Vitamin B3

vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 is a water-soluble vitamin that helps your cells turn food into usable energy. It exists in a few common forms, including niacin, nicotinamide, and newer forms like nicotinamide riboside. All of these forms feed into the body’s ability to make NAD+, a molecule that is central to cellular energy production and repair. Because NAD+ is used in processes like mitochondrial function and DNA repair, vitamin B3 has an outsized role in keeping tissues working well. You get it from foods such as meats, fish, whole grains, and legumes, and it is also available as a supplement. A lack of vitamin B3 causes pellagra, a condition marked by diarrhea, skin problems, and confusion, showing how essential it is for health. In higher doses, certain forms of the vitamin are used medicinally to lower cholesterol or support metabolic therapies, but those uses can carry side effects. For example, niacin can cause flushing and high doses can stress the liver, so medical supervision is important for therapeutic use. Because it supports NAD+ and energy metabolism, researchers are interested in vitamin B3 when they study aging, brain function, and recovery from injury. Overall, vitamin B3 matters because it is a basic building block of cell energy and repair, and keeping adequate levels supports daily function and long-term health.