What Does it Do for the Body and How Can You Get Enough?

 A water-soluble vitamin is Vitamin B3, also known as niacin. It plays a particular role in countless bodily functions and helps convert the food we consume into energy. Found in many common foods such as beets, chicken, lentils, and tuna.

Different forms of vitamin B3 (niacin).

Nicotinic acid

Nicotinamide (aka niacinamide)

Nicotinamide riboside (NR)

1. Supports heart health and lowers cholesterol

2. Protect against skin damage

3. Helps manage persistent acne

4. Soothes achy joints

5. Enhances brain function

6. Could promote digestion and gut health

How much vitamin B3 do we need?

mg/day

As a cholesterol treatment, promising studies show that niacin can increase levels of good HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides.

Section 1: What is vitamin B3? and its benefits

Vitamin B3 is a water-soluble vitamin. There are numerous forms of vitamin B3, some of which are fat-soluble and others not.

Vitamin B3 can cross the blood-brain barrier, beneficial when taken at high doses, especially with epilepsy.

Vitamin B3 (niacin) is viral in certain dietary supplements and drugs that treat heart conditions like high cholesterol. According to the FDA, “Available scientific evidence does not support the claim that high-dose niacin or other vitamin B3 supplements can prevent or reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke.

Vitamin B3 helps support heart health.

Some research shows niacin may lower bad LDL cholesterol in people with high cholesterol. However, it may not help with total cholesterol.

Niacin’s primary function in preventing heart attacks is to reduce blood vessel inflammation.

People with high levels of inflammation—about 50% above what’s considered normal—are more likely to develop heart disease, stroke, and high cholesterol.

Vitamin B3 protects against skin damage.

Most research on niacin’s effects on the skin has examined what happens when people take it at the beginning of a sunburn. In one study, people who gave niacin after a sunburn had higher levels of UVB-B antibodies after just two days than those who were not given niacin.

Vitamin B3 protects the skin.

Niacin has been shown to diminish the signs of age-related skin thinning and wrinkles by smoothing out collagen. As a dietary supplement, there is some evidence of skincare benefits from niacin. However, more research is needed, and there’s been little research done on the effects of niacin on skin health in a broad range of people.

Vitamin B3 supports brain health.

B3 is a vitamin that improves memory, attention span, and learning and plays a role in the neurotransmitter system that aids communication in the brain.

Does niacin help the digestive tract?

Vitamin B3 plays a role in calcium metabolism in the intestinal wall, which leads to more efficient absorption of nutrients and therefore promotes regularity.

Vitamin B3 can help with persistent acne.

The fatty acids in foods and beverages help smooth skin and reduce inflammation. Niacin can add to these fatty acids, helping to fight acne-causing bacteria.

Research shows that people who take niacin reported less acne and less bloating and other issues like bloating and gas, written by Courtney Carpenter, D.O., from New Mexico Children’s Hospital in Albuquerque.

Research on breast milk recommendations

Although the recommended amount of niacin in breast milk is 400 micrograms (mcg) per day, one study found no notable change in the number of bacteria in breast milk. Or the number of harmful bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, reported by Olivia Nelson, PhD, from Oakland University, in Rochester.

Vitamin B3 can help with achy joints.

One of the best uses for vitamin B3 is to help reduce inflammation and joint pain. It also seems to improve blood flow and nerve function, and one study even found that it reduced nerve cell death in a rat model of multiple sclerosis.

Disclosure: The author of this article no longer eats non-natural foods and does not follow a gluten-free diet. It’s unknown whether he is taking natural vitamin supplements such as biotin.

Food for Thought is a bi-monthly column allowing readers to ask questions, express concerns, and suggest future columns. Email your questions to sonja@eatingwell.net. Please include your name and town.

Susanne Silber has been a writer, editor, and teacher for over 25 years.

Vitamin B3 enhances brain function.

1. Improves gut health

5. Can help prevent cancer

6. Suppresses inflammation and reduces swelling in the body

The primary source of vitamin B3 in the U.S. is foods such as liver, poultry, salmon, dairy products, egg yolks, spinach, eggplant, beef liver, dairy products, peanuts, and legumes.

B vitamins are water-soluble & need to be combined with fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, & K to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

While we get our B vitamins from the food we eat, some people are more prone to B vitamin deficiency, including those who:

Have a poor diet

Excessive sugar intake

Exercise too much or not enough

A diet low in meat, dairy, fish and eggs

Smoke

Individuals who are anaemic (lack red blood cells) may also be at risk for low levels of B vitamins.

How much do you need? 

Living on an average American diet, most people don’t get enough vitamin B3.

Heart disease in men: 26 per cent

In women: 31 per cent

Liver disease: 31 per cent

Hypertension: 25 per cent

Arthritis: 24 per cent

The government recommends a daily niacin intake of at least 400 to 1,000 milligrams.

  Dose 500 milligrams per day for people without a deficiency to get a realistic supplement allowance or 1,000 milligrams for those with an average diet.

Tips for better intake

— Eat foods with niacin.

— Cook some of your favourite foods to increase their absorption.

— Mix vitamin B3 supplements with other supplements such as calcium, omega-3 fish oils, or vitamin D.

— Supplement with high-quality multivitamins or multivitamin pills.

The RDA for vitamin B-3 

 If Is there an acceptable upper limit of what you should take? That question can be tricky. As we age, our kidneys slowly lose their ability to excrete B-vitamin and many other trace elements, mainly when taking medications or having kidney or liver disease. When kidney function declines, the body will store B-vitamin for future use. However, the body can naturally excrete B-vitamin can be compromised if the person isn’t ingesting enough to replace what is being lost. Thus, the total amount of B-vitamin that can be discharged and the amount that must be returned also increases.

When might you need a higher dosage? 

Vitamin B3 contributes to the formation of prostate cancer, so it is a bit controversial to use with men with prostate problems. But some studies show niacin does reduce prostate cancer risk.

Or you could try taking B3 along with vitamin D.

How do you get a larger dose?

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a healthy adult male needs 25 micrograms (mcg) of niacin daily. For women, it’s about seven mcg. So, taking five mcg more is not a huge jump if you’re getting other B vitamins like folate or riboflavin.

Or take 1,000 IU of vitamin B3 twice daily, per the U.S. Dietary Reference Intake. You can get the niacin in a pill or liquid (but get it from a reputable source).

Conclusion

Stress, hectic schedules, and sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on your health. If you have been dealing with any of these, it may be time to try some easy vitamins that boost your body’s overall health.Niacin supports heart health and lowers cholesterolNicotinamide (aka niacinamide)Nicotinamide riboside (NR)1. Supports heart health and lowers cholesterolNicotinic acid (aka niacin)