Vitamins and minerals: what is niacin?

Learn more about what niacin is, and its essential function in the human body.

Niacin comes in many forms. Some of it’s names are vitamin B3, niacinamide, nicotinic acid, and nicotinyl alcohol tartrate. Niacin plays an essential and vital role in a variety of enzymatic functions in the human body. One of niacin’s most important functions is in the production of energy from the body’s blood sugar. It is also integral to the production of fats in the human body. Niacin is also very important to proper functioning of the nervous system. It also plays a role in the digestive system as well as in having healthy skin. Niacin even plays a role in the production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, the sex hormones.

Niacin can be found in a variety of dietary sources. Many meats such as liver, poultry and fish contain niacin. It is also found in almost any lean meat product. However, niacin can also be found in whole grain bread products as well as nuts and dried beans, which are the absolute best source of niacin in foods.

Even though it is so important to proper functioning of the human organism on so many levels, niacin deficiency does occur. Severe deficiency often occurs in areas where corn is the staple of the diet. Niacin is often used as a treatment for bowel disorders which produce deficiency, and other diseases such as liver disease and alcoholism which produce problems with malabsorption in the intestines. Niacin has also been used successfully in the treatment of high cholesterol, as when it is taken in high doses niacin is known to lower specific fats in the blood.

Recommended intakes of niacin vary, but the common agreement among professionals seems to be between 6 to 18 milligrams daily. Of course, before starting any form of supplementation you should consult your health care practitioner.