Vitamin B3 (niacin) review

• Basics: water-soluble vitamin, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, niacinamide and antipellagra vitamin; essential in the metabolism of carbohydrates (to produce energy), fats, and proteins. • Benefits: facilitates the body's ability to eliminate toxins, assists in antioxidant and detoxification functions, helps stabilize blood sugar, relieves acne, migraines, vertigo, forgetfulness, high blood pressure and diarrhea. • Dosage: 19 mg per day for adult males and 13 mg per day for adult females, doses should be divided into 2-3 separate daily doses. • Sources: brewer's yeast, broccoli, carrots, cheese, corn flour, dandelion greens, dates, eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, pork, potatoes, tomatoes, beef liver, beef kidney, veal, fish, salmon, swordfish, tuna, sunflower seeds, and peanuts. • Deficiency: pellagra is a disease caused by niacin deficiency, characterized by mouth sores, skin rashes, diarrhea, and dementia. • Overdose: high doses of niacin causes liver damage, peptic ulcers, and skin rashes, nicotinic acid overdose causes skin flushing, headaches, low blood pressure.