Niacin

Niacin, or vitamin B3, is one of the essential B-complex water-soluble vitamins that the body needs to turn food into energy. All of the vitamins and minerals are important for optimal health, but niacin is especially good for the nervous and digestive systems. Let’s take a more in-depth look to better understand niacin benefits and its side effects.

Niacin is naturally present in many foods and is available in supplement and prescription form, so it’s easy to get enough niacin and reap its health benefits. Tissues in the body convert niacin into a usable coenzyme called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), which is used by more than 400 enzymes in the body to perform essential functions.

Although niacin deficiencies are rare among people in the United States, they can become severe and cause a systemic disease called pellagra. Mild cases of pellagra can cause diarrhea and dermatitis, while more severe cases can cause dementia and even be fatal.

Pellagra is most common among adults between the ages of 20 to 50 years old, but it can be avoided by consuming the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of niacin. The adult RDA for niacin is 14 to 16 mg per day. Niacin is readily available in foods like fish, chicken, beef, turkey, fruits, and vegetables. Niacin can also be made in the body from the amino acid tryptophan. This amino acid is found in foods such as chicken, turkey, nuts, seeds, and soy products.

Niacin is also in many over-the-counter multivitamins as a dietary supplement. Both Nature Made and Centrum adult multivitamins contain 20 mg of niacin per tablet, which is about 125% of the adult RDA. Nicotinic acid and nicotinamide are two forms of niacin supplements. Over-the-counter supplements of niacin are available in a variety of strengths (50 mg, 100 mg, 250 mg, 500 mg) that are higher than the RDA. Prescription forms of niacin include brand names such as Niaspan (extended-release) and Niacor (immediate-release) and are available in strengths as high as 1,000 mg. Niacin can be found in an extended-release formulation to lessen some side effects.

Sometimes niacin is prescribed alongside cholesterol-lowering medications like statins to help normalize blood lipid levels.

Other evidence indicates that niacin is good for people with an increased risk of heart attacks and heart disease because it not only lowers LDL cholesterol but also triglycerides. Niacin can decrease triglyceride levels by 20% to 50%.