Talk:Nicotinamide

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment
This article is or was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): JacobShalk. Peer reviewers: Lovinne.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 05:16, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

Nicotinic acid vs. nicotinamide
The beginning section of this article seems confused. Nicotinic acid is not converted to nicotinamide before being converted to NAD. It's converted after. Nicontinic acid first forms NaMN -> NaAD -> NAD then is deconverted back to nicotinamide from NAD like everything else that forms NAD. But saying it's converted to nicotinamide in vivo makes it seem like nicotinic acid is just a bad precursor for nicotinamide, when in fact the only common pathway happens after the conversion to NAD, which isn't an important fact. http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/324/3/883/F3.large.jpg — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.7.59.130 (talk) 09:52, 3 December 2014 (UTC)

Nicotinamide
It is??? I thought it was a B vitamin. -- Marj Tiefert, Saturday, April 6, 2002

Inositol Nicotinate
I know that there's a diffence between nicotinimide and nicotinic acid but what about Inositol Nicotinate? I noticed that GNC and some other retailers are selling Inositol Nicotinate labeled as niacin. What's the difference? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Interestedperson (talk • contribs) 15:58, 3 July 2007

confusion with "Nicotine"?
I think there are grounds for concern that many persons are misled by what appears to be old-fashioned nomenclature, i.e. the appearance of derivatives of the root word "nicotin-" in numerous names of substances related to Vitamin B3 or Niacin. The history of this confusion should be researched and cited in this article. It can have the effect of legitimizing nicotine or making some persons believe nicotine is a vitamin or otherwise related to the medical uses of niacinamide. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Tokerdesigner (talk • contribs) 19:28, 9 April 2008 (UTC)
 * See Niacin--Tea with toast (talk) 02:54, 6 September 2009 (UTC)
 * I agree with this completely. As nicotinamide becomes more discussed in anti-aging and other pop science (for example the best selling How Not to Age by Michael Greger MD, searches for nicotinamide are rising at the same time that a narrative is emerging from some in the scientific community (andrew huberman at Stanford) that nicotine is beneficial, which corresponds with a rapid rise in search queries on Google for "nicotine benefits." There is no reliable source with good SEO dispelling the relationship or conflation of these chemicals. It would benefit curious and confused searches to add a single line explains it their relationship. Qwertyturdy (talk) 03:45, 11 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Google searches since 2004 for "Nicotine benefits" Qwertyturdy (talk) 03:46, 11 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Google searches for nicotinamide rising over past five years Qwertyturdy (talk) 03:48, 11 January 2024 (UTC)

The Chinese translations of the chemical are based on the following....
--222.64.216.27 (talk) 08:49, 4 February 2010 (UTC)
 * http://www.hifda.gov.cn:1080/default.aspx?Act=SM&v=&Page=1109
 * http://www.hda.gov.cn/CL0113/3725.html

Merger proposal
I propose that Nicotinamide be merged into Niacin. The latter article already has a section explaining the historic origin of the confusing name nicotinic, as well as a careful discussion of the different pharmacologic effects of the acid and amide forms of the vitamin in various doses. Having it all in one place would lessen the chance that people will think cigarettes contain a vitamin, or that one form of the vitamin is entirely harmless while the other should never be taken because it is "toxic".CharlesHBennett (talk) 05:11, 15 May 2015 (UTC)
 * Keep both Due to the apparent prophylactic effect of nicotinamide against non-melanoma skin cancer it should not be merged as merger will result in confusion for some people. There are issues including possible toxicity of nicotinamide and uselessness of taking niacin as a skin cancer prophylactic. User:Fred Bauder Talk 11:15, 15 May 2015 (UTC)
 * Oppose. The argument for merger is nonsense and is exceedingly idiotic. Basically, they're separate substances with separate sets of effects. If anything, it's the merge that will cause more of a confusion. As the article asserts, nicotinamide is not toxic in doses up to 3 grams per day. Nicotine is not "toxic" either if consumed in the right dose, typically just a few milligrams. As an alternative, I don't care if this article gets moved to Niacinamide instead. --IO Device (talk) 13:55, 15 May 2015 (UTC)
 * Keep both but move nicotinamide to niacinamide I am persuaded by the arguments to keep both, but move nicotinamide to niacinamide. As Bauder points out they are two different substances, more different than, say, the several forms of vitamin D or vitamin B-12. Each article should reference the other, pointing out that they are nearly equivalent in small doses, i.e. as forms of the vitamin B-3, but have different effects, both therapeutic and toxic, in large doses.CharlesHBennett (talk) 02:19, 9 June 2015 (UTC)
 * If that's what you want, it's probably best to close this section and for you to create a new section with your proposed move. Users can then comment on the new suggestion. --IO Device (talk) 03:28, 9 June 2015 (UTC)

Move to Niacinamide instead of merge with Niacin
In view of the approximate consensus reached in the above discussion of a proposed merger with Niacin, I propose that instead this article be moved to Niacinamide. The parallel names, Niacin and Niacinamide, would better indicate the chemical similarity and relation between the two substances than the present names Niacin and Nicotinamide, while their different pharmacological properties can be better conveyed by keeping the two articles separate than by merging them, as I had formerly proposed.CharlesHBennett (talk) 20:13, 5 July 2015 (UTC)

Biochemistry?
I know biology - I don't know pathology etc.

Can anybody create a section on how and where this stuff participates rather than just having a nobody-except-medics-knows habraquadabrah with references to diseases: "it is used in treating schmatibulosis quadrabupulos", I don't know. There is a holystic approach, the main systems, blah-blah-blah. I came here and I ONLY LEARNT that this chemical is a vitamin, within group B, all right, but I cannot possibly get anything else from this article as it is now. Nothing. Nada. Zero. 95.72.9.244 (talk), Josh — Preceding undated comment added 17:37, 21 July 2015 (UTC)

Assessment comment
Substituted at 01:14, 30 April 2016 (UTC)

Why was reference to use for cancer and skin cancer removed?
Why was reference to use for cancer and skin cancer removed in edit made on 05:09, 30 December 2016‎ by Doc James?

p.s. not sure if this is the appropriate way to discuss a specific article edit or if it should be done elsewhere — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2605:E000:1C0A:C054:4C7:8DAA:D2A5:F10A (talk) 19:36, 2 January 2017 (UTC)

Biochemistry and Structure
I am planning on adding a section that explores the biochemistry that this molecule is involved in and the biochemistry behind it. Nicotinamide is a planar molecule that has a special form of stability called aromaticity. It is very notable that this molecule is the key active group on NAD+. When it is reduced, this specific part of the molecule loses a high amount of resonance and aromaticity stability, and the reduction process supplies this molecule with a large amount of energy, that it will later release during the citric acid cycle. JacobShalk (talk) 05:34, 14 February 2017 (UTC)
 * We tend to organize articles per WP:PHARMMOS so restored that structure. Also per WP:LEAD the lead is typically 3 to 4 paragraphs. Not sure why details about use in pregnancy were removed from the lead? Doc James  (talk · contribs · email) 10:39, 25 March 2017 (UTC)

Anxiolytic / Calming / Tranquilizing Effects
I found some sources to support the claim that nicotinamide has anxiolytic / calming / tranquilizing effects. The studies have been conducted on small animals, I think: There is no mention about this in the article. My edits to the article got reverted (apparently this information is too old). So I will add this here for discussion. Thanks. 83.245.225.8 (talk) 17:29, 12 December 2017 (UTC)
 * Nature. 278: pp. 563–565. 1979.
 * Beaton, J. M. (1976-08-15). "The sedative effects of nicotinamide on gerbil wheel-running activity". Experientia. 32 (8): 1036–1037. ISSN 0014-4754. PMID 133816. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/133816
 * Woolley, D. W. (1958-11-21). "Tranquilizing and antiserotonin activity of nicotinamide". Science (New York, N.Y.). 128 (3334): 1277–1278. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 13602793. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13602793
 * Central effects of nicotinamide and inosine which are not mediated through benzodiazepine receptors (March 1985) DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1985.tb16151.x http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1476-5381.1985.tb16151.x/abstract

Move to Niacinamide
In the last few years, niacinamide has become a very common ingredient in skin care products. According to Google Trends, the term has greatly surpassed nicotinamide since ~2017. Also:


 * This was proposed in 2008 by, and received no opposition (or support)
 * Here is an example of a product that lists niacinamide as an active ingredient: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0843XSMMM
 * Here is a good article talking about niacinamide and skin care: https://www.self.com/story/what-niacinamide-can-do-for-your-skin

It seems like niacinamide has become the more generally recognized name. Note it's possible that nicotinamide is still more common in science, or when talked about in contexts outside of cosmetics. In fact:


 * Google Scholar has 434k results for nicotinamide and only 23k results for niacinamide. But this is likely just due to historical context. Limited to since 2020, the numbers change to 17k and 1.5k respectively. I can't find a way to tell if there's a trend of nicotinamide decreasing and niacinamide increasing, but it does seem like nicotinamide is currently more common in research than niacinamide.

I think the common name would help readers more. Request for feedback on whether to move to niacinamide. --Hardwigg (talk) 11:07, 12 February 2021 (UTC)


 * Actually, yes I can. I wrote a little script, and here's a comparison of the number of articles published under each name since 1950. Nicotinamide is still considerably more popular in research but currently decreasing as niacinamide is increasing.

--Hardwigg (talk) 11:39, 12 February 2021 (UTC)

Move it Ganymede94 (talk) 02:08, 21 June 2021 (UTC)
 * I've undone your bold renaming. There is clearly no "consensus" here...one proposes it but equivocates (8:1 by one measure, 1:12 by another), another provides more data in the equivocation (== not-sure-to-move) theme. You support moving. That's all we have here. DMacks (talk) 18:37, 7 August 2021 (UTC)