When I was looking through the methods Hakker was suggesting on the bodybuilding website, two compounds keep appearing over and over in his arguements, Melatonin and Niacin.
Most people have probably heard of melatonin, at least from the TV commercials that sell some prescription drug that is supposed to help people with sleeping problems. Melatonin is popularly known as the compound that regulates the sleep-wake cycle in the human body through chemical pathways. We won’t focus on that but only on Niacin, better known as Vitamin B3 in this post.
From the wikipedia article on Niacin HERE …
Niacin (also known as vitamin B3, nicotinic acid and vitamin PP) is an organic compound with the formula C6H5NO2 and, depending on the definition used, one of the forty to eighty essential human nutrients.
Niacin is one of five vitamins (when lacking in human diet) associated with a pandemic deficiency disease: niacin deficiency (pellagra), vitamin C deficiency (scurvy), thiamin deficiency (beriberi), vitamin D deficiency (rickets), vitamin A deficiency (night blindness and other symptoms). Niacin has been used for over 50 years to increase levels of HDL in the blood and has been found to modestly decrease the risk of cardiovascular events in a number of controlled human trials.
This colorless, water-soluble solid is a derivative of pyridine, with a carboxyl group (COOH) at the 3-position. Other forms of vitamin B3 include the correspondingamide, nicotinamide (“niacinamide”), where the carboxyl group has been replaced by a carboxamide group (CONH2), as well as more complex amides and a variety of esters. Niacin and Vitamin B3 are the generic terms for both nicotinic acid and nicotinamide, which are often used interchangeably to refer to any member of this family of compounds, since they have similar biochemical activity.
Dietary needs
One recommended daily allowance of niacin is 2–12 mg/day for children, 14 mg/day for women, 16 mg/day for men, and 18 mg/day for pregnant or breast-feeding women. The upper limit for adult men and women is 35 mg/day, which is based on flushing as the critical adverse effect. In general, niacin status is tested through urinary biomarkers, which are believed to be more reliable than plasma levels.
Deficiency
At present, niacin deficiency is sometimes seen in developed countries, and it is usually apparent in conditions of poverty, malnutrition, and chronic alcoholism.[10] It also tends to occur in areas where people eat maize (corn, the only grain low in digestible niacin) as a staple food. A special cooking technique called nixtamalization is needed to increase the bioavailability of niacin during maize meal/flour production.
Mild niacin deficiency has been shown to slow metabolism, causing decreased tolerance to cold.
Severe deficiency of niacin in the diet causes the disease pellagra, which is characterized by diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia, as well as “necklace” lesions on the lower neck, hyperpigmentation, thickening of the skin, inflammation of the mouth and tongue, digestive disturbances, amnesia, delirium, and eventually death, if left untreated.[11] Common psychiatric symptoms of niacin deficiency include irritability, poor concentration, anxiety, fatigue, restlessness, apathy, and depression.[11] Studies have indicated that, in patients with alcoholic pellagra, niacin deficiency may be an important factor influencing both the onset and severity of this condition. Alcoholic patients typically experience increased intestinal permeability, leading to negative health outcomes.
Hartnup’s disease is a hereditary nutritional disorder resulting in niacin deficiency. This condition was first identified in the 1950s by the Hartnup family in London. It is due to a deficit in the intestines and kidneys, making it difficult for the body to break down and absorb dietary tryptophan. The resulting condition is similar to pellagra, including symptoms of red, scaly rash, and sensitivity to sunlight. Oral niacin is given as a treatment for this condition in doses ranging from 40–200 mg, with a good prognosis if identified and treated early. Niacin synthesis is also deficient in carcinoid syndrome, because of metabolic diversion of its precursor tryptophan to form serotonin.
Me: Niacin has also been used to control the level of HDL/LDL in a person as well. An article was also written in HeightQuest (HQ) about the use of niacin in height growth. The overall conclusion from the post was Naicin seems to stimulate more of the release of growth hormone. If we go back to another post written by Hakker which was talked about HERE on the same bodybuilding forum, this is the research he had done.
Research
A just-published study in Archives of Internal Medicine (Guyton, et al, 2000) confirms my long-held belief in the superiority of niacin (vitamin B3) as a lipid-lowering agent. A proprietary timed-release version of niacin (Niaspan) was compared to the pharmaceutical drug gemfibrozil (Lopid). The study involved 399 male and female subjects ranging in age from 21 to 75, all of whom had low levels of HDL (high density lipoproteins—“good cholesterol”) less than 40 mg/l. Other criteria for inclusion in this study were triglycerides less than 400 mg/l, and LDL (low density lipoproteins—“bad cholesterol”) less than 260 mg/l. Niacin was administered once daily at bedtime. The niacin dosage was begun at 375 mg/day, and then increased progressively over the course of the study, and maintained at a level of 2,000 mg nightly for 8 weeks. The duration of the study was 16 weeks. Subjects took an aspirin as-needed to prevent flushing. Gemfibrozil 600 mg was administered twice daily over the entire 16 weeks.
Niacin increased HDL levels over 25%, compared to an increase of 13.3% due to gemfibrozil. Gemfibrozil actually raised LDL (the “bad” cholesterol, remember?), while niacin slightly lowered this fraction. Gemfibrozil lowered triglyceride levels by 40%, compared to a 30% decrease from niacin. Thus, niacin resulted in an overall improvement in the lipid profile which exceeded that induced by gemfibrozil (Fig. 1).
However, niacin favorably altered several other cardiovascular risk factors as well. Apolipoprotein (a) levels were significantly (20%) reduced by niacin, but were not altered by gemfibrozil. Both substances reduced serum apolipoprotein (b) levels by the same amount. Fibrinogen, a third risk factor, was reduced by niacin, but increased 6-9% by gemfibrozil. The authors concluded, “Niaspan, 2,000 mg, had a significantly better effect on fibrinogen levels than gemfibrozil.”
These results support many previous studies on the use of niacin as a lipid-lowering nutrient. For example, in the Coronary Drug Project, which enrolled men with a previous myocardial infarction, niacin use resulted in a 26% decrease in second non-fatal heart attacks over a six-year period, and an 11% decrease in total mortality after 15 years of followup (Canner, et al, 1986) (Fig. 2).
Niacin Stimulates Growth HormoneWhile extolling the benefits of niacin, one frequently overlooked “side effect” is that niacin is a powerful releaser of growth hormone (Quabbe, et al, 1983) (Fig. 3). Quabbe and colleagues administered 500 mg niacin intravenously to humans, and noted a dramatic rise in growth hormone. In a second phase of their study, they simultaneously administered an infusion of fatty acids. Note that the fat completely blunted any rise in growth hormone. The practical take-home lesson of this study is that anyone using niacin as a growth hormone stimulant should take it on an empty stomach (glucose and insulin also inhibit growth hormone, as well as fatty acids).
Routine/info
This is the main guy who setup this routine, his site requires registration:http://hakker.betaboard.net/t29-method-1-mens
Anyways the M.E.N.S. (Melatonin.Exercise.Niacin.Sleep) routine has gotten good success,young people with*thier*growth plates still open have grown 3+ inches from it
Quoted from his site:
In order to achieve a GH pulse from Niacin it is necessary to take the Flush version, Not the non-flush version as it will not work and will be a waste of time! Here’s what you should look out for:Flush – Correct*NiacinNiacin as Vitamin B3Niacin as Nicotinic AcidNon-Flush – IncorrectNiacinamideInositol hexanicotinateAny other NiacinTimed release Niacin – Must chew upHow much do I take?
Taking niacin for prolonged periods causes the liver to get used to it and requires you to increase the dosage, but increasing dosage above 500mg will damage your liver a lot!So to get around this, we have two options:1) Take 250mg – 500mg every odd day upon waking up. Then eat breakfast 3 hours later. Crucial.2) Take 250mg upon waking up as above. And then Take another 250mg 3 hours after supper but before bed. Every odd day.*
When do I take it?In order for the Niacin to properly work, it is recommended to take on an empty stomach, 3+ hours after eating or in the morning upon waking up. After taking the niacin, you cannot eat for another 3 hours so it is best to take it at night before bed or morning right after waking up.
Take every odd day, take melatonin every odd day before sleep, Melatonin helps decrease excess estrogen and promotes good sleep.
Sprint for 5 minutes every other day, sprinting increases GH.
Sleep 8-10 hours a day.
CLIFFS
THE FORMULA FOR HEIGHT INCREASE (final version):
M + E + N + S
Melatonin (3mg before bed) + Exercise (high intensity resistance, high intensity sprinting) + Niacin (500mg/day on empty stomach) + Sleep (8hrs +)Cliffs:
1. Increase growth hormone
2. Reduce estrogen. Estrogen seals the growth plates and causes the cessation of growth, although some is required for a pubertal growth spurt.(This for in terms of height, only works if your still a teen/young adult with your growth plates still open)
3.Niacin has shown to quadruple GH for a short period of time
4. For niacin to work one should take a flush-version (non*flushing*doesn’t*work) in the morning and eat breakfast 3 hours later, food inhibits Niacin from producing GH
5. Teens who go on this routine have grown 3+ inches.
Routine (Cliffs):
1.Take a flush version of niacin(250-500mg) in the morning , do not eat for 3 hours, non flush/timed release niacin will not work.*http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00…pf_rd_i=507846
2.Take niacin every other day, 4 weeks on 2 weeks off so you dont get used to it.
3.3mg Melatonin before bed , helps get rid of excess estrogen and promotes deep sleep
4. Sprint 5 minutes 3 times a week, increases GH by a ton.
Me: I’m going to end this post with a few controversial things to say. I am willing to bet that Niacin is again one of those thing people who haven’t stop growing can take and it might really have a good chance of helping them grow taller. You have to take the Niacin on an empty stomach or at least 2 hours after eating. You need to get the flush kind of Niacin, not the non-flush kind (niacinamide). There is already two routines provided in this post that you can try, the M.E.N.S. routine that hakker and cliff provided.
From the forum posts…
Start up with 100mg then up it all the way till 500mg/day. Do it every other day or 5 days on 2 days off, it’s up to you. Make sure you get the real NIACIN, not flush free.
Make sure you take it every other day, along with 3mg melatonin before sleep every other day. Cycle niacin 4 weeks on 2 weeks off, 5 minute sprinting 3 times a week. 3mg melatonin will work as a aromatase inhibitor
In order to achieve a GH pulse from Niacin it is necessary to take the Flush version, Not the non-flush version as it will not work and will be a waste of time! Here’s what you should look out for:
Flush – Correct*
Niacin Niacin as Vitamin B3 Niacin as Nicotinic Acid
Non-Flush – Incorrect
NiacinamideInositol hexanicotinate Any other Niacin
Timed release Niacin – Must chew up
How much do I take?
Taking niacin for prolonged periods causes the liver to get used to it and requires you to increase the dosage, but increasing dosage above 500mg will damage your liver a lot!
So to get around this, we have two options:
1) Take 250mg – 500mg every odd day upon waking up. Then eat breakfast 3 hours later. Crucial.
2) Take 250mg upon waking up as above. And then Take another 250mg 3 hours after supper but before bed. Every odd day.*
When do I take it?
In order for the Niacin to properly work, it is recommended to take on an empty stomach, 3+ hours after eating or in the morning upon waking up. After taking the niacin, you cannot eat for another 3 hours so it is best to take it at night before bed or morning right after waking up.
Take every odd day, take melatonin every odd day before sleep, Melatonin helps decrease excess estrogen and promotes good sleep.
Sprint for 5 minutes every other day, sprinting increases GH.
Sleep 8-10 hours a day.