Latest / Skin Anarchy / Science of Skin: Niacinamide explained

Transcript

Science of Skin: Niacinamide explained · Skin Anarchy

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Diablo 4 has arrived.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: As the four to the help gather, only you can stand in their way.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: Journey across the expansive open world of sanctuary.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: You will provide powerful classes and progress them within your play style.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: Adventure with your friends and up to four-player co-op with cross play and cross progression on all platforms.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to L Diablo 4.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Available now, rated and premature.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: Tap the banner or visit this episode's page to learn more.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: Hey guys, so I wanted to pop in before the episode and mention that we have a very special treat for all of our listeners coming up in the new year.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: So definitely, you know, stay tuned for that.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_01: And if you're interested, this is something going to be um that we're going to email out.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: So please go to our link in our bio on our Instagram page and sign up for our newsletter.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: I promise you it's not spam.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_01: We do not spam you.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um I personally hate spam emails, so I make sure that I don't uh email anybody uh anything that's not really important or really good.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_01: So please, I really urge you guys to go sign up for our email list because you will not want to miss what we're about to send out in the new year.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: But other than that, I also wanted to mention that um this episode coming up is uh uh a really true testament to all those amazing brands out there that are doing it right with skincare.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: And I think um it's only fair if I provide some really great options for you guys for niacinamide serums.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_01: So I wanted to just shout out that some of my favorites uh and in terms of brands love is Dr.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_01: Sobel Skin RX.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_01: Sobel Skin RX has an amazing niacinamide serum.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: It is probably the best and highest concentration you'll find on the market.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, Dr.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: Sobel is a world-renowned and top New York City dermatologist, so he definitely knew what he was doing when he created this.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: So check that product out.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's a great option for niacinamide.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um, also, I really, really love this serum and it's really changed my skin like completely in terms of not only just the appearance, but just overall how it performs, how it's adapting to the winter weather, and that is Lulav's serum.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_01: It is phenomenal.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: Shira, who is the founder of Lulav, created this magical uh, you know, cocktail of just naturally occurring ingredients that are found in the fertile crescent region of the world, and this serum has everything I think your skin really needs to stay not only healthy, glowing, beautiful in the winter, but also strong because take it from somebody who really suffers with this change in skin in the winter, it's saved my life this year.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_01: So I love that serum again.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: Lulav L-U-L-A-A-V, and then the Niacinamide serum is by Sobel Skin RX.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, stay tuned for this episode.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_01: I think you guys will really like the information that I'm sharing.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_01: Hi guys, welcome back to Skincare Anarchy.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_01: Today I want to do another science of skin session because I know that everyone is kind of, you know, always wondering about this ingredient.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_01: It's everywhere in skincare, and I know most people actually use this serum on a regular basis, and it's something we definitely go back to buy again, whichever brand that's from, whichever company that's from, that's your preference.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_01: But I know that the ingredient is very important, so I want to take a minute and talk about niacinamide.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_01: And I made a post about this on the Instagram uh profile for our podcast, which is at SkinCare Anarchy.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: For all of you who are listening but not following on Instagram, it'd be amazing if you guys could go check us out.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_01: We are also on TikTok, we're on YouTube, we're on Twitter.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: If there's a social media platform, um we're on it.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: So please uh take a second to go follow us while you're listening to this episode.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: But let me dive in.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: So niacinamide, what is it?
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, this is a question that I think very, very few people really answer in a very direct way.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm gonna start with the molecular structure.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_01: And the reason I'm doing this is because oftentimes ingredients are named in a way that we all don't really understand it.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_01: And especially if you don't have a science background, I mean, unless you were direct through organic chemistry, I doubt most of us are really looking at those ingredient names and trying to figure out you know which hydrogen is on what malt uh which carbon and etc.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_01: etc.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: But um you know to get started, niacinamide actually the name means niacin plus an amide group.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: An amide group is a chemical um with a chemical uh naming uh of a group that is found at the end of or one of the ends of every amino acid.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_01: So if you have the amino acid lysine, one end is going to have a an amide group and the other end is going to have a carboxy group, and the carboxy group is uh you know it's very it's like the exact opposite of the amide in terms of the charges on the molecules, the ability to what it can bind.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_01: So really every amide group can bind to a carboxy group that is found on any other um amino acid.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_01: So this is important because when you put multiple, you know, multiple niacinamide molecules together, you're now creating a chain of them.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_01: And oftentimes we see this with many amino acids, and we talk about peptides, which is kind of like a side, you know, streetum going on.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_01: But with peptides, what you have to understand is those are amino acids linked together via via these peptide bonds that are formed by the amide group and the carboxy group binding together, and that peptide bond is one of the strongest bonds, which is known as under the category of a covalent bond, and it's very hard to break.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: So that's the bond that combines amino acids together and forms what we call peptides.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_01: Now, I want to keep it on niacinamide.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_01: So now that we know what niacinamide is, you can really see it in the structure.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um, most of the molecule is going to be it's a ring, it's a benzene uh ring, so it's got uh the vitamin B3 specifically, which is what niacin is, it's vitamin B3, and then that amide group on it.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so that's the that's the overall structure.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_01: So now that we understand that, how does it work?
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_01: What's the mechanism of action for niacinamide?
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: Now, this is a good place to mention that niacinamide is also called nicotinic acid in the literature and publications, and it literally means the same thing, they translate into the same molecule.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, um, well, not the same molecule, but they're interconverted back and forth between each other um in the body, and in just the the regular fashion of things.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's just natural for our body to do this, but um, back to the mechanism of action.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_01: So, according to a study published in 2014, the definition was given as um, you know, niacinamide's action is within a complex metabolic system, niacinamide controls the NF kappa B mediated transcription of signaling molecules by inhibiting the nuclear poly ADP ribose polymerase, which is known as PRAP1.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: Now, what this means, what does this mean in layman terms?
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_01: So basically, um what's going on with niacinamide is that it's controlling uh the transcription of you know genes.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: So when we look at the DNA, it's a big it's a transcript is made from that DNA, and when I say transcript, that's the R uh RNA that's formed.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_01: Now making that RNA involves multiple enzymes, and well, one of them is the um polymerase one, which I mentioned PR P ARP1.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: Now, this polymerase is going to be involved in creating that um mirror image copy of the gene that we're looking at, right?
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_01: So now keep in mind niacinamide plays a role in this you know uh this molecule or this uh protein called uh polymerase one, right?
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so that that protein is used to transcribe or make copies of various genes involved in various things.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: So, for example, the production of more elastin or the production of the things that go into making collagen, um, other things that are involved in, for example, anti-inflammatory pathways.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: So any protein that is transcribed uh from a tra a transcript of mRNA um that is involved in the body can be mediated by niacinamide because again it's acting on the polymerase itself, which is what's responsible.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_01: It's like the printer that prints out the transcript.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_01: So, well, you know, in a very simplified way.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_01: So that's the idea here, and that's what niacinamide, that's where it's important.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_01: So keep in mind again, it's vitamin B3 plus an amide group, and it's working on this big printer-like molecule.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_01: Now, niacinamide, if you describe it for just everyday, you know, consumers, I know that WebMD has a wonderful description for it and um and also explains you know why it's used.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_01: So, according to WebMD, uh in the 2021 updated version, they say that niacinamide is required for the function of fats and sugars in the body and to maintain healthy cells.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_01: Niacin, again, niacin is B vitamin B3, is converted to niacinamide when it is taken in amounts greater than what is needed by the body.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_01: So once you ingest the normal levels of vitamin B3, which we usually get adequate amounts in most Western diets, you can also take what once you start taking an excess amount and just kind of put overload your body a little bit, it'll start converting niacin into actual niacinamide.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_01: Just because that's a way that your body can store it, that's the it's a way that your body can also utilize it in other ways which are not um immediate to vitamin B3's roles.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_01: So it's a really cool way for your body to kind of use whatever it is that you're putting in it, even if it is in excess.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_01: So also Veb MD mentioned that people use niacinamide to prevent any kind of vitamin B3 deficiency, such as um, I believe one of them is uh one of them is a major skin condition, but you know, a lot of vitamin B3 deficiencies are they're going to be pretty extreme.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_01: They're gonna involve the skin, hair, nails, you know, you're gonna see it pretty obviously.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: So um that's something that most of us don't suffer from is that lack of uh niacin in our diet.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_01: But um, if we do have a lack of it, it'll cause a de disease like pellagra, which is a skin condition, and you can always go and look up more information on pellagra.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_01: But again, like I said, most western diets have adequate amounts, and we don't really have to worry about that.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: But they also said, WebMD also said that it is also used for things like acne, uh diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis, um, aging skin, skin discoloration, and also just so many different conditions, right?
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but there's just no good scientific evidence to support any of these uses.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_01: So I know that you know, this is a point that I a lot of us wonder about when it comes to skincare ingredients, right?
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_01: With the idea of do we really need them?
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, are they really crucial?
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, how what are they really doing, right?
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_01: And the answer is uh it varies when it comes to figuring out if you need something.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_01: I think that most um medical literature is going to always refer to some sort of pathology that it results from the lack of that thing.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_01: So that's a very tough question to answer, and I don't think there's a straightforward answer at all for that, but you know, it's just some food for thought.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_01: Now, the next thing that I want to focus on um is really about you know, how much of it do we need to apply and how does it work in skincare products or in topical products?
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_01: And um, you know, I found a lot of literature in this, right?
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_01: But it one of the biggest things I want to mention is that niacinamide can be utilized all over your body by almost any tissue, um, if it's in a form that is being circulated throughout the body.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_01: But when you're thinking about it as something put onto the skin's surface, um, it's it's going to have to really, you know, you're gonna have to look at it from a different lens.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_01: So things like obviously permeability come into play, um, you know, a vehicle delivery come into play, you know, so that those are important questions that are still being researched by many scientists, many brands, many companies, and hopefully we can have um some really key foundational findings that can make sure that whatever products we're buying and utilizing are actually getting into our skin and and playing a role um in the way that niacinamide can play a role.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_01: But um, just to quote one of the studies that I found, which was published in 2017, um September of 2017, they said that six of eight studies using topical niacinamide led to a significant reduction in acne compared with the patient's baseline or performed similarly to another standard of care acne treatment.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_01: Both studies using an oral supplement containing nicotinamide, aka niacinamide, resulted in a significant reduction in acne compared with the baseline, and there were no major adverse side effects at all from using this therapy.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_01: Now, again, keep in mind they are discussing studies that were done using oral um supplementation for niacinamide.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_01: This is not topical, so this does give you some hope, right?
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_01: It it basically does answer the question or really confirm the answer to the question of does niacinamide work if you use it um for you know just bettering your health overall?
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, I guess there are some belt health benefits, but when it comes to topical application, there's not a lot of literature out there, okay?
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_01: So that's something to really keep in mind.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: So, how much of it should we use?
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_01: That's the next question.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: How much of anything should we use?
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, obviously, this is something we consider so much, right?
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: And in terms of over-the-counter drugs, or you know, if you go buy some Tylenol or some Advil or a cough syrup, you're gonna want to know how much do I of this do I take?
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_01: And I think this question should definitely be asked about skincare products.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, we can't leave them out of this because again, this is health-related um, you know, stuff that and and products, and and we're using them to just better our health overall, right?
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_01: So we should always worry about dosing.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: Now, the thing is, like most skincare ingredients, there is very little little uh literature out there about dosing or what's the ideal amount.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_01: But one thing I did find is that there was a study done this year in 2021, um, published in pharmaceutics, which is um the journal that was published in, and they showed that there are some new hydrogel formulations that are infused with niacinamide that have shown to be not only more permeable and um better able to penetrate the skin, but they are then you know they can also be combined with things like jojoba oil or jojoba oil, however you pronounce it, you know, depending on your taste, but um, you know, they can be combined with these other um ingredients to not only penetrate better, but then also go and have an impact.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_01: So again, the dose was not mentioned in these studies, but it does give you an idea that you know really we're trying to just get it into our body, and I think also going back to the point of whenever you have niacin in excess, it's converted to niacinamide, so your body does have a way, a good way of utilizing it.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_01: That's something that really kind of is reassuring here because I don't think you can your skin can OD off of niacinamide serums.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_01: So, um, you know, just let's just keep that in mind.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_01: Now I'm not saying that everything else in the serum, you know, won't contribute to some sort of reaction.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_01: So let's just take that with a grain of salt because honestly, I know these days skincare products have literally everything in one product, and that can be good or bad.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_01: So always keep that in mind when you're shopping for a serum that is concentrating on one specific ingredient.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_01: You want to make sure that it's a simple formula, it's keeping in mind the key ingredient and only the the factors that you know contribute to how this ingredient is utilized by the skin, how it penetrates the skin barrier, um, you know, all those kind of things are the only thing, you know, only components that should be uh answered using other ingredients in a formulation, in my opinion.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so you know, moving forward, I just want to say again, you know, according to the literature, it does say the best thing we can do is really just focus on diet, focus on eating healthy, making sure we're getting enough vitamin B3, and then if there is, you know, a need or a want for us to improve our health, I think an oral supplementation could be a very logical approach to those of us who really love the effects of niacinamine in our daily routine.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm not saying you know, drop the serums, I'm just saying there's always other ways as well to supplement your routine.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_01: But for now, I think that's a lot of uh good information, and I I haven't really seen that information around.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_01: So I hope you guys like this little mini episode, and again, you know, thank you for listening, thank you for all of your support.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_01: And if there are any people out there that are real experts in this area and you're doing research or you've done research on niacinamide and you have anything to contribute, I would love to hear from you.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_01: So please feel free, all of you, you can always email me directly.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um, my email address is ekta e-k-ta at skincareanarchy podcast dot com.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: And thank you guys so much.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_01: And happy holidays, happy new year.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_01: It's coming around the corner, and you know, this has been a phenomenal year for the not only the podcast, but just um our whole team, and I really hope that 2022 is going to be just a great, wonderful year, and hopefully a a true contrast to some of the adversities that a lot of us have been dealing with.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, you guys take care, stay healthy, stay safe, stay warm, stay vaccinated, and I'll be back next time.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_01: Hey guys, so I hope you love that episode.
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_01: Please make sure to hit subscribe if you're tuning in to us on any podcast platform.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_01: We are available on so many different platforms.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_01: So wherever it is that you're tuning in, just go hit subscribe.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_01: You will be immediately notified when we publish new episodes.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_01: This way you're able to tune in to amazing insights from experts, brand founders, industry leaders, authors, all the wonderful people that we host.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_01: And that's very important for me because I love to hear from you guys and really understand what you love and what you want to hear more of.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_01: Also, make sure to give us a follow on all of our social media outlets.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_01: We're available on Instagram, TikTok, X, you name it, we're there.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_01: We also have a blog on Medium.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_01: So if you're a reader and you love Medium blogs, check us out on Medium.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_01: We publish some really great articles on there that do deeper dives than just what's available on the podcast.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_01: And it's really a great place for all of you science geeks out there that want to learn a little bit more.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_01: We go above and beyond with our research and making sure we're bringing you information that you usually probably won't hear about in other outlets.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_01: So check us out, leave us a comment, leave us a review, and we'll be back next time with another episode.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.