Vitamin B3 known as niacin or nicotinic acid is a water-soluble vitamin. It's found in whole grains, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and other animal products. Niacin is also found in the skins of red kidneys and POTATOES. Because of this, dietary supplements containing these foods are sometimes used to treat children with beriberi. Vitamin B3 is also used to treat lactic acidosis in animals and produces an anemic condition in animals. Therefore, vitamin B3 has a wide range of uses in human and animal health.
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B3 is essential for maintaining normal body functions. It promotes healthy hair and skin. Additionally, vitamin B3 is essential for nervous system development and storage management in the body. In addition to these specific functions, vitamin B3 is also essential for general health and wellness. Healthy adults need to consume about 2 grams of natural vitamin B3 per day. However, vegetarians need to consume even more due to the lack of animal products in their diet.
Health Benefits of Vitamin B3
Vitamin B3 is necessary for
- Maintaining public health.
- Maintain healthy skin and hair
- Protection from cardiovascular disease
- Helps reduce blood pressure and high cholesterol
Food sources of Vitamin B3
- meat
- chicken
- fish
- liver
- legumes
- eggs
- mushroom
- leafy vegetables
- nuts
Symptoms of Vitamin B3 deficiency
Niacin deficiency causes pellagra disease, which is characterized by three main symptoms:
- Diarrhea is accompanied by other symptoms such as loss of appetite, vomiting and stomatitis.
- Inflammation of the skin where it becomes rough, blistered and has scales that are visible on the parts exposed to the sun such as the face, hands, neck, elbows, and feet.
- Mental retardation occurs in severe cases of the disease, accompanied by headache, memory loss, irritability, fear, insomnia, depression, dizziness, hysteria, and death may eventually occur.