Vitamin B3 is crucial for the human body and here we have the all of the vitamin B3 information you could ever need. Continue the article to learn about all of the wonderful benefits this B vitamin brings to your body.
Vitamin B3 is a water-soluble vitamin found in many common foods, such as certain types of meat, seeds, mushrooms and many other products.
Vitamin B3 is part of the B vitamin complex, which contains vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6 and others. Also known as niacin, vitamin B3 comes in three forms: nicotinic acid, niacinamide and inositol hexaniacinate. Vitamin B3 has long been studied, and experts have found it helps treat many common ailments and health problems.
So what are the beneficial properties of niacin, and how can this vitamin influence your health? Vitamin B3 can keep the heart and metabolism at an optimal level. In addition, it can help balance blood cholesterol levels. In addition, it helps the brain function optimally, maintains healthy skin and can even prevent or treat diabetes.
General vitamin B3 information
Vitamin B3 is one of the eight vitamins in the B complex. Niacin also contributes to transforming the food we consume into energy. Vitamin B3 also turns proteins, carbohydrates and fats into energy for a whole day. In addition, it keeps the skin, hair and nervous system healthy.
As mentioned, niacin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may have other potential benefits, such as lowering cholesterol.
Excess vitamin B3 is excreted in the body through urine. Also, everyone should eat foods rich in vitamin B3 daily because the body does not retain niacin.
Anyone can ensure a sufficient intake of vitamin B3 with the help of food. In developed countries, very few people face vitamin B3 deficiency.
Foods rich in vitamin B3
Since there are a lot of foods rich in vitamin B3, it is simple and convenient to meet your daily needs with the help of a healthy diet. In addition, by getting enough vitamin B3 from food and not supplements, you get plenty of other essential nutrients your body needs.
Below you have 15 of the best foods rich in vitamin B3 to add to the shopping net and, implicitly, to the diet:
– Chicken – 1 cup: 19.2 milligrams (96% DV)
– Liver – 1 slice: 11.9 milligrams (60% DV)
– Tone – 11.3 milligrams (56% DV)
– Turkey – 1 cup: 9.6 milligrams (48% DV)
– Salmon – 6.8 milligrams (34% DV)
– Sardines – 1 box: 4.8 milligrams (24% DV)
– Grass-fed beef – 4.4 milligrams (22% DV)
– Sunflower seeds – 1 cup: 3.8 milligrams (19% DV)
– Peanuts – 3.8 milligrams (19% DV)
– Green peas – 1 cup: 3.2 milligrams (16% DV)
– Brown rice – 1 cup, cooked: 3 milligrams (15% DV)
– Mushrooms – 1 cup: 2.5 milligrams (13% DV)
– Avocado cut into cubes – 1 cup: 2.6 milligrams (13% DV)
– Sweet potatoes – 1 average sweet potato: 1.7 milligrams (8% DV)
– Asparagus – 1 cup: 1.3 milligrams (7% DV)
Vitamin B3 – properties and benefits
Lowers LDL cholesterol
As early as the 1950s, vitamin B3 began to be prescribed by doctors to treat high cholesterol. It seems that vitamin B3 can reduce LDL cholesterol by 5-20%, popularly known as “bad” cholesterol.
Moreover, it raises HDL cholesterol.
Vitamin B3 lowers “bad” LDL cholesterol and raises “good” HDL cholesterol. Studies have shown that niacin increases HDL cholesterol levels by 15-35%.
Reduces triglyceride levels
In addition to those listed, vitamin B3 can reduce triglyceride levels by 20-50%. This vitamin stops the action of an enzyme involved in the synthesis of triglycerides. This reduces the production of both LDL cholesterol and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL).
It can help prevent heart disease.
By lowering cholesterol, vitamin B3 can automatically help prevent heart disease. It can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, both known to cause atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries.
It may help treat type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
The researchers found that vitamin B3 could help protect those essential cells, which can automatically reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes in prone children. However, in people with type 2 diabetes, the role of niacin is more complicated. On the one hand, it can help lower high cholesterol, a symptom often seen in people with type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, it can increase blood sugar levels.
Therefore, people with diabetes who take vitamin B3 to lower cholesterol should check their blood sugar carefully.
Improves brain function
Vitamin B3 is important for the brain as part of the coenzymes NAD and NADP. NAD has a central role in cell metabolism and cellular energy production.
It seems that niacin deficiency can cause so-called “brain fog” and even some mental problems. Specialists recommend vitamin B3 for some types of schizophrenia because this vitamin helps reverse the damage to brain cells that occurs due to deficiency.
It may relieve arthritis symptoms.
The researchers found out from a study that vitamin B3 contributed to the relief of some symptoms of osteoarthritis. Specifically, patients with osteoarthritis had better joint mobility and took fewer nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) due to niacin.
Although the results are promising, more research is needed in this direction.
Treat pellagra
Pellagra is a condition caused by a severe deficiency of vitamin B3. Therefore, the primary treatment for pellagra is based on vitamin B3. Niacin deficiency is rare in developed countries. However, this deficiency is seen in some people with specific health problems, such as alcoholism, anorexia or Hartnup’s disease.
Vitamin B3 – recommended daily dose
The recommended daily dose of vitamin B3 is determined by the person’s age and sex, as follows:
– children between 0-6 months – 4 mg
– children between 1-3 years – 6 mg
– children between 4-8 years – 8 mg
– boys between 9-13 years – 12 mg
– males over 14 years – 16 mg
– girls between 9-13 years – 12 mg
– females over 14 years – 14 mg
– breastfeeding women – 17 mg
– pregnant women – 18 mg.
Symptoms of vitamin B3 deficiency
Vitamin B3 deficiency is a common problem in some parts of the world. Nowadays, however, the inhabitants of developed countries take vitamin B3 from their diet. According to specialists, vitamin B3 deficiency can cause:
– a pigmented rash on the skin exposed to the sun
– rough skin
– redness of the tongue
– fatigue or apathy
– vomiting, constipation and diarrhoea
– traffic problems
– depression
– headache
– memory loss
– in severe cases, hallucinations
Severe vitamin B3 deficiency can cause pellagra, a condition that can be fatal.
