Sunday, February, 12, 2012

Niacin

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Nicotinic acid; Vitamin B3


Food Sources

Niacin (also known as vitamin B3) is found in:

  • Dairy products
  • Eggs
  • Enriched breads and cereals
  • Fish
  • Lean meats
  • Legumes
  • Nuts
  • Poultry

Niacin and Cardiovascular Disease

Under the supervision of a health care provider, you can take doses of 1 to 3 grams of nicotinic acid per day to treat low HDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. When used to treat blood fats (lipids), the nicotinic acid is usually divided into three or four doses spread throughout the day. Nicotinamide does not affect blood lipids.



Review Date: 02/14/2011
Reviewed By: Alison Evert, MS, RD, CDE, Nutritionist, University of Washington Medical Center Diabetes Care Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)