Vitamin B3 - Higher Risk Symptoms Vitamin B3

Niacin or vitamin B3 is a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in some foods, is added to foods, and is sold as a dietary supplement. Nicotinic acid and nicotinamide are the two most common types of niacin found in foods and supplements. Tryptophan, an amino acid, can also be converted by the body into nicotinamide. Niacin is water-soluble, so excess amounts not needed by the body are excreted in the urine. Niacin acts as a coenzyme in the body, on which more than 400 enzymes depend for various reactions. Niacin helps in the conversion of nutrients into energy, in the formation of cholesterol and fats, in the formation and repair of DNA, and in the exertion of antioxidant effects.

Sources of Food

Niacin or Vitamin B3 deficiency is rare because it is found in many animal and plant foods.

1. Pork, beef liver, and other red meat
2. Poultry\sFish
3. Fortified bread and cereals with brown rice
4. Seeds, Nuts
5. Legumes
6. Bananas

Supplements:

Niacin or Vitamin B3 is available as a dietary supplement in the form of nicotinic acid or nicotinamide. Sometimes the amounts in supplements are well above the RDA, resulting in unpleasant side effects such as skin redness. Niacin supplements are also available as prescription medications to treat high cholesterol; these are usually offered in an extended-release form of nicotinic acid that allows for slower, more gradual absorption so that flushing does not occur. Due to the very high doses of nicotinic acid, which can be as high as 2,000 mg per day, this supplement should only be taken under medical supervision. 

Symptoms of Weakness and Toxic Effect

Niacin OR Vitamin B3 deficiency is rare in the United States and other industrialized countries because niacin is well absorbed from most foods (with the exception of some cereal grains, in which niacin is bound to the fiber, reducing absorption) and is added to many foods and multivitamins. Severe niacin deficiency leads to pellagra, a condition that causes a dark, sometimes scaly rash on skin areas exposed to sunlight, bright redness of the tongue, and constipation/diarrhea. Other signs of severe niacin deficiency include:

1. Depression
2. Chest pain
3. Fatigue
4. Memory lapses
5. Hallucinations

Higher Risk of Symptoms

Restricted diets. People whose diets are restricted in both variety and quantity of foods, such as those living in poverty or who are very ill and cannot eat a balanced diet, are at increased risk. Developing countries where maize is the main food source are at increased risk for pellagra because these foods contain little absorbable niacin Vitamin B3 and tryptophan.

Chronic alcoholism. Absorption of several nutrients, especially water-soluble vitamins, including B vitamins, is decreased with excessive alcohol consumption.

Carcinoid syndrome. This is a disease of slow-growing cancer cells in the intestine that release a chemical called serotonin. The syndrome causes tryptophan in the diet to be converted to serotonin rather than niacin, which increases the risk of niacin or vitamin B3 deficiency.

Toxic effect

Poisoning from consumption of foods containing niacin or vitamin B3 is rare, but may occur with long-term use of high-dose supplements. Reddened skin with itching or tingling on the face, arms, and chest is a common sign. Redness occurs especially when high-dose supplements are taken in the form of nicotinic acid rather than nicotinamide.

1. Dizziness
2. Low blood pressure
3. Fatigue
4. Headache
5. Upset stomach
6. Nausea
7. Blurred vision

Important Information

Many B vitamins are believed to help increase energy, including niacin. Because niacin is water soluble (lower risk of reaching toxic levels in the body), many people don't think twice about taking a supplement that can contain 100 times the RDA for the vitamin. Although niacin assists several enzymes in converting food into ATP, a form of energy, taking doses far in excess of the RDA does not result in any particular energy boost. A balanced diet with a variety of foods is often sufficient to provide the energy-boosting effects of niacin.

Corn naturally contains a lot of Vitamin B3, but it is bound to carbohydrates and therefore difficult for the human body to absorb. However, when corn is nixtamalized (a traditional tortilla-making process in which corn is treated with calcium hydroxide, cooked, and ground), the niacin becomes absorbable due to the calcium hydroxide treatment.