Niacin how many mg

Get the latest public health information from CDC. Have a question? This is a reader-friendly overview of Niacin. For more details, see our health professional fact sheet on Niacin. Niacin also called vitamin B3 helps turn the food you eat into the energy you need. Niacin is important for the development and function of the cells in your body. The amount of niacin you need depends on your age and sex. Average daily recommended amounts are listed below in milligrams mg of niacin equivalents NE except for infants in their first 6 months.

The mg NE measure is used because your body can also make niacin from tryptophan, an amino acid in proteins. For example, when you eat turkey, which is high in tryptophan, some of this amino acid is converted to niacin in your liver.

Using mg NE accounts for both the niacin you consume and the niacin your body makes from tryptophan. Infants in their first six months do not make much niacin from tryptophan. Niacin is found naturally in many foods, and is added to some foods. You can get recommended amounts of niacin by eating a variety of foods, including the following:. It is also available in B-complex dietary supplements and supplements containing only niacin.

The two main forms of niacin in dietary supplements are nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. Niacin in the form of nicotinic acid is also available as a prescription medicine used to treat high blood cholesterol levels. Most people in the United States get enough niacin from the foods they eat. Niacin deficiency is very rare in the United States. However, some people are more likely than others to have trouble getting enough niacin:.

You can develop niacin deficiency if you don't get enough niacin or tryptophan from the foods you eat. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below.

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Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Shi H, et al. NAD deficiency, congenital malformations and niacin supplementation. New England Journal of Medicine.

Schandelmaier S, et al. Niacin for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Accessed Aug. Micromedex 2. Niacin B3; nicotinic acid oral. Melmed S, et al. One NE equals 1 milligram of niacin or 60 mg of tryptophan. For more than 40 years, niacin in the form of nicotinic acid has been given to patients to treat a condition called dyslipidemia, a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases CVD such as coronary artery disease, heart attack, and strokes.

Nicotinic acid supplements contain high amounts, up to 1,, mg of niacin taken daily. However, negative side effects skin flushing, stomach upset, diarrhea usually accompany the supplements, resulting in poor compliance from patients. Clinical trials have not consistently shown that nicotinic acid leads to less cardiovascular events or deaths from CVD. A severe niacin deficiency has been associated with cognitive decline such as memory loss and dementia.

Niacin is believed to protect brain cells from stress and injury. It is not yet clear though if smaller variations in dietary niacin intake can negatively affect brain function. Niacin is available as a supplement in the form of nicotinic acid or nicotinamide. Sometimes the amounts in supplements are far beyond the RDA, causing unpleasant side effects of flushing. Niacin supplements are also available as a prescription medicine that is used to treat high cholesterol; this typically comes in an extended release form of nicotinic acid that allows slower, more gradual absorption so that it does not cause flushing.

Because of the very high doses of nicotinic acid needed, up to 2, mg daily, this supplement should only be used when monitored by a physician. A niacin deficiency is rare in the United States and other industrialized countries because it is well-absorbed from most foods with the exception of some cereal grains in which niacin is bound to its fibers, decreasing the absorption and is added to many foods and multivitamins.

Other signs of severe niacin deficiency include:. Toxicity when eating foods containing niacin is rare, but can occur from long-term use of high-dose supplements. A reddened skin flush with itchiness or tingling on the face, arms, and chest is a common sign. Flushing occurs mainly when taking high-dosage supplements in the form of nicotinic acid, rather than nicotinamide.

B Vitamins Vitamins and Minerals.