Vitamin B3

Discover The Uses of Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Vitamin B3, or niacin, a water-soluble vitamin, is one of the most well-known of the B vitamins. Vitamin B3 offers many uses. It is critical to skin health, digestive tract health and the nervous system. It is also essential to heart health and cognition. Niacin is in many foods, including beef, chicken, fish, and plant-based foods like nuts, legumes, and grains, as well as foods fortified with niacin, like bread and cereals.

A niacin deficiency can have serious consequences on health and can result in a condition called pellagra, which causes symptoms like diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia. Pellagra, if untreated, can be fatal in certain instances, so deficiency must always be prevented or treated.

Key Benefits of Vitamin B3

• Lowers Cholesterol
• Improves Blood Flow
• Support Cardiovascular Health & Cognitive Function

Who Should Consider Taking Niacin Supplements?

Naturopaths and conventional doctors alike often recommend a niacin supplement for cardiovascular disease – namely atherosclerosis; to help dilate blood vessels and improve circulation, as well as to help lower cholesterol and improve lipid profiles. 

Because niacin improves circulation throughout the body, it is also often recommended to diabetics to support diabetic polyneuropathy, restore sensation to the extremities, as well as to support the nervous system, and for the treatment of a variety of mental health conditions, including low mood, anxiety and even schizophrenia. Finally, a niacin supplement can be beneficial to treat allergic symptoms like runny nose and itchy, watery eyes.

Vitamin B3 Supplement Varieties

Potency

Niacin supplements come in different potencies, ranging from 100 - 500 mg. The recommended daily dosing, however, can vary widely depending on the application, ranging from 30 - 40 mg, all the way to 1,000 - 3,000 mg for cardiovascular and neurological conditions.

Forms

Niacin is commonly found as nicotinic acid and nicotinamide, both of which are well-absorbed. Nicotinic acid causes the small capillaries in the skin to dilate, which increases blood flow to the skin's surface, resulting in harmless and transitory skin flushing. This can happen in mid-range to higher doses or when nicotinic acid-containing supplements are taken on an empty stomach. This is why many formulas opt for prolonged, sustained, or timed-release blends to prevent flushing. Another form of niacin - nicotinamide or niacinamide does not produce skin flushing because of its slightly different chemical structure. Niacin is also sold as “no-flush niacin” which is also known as inositol hexaniacinate, but itsabsorption can vary widely and is said to be 30% lower than that of nicotinic acid or nicotinamide.

Formats

Niacin is available either as part of multivitamin formulas, B-complexes, or as a standalone supplement in capsules, tablets, lozenges, liquids, and powder forms.

Shopping For Quality Vitamin B3 Supplements

Niacin is the only form of vitamin B3 that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. It does this similarly to statin drugs but through a different mechanism of action.

Of the B family of vitamins, niacin is one of the few regularly recommended to treat many cardiovascular and cognitive conditions. Though widely available as a standalone supplement, it's always best to take B vitamins as a complex, along with the other family of Bs to avoid depleting the other Bs or throwing off balance.