Excess nicotinamide inhibits methylation-mediated degradation of catecholamines in normotensives and hypertensives.

Nicotinamide and catecholamines are both degraded by S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methylation. Whether excess nicotinamide affects the degradation of catecholamines is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nicotinamide on the methylation status of the body and methylation-mediated catecholamine degradation in both normotensives and hypertensives.

Nicotinamide overload may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Aim: To investigate whether nicotinamide overload plays a role in type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Nicotinamide metabolic patterns of 14 diabetic and 14 non-diabetic subjects were compared using HPLC. Cumulative effects of nicotinamide and N(1)-methylnicotinamide on glucose metabolism, plasma H(2)O(2) levels and tissue nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) contents of adult Sprague-Dawley rats were observed.