Vitamin B3 Niacin
TopForm products that contain Vitamin B3 Niacin| Name | Amount Per Serving | Daily Value % |
| Men's Multivitamin | 15mg | 75% |
| Women's Multivitamin | 40mg | 200% |
| Prenatal Chocolate | 10mg | 50% |
| Meal Replacement | 10mg | 50% |
| Calcium | 2mg | 10% |
Depending on the value used, Vitamin B3 Niacin is one of the 40 to 80 vitamins which are considered to be essential human nutrients. This means that Vitamin B3 Niacin is essential for the survival of the human body.
What does Vitamin B3 Niacin do?
Vitamin B3 Niacin is a precursor to NADH, NAD+, NADP+ and NADPH. This means Vitamin B3 Niacin plays an important metabolic role in the living cells in the human body. In the body Vitamin B3 Niacin is converted to Nicotinamide, and then onto NAD and NADP. Vitamin B3 Niacin and Nicotinamide might be similar in their vitamin activity, but Vitamin B3 Niacin and nicotinamide have differing pharmacological effects.
Background History of Vitamin B3 Niacin
Vitamin B3 Niacin was the third of the B vitamins which were discovered. Hugo Weidel is credited with first describing Niacin in his 1873 study of nicotine. As the biological effects of Vitamin B3 Niacin were discovered it was thought important to change its name in order to dissociate Vitamin B3 Niacin with nicotine. The name Vitamin B3 Niacin was created by taking parts of NIcotinic ACid +vitamIN. There have been other discoveries to help with the amounts of Vitamin B3 Niacin in different food groups. In 1951 Carpenter found corn to be lacking in Vitamin B3 Niacin naturally, and that Vitamin B3 Niacin can only be released from corn with very alkaline lime water. This process came to be known as nixtamalization—although this process had been used by Native Americans for hundreds of years on maize.
Sources of Vitamin B3 Niacin
There are a variety of foods which provide Vitamin B3 Niacin. The list of foods include: liver, chicken, beef, fish, cereal, peanuts, and legumes. Vitamin B3 Niacin is synthesized from tryptophan—which is to be found in eggs, dairy, and different types of meat. Vitamin B3 Niacin is very abundant among many different types of foods. Rich sources of Vitamin B3 Niacin can be found in the following fruits and vegetables: avocados, dates, tomatoes, leaf vegetables, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, and asparagus. Vitamin B3 Niacin is in mushroom fungi and brewer’s yeast. Seeds which are high in Vitamin B3 Niacin include: nuts, whole grain products, legumes, and saltbush seeds. Animal products which have high amounts of Vitamin B3 Niacin include: eggs, milk, beef, chicken, fish (tuna and salmon), and the liver, heart, and kidney meats.
How to Get a Proper Amount of Vitamin B3 Niacin
The best way to monitor the amounts of Vitamin B3 Niacin the body needs is through healthy dieting, and taking a good daily multivitamin. A good daily multivitamin, especially a multivitamin which is gender specific, will help a person to have enough Vitamin B3 Niacin in their system. Vitamin B3 Niacin is water soluble so the body does have a harder time storing it. This means that Vitamin B3 Niacin must be replenished on nearly a daily basis. Men and women require different levels of different vitamins and minerals in their daily diet, so a daily vitamin tailored to have gender specific amount of Vitamin B3 Niacin will be a huge health benefit.
Clinical Benefits of Vitamin B3 Niacin
There are some new studies which are showing significant benefits supplementing Vitamin B3 Niacin in a daily diet. Studies have shown that Vitamin B3 Niacin has demonstrated an ability to lower the amount of bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Vitamin B3 Niacin has also shown the ability to help the body to produce more good cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Thus some doctors are subscribing patients, whom are low in HDL counts, to take Vitamin B3 Niacin in order to help them lower their already high chances of suffering from a heart attack.
In a 2009 study reported at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Heart Association and in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that, when added to statins, 2000 mg/day slow-release niacin was more effective than Ezetimibe (Zetia) in reducing carotid intima-media thickness, a market of atherosclerosis. While studies have shown Vitamin B3 Niacin to lower the bad cholesterol LDL, and raise the good cholesterol HDL, it is not recommended that a person take high dosages of Vitamin B3 Niacin without first discussing options with a health professional. The importance of monitoring the amounts of Vitamin B3 Niacin taken is due to the side effects which occur due to high dosages or flushing and other toxicity problems.
There are some medications which are currently being tested to help lower the side effects of high dosages of Vitamin B3 Niacin. Also there is a very new study which reported Vitamin B3 Niacin helped to lower the symptoms of Alzheimer’s in mice. Yet, there is still insufficient data to draw a connection between Alzheimer’s and Vitamin B3 Niacin.
Vitamin B3 Niacin is one of the essential vitamins to the health of the human body, and it is also has immense health benefits for those who properly take it. Finding a good daily multivitamin will help a person to be assured of getting enough Vitamin B3 Niacin in their diet, and benefiting from the health benefits of having Vitamin B3 Niacin in their daily diet.
Click to see known causes of Vitamin B3 Niacin Deficiency.
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