From Heart Health to Energy Production: The Role of Vitamin B3 (Niacin) in Your Body

Vitamin B3 is important for the body like other vitamins. This vitamin is essential for digestion, brain and skin. Vitamin B3 is also known as Niacin in the scientific world. Vitamin B3 is made by combining the chemicals “Nicotinic acid” and “Nicotinamide”. The body uses these two chemicals to produce two other chemicals (NAD and NADP). The chemicals NAD and NADP play a role in a variety of chemical reactions inside the body and help cells process metabolism.

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Like other vitamins of Vitamin B group, it is also soluble in water, due to which it is not preserved in the body. Vitamin B3 does not make its own in the body, but this vitamin can be taken through diet or medications. Due to deficiency of Vitamin B3, many processes of the body do not function properly. Apart from this, due to its deficiency you may get the disease "Pellagra". The disease is associated with skin problems, diarrhea, dementia, decreased concentration, anxiety and depression.

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Taking Vitamin B3 gives you many benefits. The benefits arising from this are explained in detail below -

If you take Vitamin B3 in the quantity prescribed by the doctor, then it is considered impossible to have an overdose. Although consuming too much of Vitamin B3 rich foods may not cause you to overdose, taking Vitamin B3 medicines in excess can cause problems for you. The symptoms caused by taking Vitamin B3 in excess amounts are as follows -

• Dizziness And Redness Of The Skin (Cheeks, Neck, Etc.) 
• Irregular Heartbeat
• Itching 
• Nausea And Vomiting 
• Pain In The Lower Abdomen 
• Diarrhea 
• Gout

If you experience any symptoms related to excess Vitamin B3, consult your doctor immediately. In many cases, excess of Vitamin B3 can cause damage to the liver as well as stroke. Therefore, doctors recommend taking Vitamin B3 only to those people who suffer from high triglycerides (a form of fat present in the blood) but are unable to take medicines to control it. If you have any doubts related to excess of Vitamin B3 or feel any symptoms related to it, consult your doctor immediately.

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You can take Vitamin B3 (Niacin) from many things, you should know from your doctor about which option is right for you. Every person requires a certain amount of niacin to keep body functions regular. You can also get this requirement from your diet. People of different age groups need different amounts of niacin. If your doctor advises you to take niacin, it is considered appropriate to take it through diet. This saves you from the problem of stomach upset. They also stay away from the problems of redness on the skin. Apart from this, the doctor may also advise you to take medicines to overcome the deficiency of niacin.

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The main source of Vitamin B3 (niacin) is considered to be diet. Foods containing Vitamin B3 are helpful in meeting the body's requirements. Further, you are being told some such food items by eating which you can get Vitamin B3 -

Mushroom
High amounts of Vitamin B3 are found in every type of mushroom. By eating 100 grams of mushroom, you get about 14.1 mg of Vitamin B3. It has properties that reduce the chances of cancer.

 Groundnut
By eating peanuts, you can fulfill a large part of the daily requirement of Vitamin B3. You get 13.8 mg vitamin B3 from 100 grams of roasted peanuts. You also get calories from this. Peanut butter also provides you with the same amount of 

Sunflower Seeds
You get many types of nutrients from sunflower seeds. From 100 grams of sunflower seeds, you get about 8.3 mg of niacin per day. Elements like Vitamin E and Vitamin B are also found in these seeds. Apart from this, you can also get Vitamin B3 from chia seeds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds.

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 Fish
Fish is considered an important means of obtaining Vitamin B3. Vitamin B3 is found in greater quantities in fishes, especially in tuna fish. You get about 22.1 mg of Vitamin B3 from 100 grams of it. Apart from this, by eating fish you also get omega 3 fatty acids and protein in abundance. 

Pea
Vegetarians can get vitamin B3 from many types of vegetables. You can consume 2.1 mg of Vitamin B3 from about 100 grams of peas. Protein is also found in it. You can increase the level of Vitamin B3 in your diet by using peas in any vegetable.

Broccoli
Broccoli, easily available in the Indian market, is considered a natural source of niacin. By consuming one cup of broccoli, you get about 1 mg of niacin and calories. Broccoli contains fiber, antioxidants and other nutrients.

 Beans
You can also fulfill your requirement of Vitamin B3 with kidney beans. Although kidney beans contain very little amount of Vitamin B3, you can easily increase the amount of Vitamin B3 in your diet by mixing it with other vegetables.

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Other Types Of Foods
Vitamin B3 is also present in sufficient quantities in the following food items.

• Capsicum
• Chicken
• Meat
• Coffee
• Cereal
• Potato
• Oatmeal
• Soya Milk Etc.

Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, is a vital nutrient that is essential for the body. It helps in the body's energy production, improves lipid profile, and helps maintain heart health. In the absence of niacin, lack of energy, changes in skin color, stomach problems, and heart problems can occur. Food sources include fish, meat, lentils, vegetables, pulses, nuts, and grains, which are good sources of niacin. This can usually be accomplished through adequate food intake, but supplements are sometimes used as well. Niacin is consumed in appropriate quantities, as consuming it in excess can cause side effects.