Niacin (Vitamin B 3) (Systemic)
Category- Nutritional supplement, vitamin
DescriptionVitamins (VYE-ta-mins)
are compounds
that you must
have for growth and health. They
are needed in small amounts only and are usually available in the foods that
you eat. Niacin and niacinamide are necessary for many normal functions of
the body, including normal tissue metabolism. They may have other effects
as well.
Lack of niacin may lead to a condition called pellagra. Pellagra causes
diarrhea, stomach problems, skin problems, sores in the mouth, anemia (weak
blood), and mental problems. Your health care professional may treat this
by prescribing niacin for you.
Some conditions may increase your need for niacin. These include:
-
Cancer
-
Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes)
-
Diarrhea (prolonged)
-
Fever (prolonged)
-
Hartnup disease
-
Infection (prolonged)
-
Intestinal problems
-
Liver disease
-
Mouth or throat sores
-
Overactive thyroid
-
Pancreas disease
-
Stomach ulcer
-
Stress (prolonged)
-
Surgical removal of stomach
Increased need for niacin should be determined by your health care professional.
Claims that niacin is effective for treatment of acne, alcoholism, unwanted
effects of drug abuse, leprosy, motion sickness, muscle problems, poor circulation,
and mental problems, and for prevention of heart attacks, have not been proven.
Many of these treatments involve large and expensive amounts of vitamins.
Injectable niacin and niacinamide are given by or under the supervision
of a health care professional. Other forms of niacin and niacinamide are available
without a prescription.
Niacin and niacinamide are available in the following dosage forms:
Oral
-
Niacin
-
Extended-release capsules (U.S.)
-
Solution (U.S.)
-
Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
-
Extended-release tablets (U.S. and Canada)
-
Niacinamide
-
Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
Parenteral
-
Niacin
-
Niacinamide
Importance of DietNiacin is found in meats, eggs, and milk and dairy products. Little niacin
is lost from foods during ordinary cooking.
Vitamins alone will not take the place of a good diet and will not provide
energy. Your body also needs other substances found in food such as protein,
minerals, carbohydrates, and fat. Vitamins themselves often cannot work without
the presence of other foods.
The daily amount of niacin needed is defined in several different ways.
For U.S. -
-
Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are the amount of vitamins
and minerals needed to provide for adequate nutrition in most healthy persons.
RDAs for a given nutrient may vary depending on a person's age, sex, and physical
condition (e.g., pregnancy).
-
Daily Values (DVs) are used on food and dietary supplement labels
to indicate the percent of the recommended daily amount of each nutrient that
a serving provides. DV replaces the previous designation of United States
Recommended Daily Allowances (USRDAs).
For Canada -
-
Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) are used to determine the amounts
of vitamins, minerals, and protein needed to provide adequate nutrition and
lessen the risk of chronic disease.
Normal daily recommended intakes in milligrams (mg) for niacin are generally
defined as follows:
Persons
|
U.S.
(mg)
|
Canada
(mg)
|
Infants and children
Birth to 3 years of age
|
5-9
|
4-9
|
4 to 6 years of age
|
12
|
13
|
7 to 10 years of age
|
13
|
14-18
|
Adolescent and adult males
|
15-20
|
14-23
|
Adolescent and adult females
|
13-15
|
14-16
|
Pregnant females
|
17
|
14-16
|
Breast-feeding females
|
20
|
14-16
|
Brand NamesSome commonly used brand names are:
In the U.S. -
- Niacor 1
- Nicolar 1
- Nicotinex Elixir 1
- Slo-Niacin 1
In Canada -
Other commonly used names are:
Nicotinamide
Nicotinic acid
Vitamin B 3
Note:
|
For quick reference, the following products are numbered
to match the corresponding brand names.
|
This information applies to the following products: |
1. |
Niacin (nye-a-SIN)‡§ |
2. |
Niacinamide (nye-a-SIN-a-mide)‡§ |
‡ Generic name product may be available
in the U.S. |
§ Generic name product may be available
in Canada |
|