Niacinamide: benefits, uses, and side effects

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What is nicotinamide?

Nicotinamide is a form of vitamin B3 (niacin), one of eight B vitamins your body needs to stay healthy. Vitamin B3 plays a vital role in converting the food you eat into usable energy and helps your body's cells perform important chemical reactions. Because it is water-soluble, your body does not store this vitamin, This is why you need to take niacin or niacinamide every day. Vitamin B3 is typically found as niacinamide in animal products like meat and poultry, and as niacin in plant foods like nuts, seeds, and green vegetables.

Many refined grain products, including cereal, are also fortified with niacinamide. Your body also makes vitamin B3 from tryptophan, an amino acid found in most protein foods. However, the conversion of tryptophan to vitamin B3 is inefficient as 60 mg of tryptophan is required to make 1 mg of vitamin B3. Historically, vitamin B3 was known as vitamin PP, an acronym for pellagra prevention. That’s because a lack of vitamin B3 or tryptophan can lead to a disease called pellagra, which is characterized by the four Ds – diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia and, if left untreated, death. Pellagra is rare in developed countries such as North America and Europe, but it is still common in some developing countries. Both niacin and niacinamide can treat pellagra, but niacinamide is preferred because it has fewer side effects, such as skin flushing.

Nicotinamide is vitamin B3 (cigarette A form of acid),

Benefits and uses

In addition to being the preferred form of niacin for treating pellagra, niacinamide has several other health benefits and uses.

Helpful for certain skin conditions

Nicotinamide plays an important role in keeping skin healthy. Therefore, it is a popular additive in the cosmetics and skin care industry. Niacinamide has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects on the skin when used topically or taken orally as a supplement. It has been used to treat skin conditions such as acne and rosacea, a facial skin disorder characterized by redness. This makes niacinamide a popular alternative to oral or topical antibiotics for treating acne or rosacea.

May help prevent melanoma

Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that occurs in cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds can damage cells’ DNA over time and is strongly linked to melanoma. Due to its role in maintaining cell health, oral nicotinamide supplements have been shown to enhance DNA repair in humans with UV-damaged skin. Thus, niacinamide is a promising supplement for preventing melanoma, especially in high-risk groups, such as those who have previously had non-melanoma skin cancer.

Useful for chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease is the gradual loss of kidney function, which affects your body's ability to clean and filter blood and control blood pressure. This can lead to a buildup of harmful chemicals, such as phosphates, in the blood. Research suggests that nicotinamide may help lower phosphate levels in people with renal insufficiency by preventing its absorption. Phosphate levels are usually controlled with diet, medication, or dialysis, depending on the severity of the buildup.

May slow progression of type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a disease in which your body attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. It has been suggested that nicotinamide protects and preserves beta cells, thereby preventing or delaying the onset of type 1 diabetes in high-risk individuals. However, research does not support the idea that nicotinamide can prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes, although it can help slow its progression by preserving beta cell function. While promising, more research is needed before nicotinamide supplementation can be recommended as an intervention for type 1 diabetes.

Supplementary types and forms

Vitamin B3 exists in the form of niacin or niacinamide and is available as a supplement alone or with other vitamins and minerals. This vitamin is also included in B-complex supplements, which Contains all eight B vitamins. Some supplements containing vitamin B3 only list niacin, but most supplements specify the form of niacin as niacin or niacinamide. Niacinamide may be included in pre-workout supplements, but niacin, the flush-causing form, is preferred in order to give consumers the feeling that a pre-workout has begun after the flush. For skin care, niacinamide is often included in facial moisturizing lotions or products used to treat acne or rosacea.

Side effects

Appropriate doses of nicotinamide are generally well tolerated, primarily because excess nicotinamide is excreted in the urine. There have been reports of minor side effects associated with nicotinamide, such as stomach upset, nausea and headache. It has also been suggested that nicotinamide may increase insulin resistance a hallmark of type 2 diabetes, but the evidence is inconsistent. That said, the best practice is to consult with your healthcare provider to assess your personal risk before supplementing with niacinamide, or any supplement for that matter.

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Summary

Nicotinamide is a form of vitamin B3 (niacin) that plays an important role in energy metabolism and cellular health. It may provide benefits related to skin care and skin cancer, as well as chronic kidney disease and type 1 diabetes. Niacinamide is generally considered safe, with few side effects at appropriate doses. It is available as a dietary supplement and is a common ingredient in skin care products. However, it's best to talk to your healthcare provider before trying niacinamide.

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