Possible Interaction: Insulin and Niacin

“The short-term administration of a nicotinic acid analogue (acipimox) increases insulin sensitivity and consequently glucose disposal, both in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and in patients with cirrhosis.”

“ Nicotinic acid also reduced insulin action in HuH7 and primary hepatocytes, independently of the activation of hepatic PKCε.”

“Activation of both nicotinic and muscarinic M(3)/M(4) receptors resulted in reduction of insulin release when compared with stimulation of muscarinic receptor alone in Beta-TC6 cells.”

“In addition, we have previously reported evidence that nicotinamide increases the insulin content of cells differentiated from embryonic stem (ES) cells, but the possibility of nicotinamide acting as a differentiating agent on its own has never been completely explored.”

“Five to 50 mM of NA dose-dependently reduced inhibition of accumulated islet insulin release induced by 150 pg/ml of IL-1 β.”

“We have previously observed possible nicotinic involvement in insulin release.”

“Co-administered with niacin , high-fat meals significantly increased the postprandial concentrations of glucose, insulin , C-peptide, triglycerides, FFAs and postprandial indices of β-cell function.”

“In obese men, insulin sensitivity decreased after niacin treatment.”

“Prolonged high niacin or nicotinamide intake has been reported to reduce insulin sensitivity in individuals with normal or impaired glucose tolerance [7–9].”

“Six … ER niacin led to a significant reduction in … adipocyte size associated with increased insulin sensitivity in isolated adipocytes and gene expression changes including increased adiponectin, C/EBPalpha, C/EBPdelta, PPARgamma and … carnitine palmitoyl transferase 2, hormone sensitive lipase, nicotinic acid receptor (GPR109B) and fatty-acid synthase mRNA expression.”