There are eight B vitamins from which you can choose. Each of these vitamins offer some sort of benefit to your body and to your general health. However, one vitamin that has made great strides in terms of health in the past 15 years is vitamin B3.
Vitamin B3 is niacin. A derivative of vitamin B3 is nicotinic acid, but you don’t want to confuse one for the other. Nicotinic acid does not offer the same health benefits as niacin does for the heart! This is important to know because some supplement companies will use nicotinic acid as their B3 vitamin and this just isn’t as beneficial.
Vitamin B3, as well as all of the other B vitamins, convert carbohydrates into glucose. This results in the creation of energy. It is for this reason that many nutritional supplements are packed with vitamin B.
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Vitamin B3 and Food versus Supplements Vitamin B3 can be obtained completely through your diet. In fact, a vitamin B3 deficiency is virtually unheard of. This doesn’t mean that if you have certain health problems that your doctor won’t prescribe niacin. That is because taking niacin su... more
Vitamin B3 can be obtained completely through your diet. In fact, a vitamin B3 deficiency is virtually unheard of. This doesn’t mean that if you have certain health problems that your doctor won’t prescribe niacin.
That is because taking niacin supplements or niacin based medications can help some issues. Most physicians will tell you that the best way to get your vitamins is through food, whenever possible.
Meats that contain vitamin B3 include:
For vegetarians there are a wide variety of veggies that contain vitamin B3, they include:
To get the most benefit, eat the vegetables raw. However, you will still get some benefit when they are cooked.
There are also fruits that contain vitamin B3, some of these include:
You can also include grains on the list of things that contain vitamin B3. Because there are such a wide variety of foods with vitamin B3, there is no reason for a vegetarian to suffer from a deficiency. If, however, you exhibit some of the symptoms, then a niacin supplement may be in order.
In recent years, the primary use of vitamin B3 by doctors is to lower bad cholesterol. According to WebMD, high amounts of niacin can reduce the risk of heart attack by reducing your bad cholesterol.
Another benefit to vitamin B3 is that it can reverse the hardening of arteries in the heart. While studies are promising for this use, there are ongoing studies being conducted to determine the extent of the benefits for atherosclerosis.
Two areas that niacinamide rather than niacin may be beneficial for are for people with type 1 diabetes and people with osteoarthritis. Studies are still be conducted on both of these conditions but niacinamide seems to prevent cell degradation that occurs in type 1 diabetes and improve symptoms for those with osteoarthritis.
According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin B3 aids in the development of healthy nerves, skin and digestive system. It also provides energy that is long lasting, rather than a boost of energy, like that provided by energy drinks.
When taking vitamin B3 as a supplement, you should not take more than 14 milligrams a day if you are a woman and 18 milligrams a day if you are a man. You might be prescribed up to 35 milligrams a day, but you should only do this with a doctor’s recommendation.
In higher doses, vitamin B3 is used for many of the conditions listed above as a treatment. For the heart niacin is often combined with other medications to boost its efficacy while lowering its toxicity.
One of the most common side effects of taking vitamin B3 is flushing. Flushing is when your body, often your upper body, starts feeling warm and tingly. In some cases, you may turn red as well.
Some people find this mildly annoying while others find it painful and unbearable. Typically the worst flushing comes from prescription strength niacin.
Other side effects include:
A major cause of concern for vitamin B3 is that taking it in high doses can cause toxicity, which can lead to kidney and liver damage. It is important that you be monitored by a physician if you are taking prescription strength niacin to ensure that you don’t face any other medical issues.
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Gas |
Flushing |
Low Blood Pressure |
Dizziness |
Upset Stomach |
Allergies |
Toxicity In High Doses |
Irregular Heartbeat |
Vitamin B3, Niacin, Niacinaminde |
Lowering Cholesterol |
Prevents Heart Attack |
Converts Carbohydrates To Energy |
Diabetes |
Osteoarthritis |
Reverse Hardening Of The Arteries |
Energy |
Development Of Healthy Systems |