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What Does Vitamin B3 Do For You

Are There Any Side Effects

The Lowdown on Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) – What is Niacinamide? Does Niacinamide fix acne?

As an essential vitamin, vitamin B3 wont cause adverse reactions when taken in proper doses. However, it can cause irritation if you use too high a concentration, or if you apply topical creams too often.

In general, you should look for low concentrations of vitamin B3 in your products, around two percent. You should also apply only once or twice a day to avoid overstimulating your skin.

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What Does Niacin Do In The Body

Like all the B vitamins, niacin helps to break down fats and protein, converting our food into energy.

There are two main forms of niacin: nicotinic acid and niacinamide .

Nicotinic acid has been shown to help reduce LDL or bad cholesterol and increase levels of HDL or good cholesterol.6

The four main functions of niacin include:7,8

  • Promoting skin health
  • Feeling lethargic
  • If left untreated, a niacin deficiency can develop into pellagra that produces sore or raw skin, similar to sunburn. It can also lead to dementia and could even be fatal.15

    Benefits Of Niacin Supplements

    While our bodies create small amounts, the leading source mostly comes from animal sources, so those on a plant-based diet might wish to take a supplement to get the benefits of niacin.

    In addition, niacin helps optimize the release of energy and is best consumed with other B vitamins. That’s why the Smart Supplement contains all 8 B vitamins and 12 other essential nutrients.

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    Can Niacinamide Be Combined With Other Skin Care Ingredients For Maximum Effect

    Niacinamide may be used alongside other active ingredients for optimal results.

    For example, some reports suggest that supplemental niacinamide may work well alongside copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

    You may be able to get more out of your niacinamide serum by using it alongside hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is said to increase product absorption.

    May Reduce Stress And Boost Mood

    Niacin (Vitamin B3) : Benefits, Dosage, Sources, Risks

    B-complex vitamins are often used to reduce fatigue and boost mood. Some studies suggest that B vitamins can lift your spirits and improve your cognitive performance.

    A 33-day study in 215 healthy men found that treatment with a high dose B-complex and mineral supplement improved general mental health and stress and enhanced performance on cognitive tests .

    Another study in young adults showed that supplementing with a multivitamin containing high levels of B-complex vitamins for 90 days reduced stress and mental fatigue .

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    How Important Is Vitamin B3 It Helps To Protect Both Your Cardiovascular And Nervous Systems Thankfully Odds Are Good That You’re Already Getting Enough In Your Diet

    Beets and sunflower seedsshown here in a healthy saladare loaded with vitamin B3.

    Vitamin B3more formally known as niacin or nicotinic acid contributes to the function of every part of your body. It plays a key role in metabolism, is necessary for a healthy liver and nervous system, and is important in the production of sex and stress hormones in the body. And thats not all.

    Vitamin B3s biggest impact is on our heart health. Niacin is beneficial for cardiovascular health by regulating your levels of LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.

    The Top Benefits Of Vitamin B3 For Skin

    itamin B3, also known as niacin, is a vitamin that is essential to your bodys health but has several key benefits for your skin specifically.

    Thats why many serums are developed designed to allow vitamin B3 to penetrate into your skin where it can work its magic.

    How do you know how to find the product that is best for your skin?

    Keep reading to see the benefits of vitamin B3 for skin and find out how to choose the product for you!

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    What Does Vitamin B3 Do For Skin

    But what does applying vitamin B3 to your skin do if it works to break down foods in your digestive system? While you can get a good amount of B3 through supplements and foods, the best way to improve your skins health is through topical vitamin B3 creams.

    For best effects, you should incorporate vitamin B3 creams and serums into your daily skincare routine. You should apply your vitamin B3 cream after youve applied your toner and before your moisturizer.

    Niacinamide For Skin: 10 Benefits How To Use

    Vitamin B3 Benefits For Skin

    Growing up, your parents probably had to beg and cajole you to eat non-kid friendly foods like leafy greens, salmon, and beans. Their reasoning? For the vitamins, of course! And they were right, because every bite you took delivered a host of beneficial goodies to your body. Among the crowd, there was a mighty little vitamin called niacinamide.

    Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3, an essential nutrient that not only works wonders inside the body but outside as well. While it seems like it’s been popping up everywhere these days, niacinamide has been a mainstay in skincare products for years.

    Read on to find out more about what niacinamide is and where it comes from, how it can enhance your beauty routine, the benefits of using skincare products that contain it, who it’s best for, and FAQs about this not so new “it” ingredient.

    IN A NUTSHELL

    Ingredient Category: Antioxidant

    Main Benefit: It helps balance natural oils, protect skin from environmental stressors, and brighten and even skin tone.

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    May Help Treat Type 1 Diabetes

    Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which your body attacks and destroys insulin-creating cells in your pancreas.

    Theres research to suggest that niacin could help protect those cells and possibly even lower the risk of type 1 diabetes in children who have a higher chance of developing this condition .

    However, for people with type 2 diabetes, the role of niacin is more complicated.

    On one hand, it can help lower the high cholesterol levels that are often seen in people with type 2 diabetes. On the other, it has the potential to increase blood sugar levels. As a result, people with diabetes who take niacin to treat high cholesterol also need to monitor their blood sugar carefully .

    Fortunately, a more recent review of studies found that niacin did not have significant negative effects on blood sugar management in people with type 2 diabetes .

    It May Improve Erectile Dysfunction

    Erectile dysfunction is the inability to get or keep an erection. Because niacin helps improve blood flow, it may also be good for impotence. In a study published by the Journal of Sexual Medicine, a daily dose of up to 1,500 mg of niacin was enough to improve sexual function among men who had both ED and dyslipidemia. Men with dyslipidemia were studied because dyslipidemia is closely related to ED.

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    What Is Our Advice

    You should be able to get the amount you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take niacin supplements it’s a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful.

    Taking 17 mg or less of nicotinic acid supplements a day, or taking 500 mg or less of nicotinamide supplements a day, is unlikely to cause any harm.

    Vitamin B3 And Your Heart

    Vitamin B3 for UV Protection

    LDL cholesterol is the bad variety that increases the risk of heart disease, whereas HDL cholesterol decreases the risk of heart disease. Vitamin B3 decreases the levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood and increases the amount of HDL cholesterol.

    Plus, niacin is recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program as valuable therapy for those trying to control their cholesterol levels to prevent heart attacks.

    Triglycerides are necessary for a healthy body, but like so many other substances, too much can be problematic. In the case of vitamin B3, excess triglycerides are converted to fat for storage, increasing the risk of heart disease. Vitamin B3 helps to keep blood triglyceride levels low.

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    Is Niacin Good For Hair Growth

    Now that were on the subject of hair, you might be wondering: Is niacin good for hair growth? The answer is that it could be . By using topical niacin for hair growth, youre promoting the look and feel of thicker hair and stimulating new hair growth. Sometimes, the lack of blood flow can be to blame for hair thinning and hair loss, and niacin can help in that department.

    How to use niacin for hair growth is all about the topical methods. By putting the niacin directly on your scalp and massaging it into your hair follicles, youre increasing the moisture balance of your skin right at the source.

    Niacin can also aid with hair growth because its been known to reduce inflammation, and inflammation can negatively affect your scalp.

    Many people wonder: How much niacin should I take for hair growth? And the answer circles back to the dosage chart that we discussed previously. If you get the recommended daily amount of niacin, you should be good to go.

    While its true that a good amount of niacin can be beneficial for hair, the unfortunate answer to the question: Can too much niacin cause hair loss? Is yes . There is a way for you to overdo it on niacin, and if you have too much in your system, you could contradict all the hard work youve done on your hair – so make sure to talk to your doctor before supplementing yourself with niacin.

    The 12 Proven Health Benefits Of Niacin

    Attaining health benefits from essential vitamins is simple and a crucial part of healthy bodily functions. This superfood is an essential vitamin that provides the body with nourishment and care. They often help reduce health conditions and improve overall health.

    Niacin is an essential B vitamin that promotes improved heart, skin, eye, and brain health. To find out more on its proven health benefits, the dosages to respect, and potential risks, see below:

    Contents

  • Is niacin flush safe?
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    Special Precautions & Warnings

    Pregnancy and breast-feedingLIKELY SAFE

    Allergies: Niacin might worsen allergies by causing histamine, the chemical responsible for allergic symptoms, to be released.

    Heart disease/unstable angina: Large amounts of niacin can increase the risk of irregular heartbeat. Use with caution.

    Crohn’s disease: People with Crohn’s disease might have low niacin levels and require supplementation during flare-ups.

    Diabetes: Niacin might increase blood sugar. People with diabetes who take niacin should check their blood sugar carefully.

    Gallbladder disease: Niacin might make gallbladder disease worse.

    Gout: Large amounts of niacin might bring on gout.

    Kidney disease: Niacin might accumulate in people with kidney disease. This might cause harm.

    Liver disease: Niacin might increase liver damage. Don’t use large amounts if you have liver disease.

    Stomach or intestinal ulcers: Niacin might make ulcers worse. Don’t use large amounts if you have ulcers.

    Very low blood pressure: Niacin might lower blood pressure and worsen this condition.

    Surgery: Niacin might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop taking niacin at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

    Fatty deposits around tendons : Niacin might increase the risk of infections in xanthomas.

    Thyroid disorders: Thyroxine is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland. Niacin might lower blood levels of thyroxine. This might worsen symptoms of certain thyroid disorders.

    Improves Blood Fat Levels

    How To Reverse ED With Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

    Niacin may help to improve your blood fat levels by:

    • increasing your HDL cholesterol
    • reducing your LDL LDL cholesterol
    • reducing your triglyceride levels

    This may translate to a decrease in heart disease risk, although several studies have found no link between niacin supplementation and a decrease in heart disease risk or deaths (

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    Benefits Of Vitamin B3

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    • Metabolism: As mentioned, all three forms of vitamin B3 are synthesised within the body to NAD, which has an important role in metabolism, processing complex food molecules to simpler substances, aiding oxidative respiration of cells, hormone regulation, and DNA formation.
    • Lowering Cholesterol: Vitamin B3 lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increases good cholesterol.
    • Protecting Heart Health: Vitamin B3 has lipid-altering properties, which help lower the risk of coronary heart disease, prevent cardiac problems and boost heart health. It is also effective in treating atherosclerosis, which is the hardening of the arteries, by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.

    Shutterstock

    • Managing Diabetes: Eating foods rich in vitamin B3 controls the release of insulin in the body, thus reducing blood sugar levels and keeping diabetes in check.
    • Improving Digestion: Vitamin B3 is important for the functioning of the gastrointestinal system. It boosts digestion, prevents constipation, and reduces flatulence.
    • Functioning Of Hormones: This vitamin is crucial for hormone synthesis and functioning.
    • Improving Cognitive Function: Vitamin B3 helps repair brain cells and is used for treating symptoms of depression, schizophrenia, hallucinations, and such psychotic conditions. It is also useful in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimers disease.

    ShutterstockTip:

    What Does Vitamin B3 Do For You

    Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, is one of the eight B vitamins, which are a group of essential nutrients that must be acquired through your diet and are key to basic functions throughout the body. Vitamin B3 is critical for your digestive tract, skin, and nerves. It is also important for metabolizing the food you eat, allowing it to fuel cells.

    Vitamin B3 deficiency can cause skin rashes, diarrhea, fatigue, depression, headaches, memory loss, confusion, and dementia. Because its water-soluble, the body cant store excess vitamin B3, and you need to consume it on a daily basis to get enough. Food sources of vitamin B3 include eggs, yeast, meat, fish, milk, green vegetables, peanuts, mushrooms, and grains. You can also take it as a supplement, and vitamin B3 supplementation has been shown to produce many health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of several common diseases.

    Regulates Cholesterol Levels

    Vitamin B3 is effective in helping to lower cholesterol levels, which is why doctors often prescribe it to treat high cholesterol. Its even been shown to help reverse heart disease in people with genetically related cholesterol problems. Therapeutic doses of vitamin B3, generally at 500 mg or higher, are required to achieve these results, and regular dietary supplements may not be effective. Higher doses of vitamin B3 can cause side effects and should be taken under the supervision of your healthcare provider.

    In Conclusion

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    Symptoms Of Vitamin B3 Deficiency

    Pellagra and Brain Fog

    Severe niacin deficiency causes pellagra, which is characterised by severe mental disturbance. Even minor vitamin B3 deficiency can cause brain fog, memory issues, and difficulty concentrating. Deficiency in this nutrient can also cause depression.

    Sunlight-Induced Skin Rash

    Since vitamin B3 is essential for UV protection, deficiency in this nutrient can cause a thick, scaly rash on any part of your body that is exposed to sunlight.

    Swollen Mouth and Tongue Discolouration

    Severe vitamin B3 deficiency can result in swelling in your gums, tongue, and the roof of your mouth. Deficiency in this nutrient also causes your tongue to become bright red.

    Supporting Your Skin With B3

    Food sources of vitamin B3

    With all that in mind, you can consider this key nutrient a must-have in your skin care routine. For B3 use beyond the skin barrier, always consult your general physician or Dermatologist for a professional opinionkeeping yourself, your doctors, and your regimen in sync is the surest way to keep that healthy glow going.

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    Side Effects Risks And Hazards Of Niacin

    Although niacin is a natural vitamin, it can pose certain health risks and cause side effects when taken as a supplement. Typically, side effects occur if a person consumes too much niacin.

    Consuming niacin through food sources does not pose any harmful side effects or risks. The concentration of niacin in food is too small to affect the body.

    Supplement overdosing can cause possible side effects:

    • Stomach ulcers
    • Thyroid disorders
    • Taking the following contraindicative medications: zinc, aspirin, blood pressure drugs, alcohol, chromium, statins, and diabetes drugs

    Premedical care and a view from your doctor are critical for those at risk. Taking niacin can worsen certain conditions. Thus, ensuring it is safe for you to take niacin before consuming the supplements is essential.

    If it is safe for you to take niacin, ensure you follow the safe dosage requirements to combat potential side effects.

    More on how to take niacin and dosages to respect:

    Nicotinic Acid For Skin

    Along with being used for hair, its also possible to use nicotinic acid for skin. Since its a water-soluble vitamin, that means it has to be ingested or applied topically in order to do its magic on the skin. Since it can either be ingested or rubbed on, some people like to take vitamin B3 capsules for skin, and others like to use vitamin B3 skin cream. It can be used as a morning or night cream, and it works best on a clean face.

    Vitamin B3 for skin is very restorative. It can restore cellular energy, repair damaged DNA, and reduce the effects of UV rays on the skin. Its also been known to fight off stressors that lead to skin deterioration or breakdown – essentially, its a great tool for anti-aging, as its great at fighting wrinkles and damage.

    Vitamin B3 for skin whitening, or brightening, is also used. Its been shown to transfer pigment within the skin, which can reduce brown spots that occur either from the sun or from age. It can also help in reducing redness, preserve hydration, act as a strong skin barrier, and improve the synthesis of healthy fats – and these are all key factors in resilient, glowing skin.

    Its also recommended for people with sensitive skin and those with eczema or rosacea. Its commonly found in sunscreens, and its great for people who find their skin frequently irritated from drugstore skincare products. The oral version of vitamin B3 can also be great for treating acne.

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