Niacin/Vitamin B3
Niacin is one of the group of B complex vitamins. Its chemical names include niacin, nicotinic acid and nicotinamide.

How it works
Niacin is needed for proper circulation and healthy skin. In the body, niacin is used in the production enzymes that help energy to release from digested food. Needs for niacin increase with greater physical activity. This vitamin can also be produced in the body from a protein "building block" called tryptophan. Niacin is involved in the normal growth of skin, the formation of healthy nerves, and maintaining a good digestive system.

Scientific research has shown that low doses of niacin may increase the protective form of HDL cholesterol and help reduce the build-up of sticky, blocking plaques on the artery walls. Niacin appears to inhibit the release of histamine, and therefore may lead to improvement in hay fever symptoms. It has also been associated with improvements to acne rosacea, particularly in menopausal women

Good dietary intakes dairy foods, meat, and eggs increase the levels of tryptophan and can help to improve levels of niacin. Like all B complex vitamins, niacin works synergistically with other B vitamins. The mineral chromium can improve its absorption. However, antibiotics, alcohol, the contraceptive pill, tea, and coffee may all reduce levels of niacin in the body.

Natural food sources
Niacin can be obtained from a diet containing a variety of the following foods; beef, chicken, cod, eggs, lamb, pork, turkey, wheatgerm and wholemeal bread.

Recommended Daily Amounts (RDA)/ Safe Upper Levels (SUL) - Adult intake
The adult RDA for Niacin is 18mg but there is no guidance SUL for long-term supplementation.

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