Vitamin B3 – Niacin

Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, helps normalize cholesterol and blood sugar levels, helps the body process fats, supports genetic processes in cells and may protect against cognitive decline and diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Vitamin B3/Niacin Food Sources

Niacin is found in a variety of foods that can be added to green smoothies. To ensure you get adequate amounts of this vitamin in your diet, try to include some of the “Vegetarian Foods” options as well on a daily basis.

Niacin can also be synthesized from tryptophan, so it is important to get an adequate supply of this essential amino acid from your diet.

B3/Niacin Deficiency

Niacin deficiency may manifest with symptoms including weakness, loss of appetite, digestion problems and skin infections. A deficiency in the essential amino acid, tryptophan may complicate a niacin deficiency since the body converts trypophan to vitamin b3 when needed. It requires adequate levels of vitamins B1 and B6 in order to do this, however. Chronic stress, fluid loss (such as from diarrhea), irritable or inflammatory bowel diseases also may result in niacin deficiency.

B3/Niacin Toxicity

Documented cases of niacin toxicity from food sources are not known.

The Effects of Cooking On B3/Niacin

Niacin can be reduced when boiling, but otherwise appears to be stable in storage and processing.

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Tags: niacin, nutrients, vitamin b3