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Supplements/Vitamin

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

aka Nicotinic acid · Niacinamide

NAD+ precursor; nicotinic acid form lowers LDL and raises HDL.

Cardiovascular HealthHealthy AgingSkin, Hair & Nails

Overview

NAD+ precursor; nicotinic acid form lowers LDL and raises HDL.

Natural sources
  • Meat
  • Fish
  • Peanuts
  • Mushrooms
Common forms
  • Nicotinic acid (flushing)
  • Niacinamide (no flush)
  • Inositol hexanicotinate

Mechanism of action

Precursor to NAD+/NADP+; nicotinic acid binds GPR109A in adipocytes reducing lipolysis.

Pathways
  • · NAD+ biosynthesis
  • · Lipid metabolism

Effects on the body

Decreases
LDL & triglycerides (nicotinic acid)
Increases
HDL

Organ system effects

Liver

High-dose nicotinic acid can be hepatotoxic.

Evidence-based benefits

Lowers LDL and triglycerides at >1 g/d nicotinic acid

Strong evidence

Niacinamide improves pellagra

Strong evidence

Potential side effects

Common
  • · Flush (nicotinic acid)
  • · Itching
Rare
  • · Glucose intolerance
Serious
  • · Hepatotoxicity >3 g/d
  • · Hyperuricemia

Drug interactions

Statins
Slight myopathy risk increase.
moderate

Supplement interactions

Pairs well with

None listed.

Avoid combining with

No specific avoidances listed.

Dosing & bioavailability

Typical dose
16 mg (general); 500–2000 mg nicotinic acid for lipids

Where to buy

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Scientific evidence (9)

Systematic reviewExamine.com Supplement Database · 2023

Vitamin B3 (Niacin): pharmacology, clinical evidence, and safety — narrative review

Examine.com Research Team

Curated narrative review of human and preclinical evidence for Vitamin B3 (Niacin), including mechanism, typical dosing, and safety considerations.

Key findings

Best-supported outcome: Lowers LDL and triglycerides at >1 g/d nicotinic acid (evidence: strong). Additional outcomes and limitations summarized in the full profile.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Vitamin B3 (Niacin) — Lowers LDL and triglycerides at >1 g/d nicotinic acid

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Lowers LDL and triglycerides at >1 g/d nicotinic acid" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and "Lowers LDL and triglycerides at >1 g/d nicotinic acid". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Vitamin B3 (Niacin) — Niacinamide improves pellagra

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Niacinamide improves pellagra" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and "Niacinamide improves pellagra". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Vitamin B3 (Niacin) — randomized controlled trial

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Vitamin B3 (Niacin) randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Vitamin B3 (Niacin) — meta-analysis

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Vitamin B3 (Niacin) meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Vitamin B3 (Niacin) — pharmacokinetics

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Vitamin B3 (Niacin) pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Vitamin B3 (Niacin) — safety adverse events

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Live results for "Vitamin B3 (Niacin) safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

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Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Vitamin B3 (Niacin) — dose response

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Live results for "Vitamin B3 (Niacin) dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

Google Scholar: Vitamin B3 (Niacin) — clinical evidence

Live Scholar search

Cross-database citation index for Vitamin B3 (Niacin) as it relates to "clinical evidence".

Key findings

Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

Open study
Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.