle, be corrected by supplementing niacinamide. That approach not only provides a viable, non-toxic alternative to current barbaric treatments but also adds to the evidence that schizophrenia is a metabolic disorder. If nothing else, it establishes niacinamide as a highly important vitamin, at least as important as folic acid when it comes to prenatal supplementation. It also adds to the evidence that the vegan diet is not only suboptimal for health but may contribute to the development of schizophrenia or any other condition that is sensitive to NAD depletion (Hint: they ALL are)

Two-decade-long study links lack of vitamin B3 to schizophrenia among Indians

"...This enzyme helps in the process of converting niacin into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), which is essential for many biochemical processes in the body, like the aerobic respiration in cells. Interestingly, the amount of NAPRT1 enzyme in the brain changes with age. The study found that the amount of NAPRT1 in the brain is highest before birth, and decreases thereafter. It functions during a critical time window when the young brain is forming, implying that there may be differences in brain development in healthy people and those who have schizophrenia."

"... They suggest that vitamin B3 is linked with schizophrenia since the pathway for synthesising NAD uses NAPRT1 and vitamin B3. A disturbance in either the level of vitamin B3 or the enzyme metabolising it might increase the risk for schizophrenia."

"...Since the diet is an external factor contributing to schizophrenia, the researchers analysed the participants who had lower levels of NAPRT1 based on whether they were vegetarians or non-vegetarians. Interestingly, a higher number of schizophrenia patients had a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian diet lacks tryptophan ⁠— an amino acid used by the body to produce NAD without using vitamin B3. A gene-linked deficiency of NAPRT1 and the lack of tryptophan in the diet may aggravate the overall scarcity of NAD. This condition could lead to developmental anomalies and increase the risk of schizophrenia, say the researchers. “In principle, niacin supplementation can increase NAD levels. However, we are uncertain whether this will improve health outcomes,” remarks Dr Periyasamy. “Since schizophrenia has a developmental origin, the effects of the risk factors during prenatal stages can be permanent, and these treatments may not work in such cases,” he adds. As a next step, the researchers plan to conduct clinical trials to test if niacin supplements can reverse the symptoms. “These supplements might have to be prescribed during pregnancy, similar to how folic acid is being prescribed,” suggests Dr Periyasamy."
 

Xemnoraq

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Is there anything niacinamide cant do?
I always found that if i have a traumatic experience, using niacinamide really helps recover and come back to a good state of mind, Hoffers research was too good and its frustrating how still the medical community is not aknowledging simple clear cut facts, and if schizophrenia is related to the depletion of NAD, the mega doses of niacinamide in Hoffers research could be attributed to the refilling of the NAD pool so to speak, the doses he used were high but my guess is those high doses over time are enough to skew the ratio of NAD/NADH back to a good stance and im also assuming that enough time with proper doses of niacinamide would complely cure it over time with no return of symptoms (assuming the environmental stressors that may have caused it discontinue)
 

Hairfedup

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My sister has been under immense stress over a long distance 'relationship' and the outcome of her life for 5 years - she's finally broken and is suffering from psychosis and delusion. No history of alcohol or drugs [at all]. Niacinamide (500mg) helps a little and her mind stops racing, but the convictions are still there as are the awful life style. I'm her sole counsellor and friend at the moment in life, and she is going off the rails. I would like to up the dose of niacinamide before I have my brother break covid travel restrictions and come and stage an intervention.

Unfortunately I'm at a loss as to the order in the steps to take i.e. tackle the delusions/paranoia/schizophrenic episodes by telling her they aren't real/not happening first, or contact the weak spineless man/his family [desert, tribal, bedouin people the horrors of the culture of which I dont have time to delve in to] so as to finally put an end to this charade and free her. Without giving details however both these steps are entrenched in a way I cannot see a positive outcome. I'm also quite very ill, so have been taking Niacin for the stress. I read from a user here that Peat's carrot salad really helps and I hope to get her on it, too.

What is the max dosage I can give her safely (she has no other health problems or conditions) and should the dose be spaced out throughout the day? Any suggestions are welcome, please. I will start a individual thread if needs be. Thank you all.
 

Hairfedup

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My sister has been under immense stress over a long distance 'relationship' and the outcome of her life for 5 years - she's finally broken and is suffering from psychosis and delusion. No history of alcohol or drugs [at all]. Niacinamide (500mg) helps a little and her mind stops racing, but the convictions are still there as are the awful life style. I'm her sole counsellor and friend at the moment in life, and she is going off the rails. I would like to up the dose of niacinamide before I have my brother break covid travel restrictions and come and stage an intervention.

Unfortunately I'm at a loss as to the order in the steps to take i.e. tackle the delusions/paranoia/schizophrenic episodes by telling her they aren't real/not happening first, or contact the weak spineless man/his family [desert, tribal, bedouin people the horrors of the culture of which I dont have time to delve in to] so as to finally put an end to this charade and free her. Without giving details however both these steps are entrenched in a way I cannot see a positive outcome. I'm also quite very ill, so have been taking Niacin for the stress. I read from a user here that Peat's carrot salad really helps and I hope to get her on it, too.

What is the max dosage I can give her safely (she has no other health problems or conditions) and should the dose be spaced out throughout the day? Any suggestions are welcome, please. I will start a individual thread if needs be. Thank you all.

If someone could please offer their insights it would be much appreciated. Her psychosis has now ruined her life [although naturally she can't see this] so I'm even more worried about the 'come down' so to speak.
 
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D

des yeux

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@Hairfedup Certainly break whatever covid restrictions and join her - whatever state she is in is unlikely to be ameliorated enough through diet to break such a stressful cycle. These interventions are only suitable for recovery stage, you are in the damage control phase.

Less importantly, you can try to help her end a relationship with someone from such a different culture to hers, perhaps that will allow her to move on.
 

johnwester130

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If someone could please offer their insights it would be much appreciated. Her psychosis has now ruined her life [although naturally she can't see this] so I'm even more worried about the 'come down' so to speak.

Methylene Blue is an antipsychotic and widely discussed on this forum.
 

redsun

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My sister has been under immense stress over a long distance 'relationship' and the outcome of her life for 5 years - she's finally broken and is suffering from psychosis and delusion. No history of alcohol or drugs [at all]. Niacinamide (500mg) helps a little and her mind stops racing, but the convictions are still there as are the awful life style. I'm her sole counsellor and friend at the moment in life, and she is going off the rails. I would like to up the dose of niacinamide before I have my brother break covid travel restrictions and come and stage an intervention.

Unfortunately I'm at a loss as to the order in the steps to take i.e. tackle the delusions/paranoia/schizophrenic episodes by telling her they aren't real/not happening first, or contact the weak spineless man/his family [desert, tribal, bedouin people the horrors of the culture of which I dont have time to delve in to] so as to finally put an end to this charade and free her. Without giving details however both these steps are entrenched in a way I cannot see a positive outcome. I'm also quite very ill, so have been taking Niacin for the stress. I read from a user here that Peat's carrot salad really helps and I hope to get her on it, too.

What is the max dosage I can give her safely (she has no other health problems or conditions) and should the dose be spaced out throughout the day? Any suggestions are welcome, please. I will start a individual thread if needs be. Thank you all.

Paranoid schizophrenics are often overmethylated so in this way also niacinamide can help. Zinc also helps reduce paranoia. Increase the niacinamide dosage and adding zinc (30mg) a day and it should help calm her down considerably. These may help and when they do help calm everything down a bit it would be a good idea to also try and get professional help.

P5P can also be taken alongside zinc and niacinamide.

Niacin is not anti-stress really. Rarely it will help energy and overall positive effects can be found but its in those who are overmethylated or of course if you are deficient due to low intake. You should not take niacin, should be niacinamide which is more likely to help. In time, both will deplete methyl groups and can contribute to more problems with fatigue. You need good quality diverse foods, maybe a good multivitamin like Thorne, and plenty of calories. That's how you help yourself first and foremost. Carrot salad helps the gut in some people but thats about it. Its definitely not going to significantly help someone with psychological disorders.

For niacinamide, try up to 2g daily, 30mg zinc, 10mg P5P.
 
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rsandy

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If someone could please offer their insights it would be much appreciated. Her psychosis has now ruined her life [although naturally she can't see this] so I'm even more worried about the 'come down' so to speak.

Sorry to bump an old thread but your post hit me hard.

Sorry to hear what your sister is experiencing. I have also had a close friend go through psychosis. He recovered! He used niacinamide, high doses, along with Vit C, D, B1, lots of movement (walking).

Psychosis IS recoverable! Please research the many, many case studies of Dr Abram Hoffer. He helped so many people recover.As the brain normalises, they begin to doubt their delusions, and then they sort of realise, oh snap, I lost it.

You mentioned you're sick too. Dude, please use niacin or niacinamide. You can massively heal yourself with this stuff.

Some articles


"
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Dr. Abram Hoffer
The founder of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), “Bill W” (Bill Wilson) was a friend of Dr. Abram Hoffer, and followed Abram Hoffer’s program for many years . “Bill W” (Bill Wilson) took 3000 mg of Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and 3000 mg of Vitamin C , daily.

Here is a SUMMARY of Dr Abram Hoffer’s BASIC recommended vitamin therapy for schizophrenia, paranoia, bipolar disorder, ADD, ADHD, anxiety disorder, panic attacks, depression, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), psychosis, alcoholism, addictions, anorexia nervosa, autism spectrum disorder , PTSD, insomnia:

BASIC PROGRAM BY ABRAM HOFFER, MD PhD for mental illness:

1) Vitamin B3 (niacin or niacinamide) 1000 mg three times per day.

2) Multivitamin (without iron) , once a day

3) Vitamin C, 1000 mg three times per day .

4) B-50 Complex tablet three times per day.

OPTIONAL SUPPLEMENTS, ADD:

1) Vitamin D3 5000 IU per day

2) Vitamin E 400 IU three times per day

3) Zinc 50 mg per day

4) Selenium 200 mcg per day

5) Calcium 1000 mg and Magnesium 500 mg

6) Salmon Oil (Omega-3 Fish Oil) 1000 mg three times per day

7) NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine) 1000 mg two times per day

OTHER SUPPLEMENTS YOU CAN ADD:
– Turmeric (Curcumin) , 1 to 3 times per day
– Ginkgo BIloba , 1 to 3 times per day
– Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) , 1 to 3 times per day

GRADUAL DOSE:
For Vitamin B3, start with 250 mg Vitamin B-3 (niacin) daily after a meal for 7 days, then gradually increase the dose at seven day intervals, over four to six weeks, to reach the target dose of 1 gram
three times per day.

NOTE: Vitamin B3 (in form of Niacin) may cause a “warm pleasurable flushing” sensation in face or hands, at the beginning of use – this flushing is safe and many people enjoy this “warm sensation”. It might take 3 to 4 weeks to see results."

I personally am using niacinamide for brain fog, and anxiety. Wow, is it helping!!!

Sending you my best wishes, I am sorry to hear what you are going through, it reminds me of helping my roommate back in the day when he had a psychotic break.
 

Enhanced

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Well, the study below may vindicate Hoffer, if not in his belief in "adrenochrome"
Why do you say this? Do you think an adrenochrome poisoning of the brain as the main cause of schizophrenia is an incorrect idea? What are your thoughts on the theory.
 
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Interestingly, a higher number of schizophrenia patients had a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian diet lacks tryptophan ⁠— an amino acid used by the body to produce NAD without using vitamin B3. A gene-linked deficiency of NAPRT1 and the lack of tryptophan in the diet may aggravate the overall scarcity of NAD. This condition could lead to developmental anomalies and increase the risk of schizophrenia, say the researchers. “In principle, niacin supplementation can increase NAD levels. However, we are uncertain whether this will improve health outcomes,” remarks Dr Periyasamy. “Since schizophrenia has a developmental origin, the effects of the risk factors during prenatal stages can be permanent, and these treatments may not work in such cases,” he adds. As a next step, the researchers plan to conduct clinical trials to test if niacin supplements can reverse the symptoms. “These supplements might have to be prescribed during pregnancy, similar to how folic acid is being prescribed,” suggests Dr Periyasamy."
This above is very good information.
 

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