A daily niacin dose of 16 mg is beneficial for weight loss, as it plays a key role in the metabolism of carbs, fat and protein. We can get more than enough niacin from food. Much higher dosages from supplements can cause weight gain, though.
A Diet rich in Niacin is good for Weight Loss!
Niacin is also known as vitamin B3, nicotinic acid, or nicotinamide. It’s a water-soluble B vitamin.
All tissues in the body can convert niacin into its main metabolically active form, the coenzyme NAD. Moreover, all tissues, except skeletal muscle, convert NAD into another active form, the coenzyme NADP. More than 400 enzymes require NAD and NADP to function properly.[1,2]
First, NAD is crucial for the metabolism of carbs, fats, and proteins. Niacin helps the body obtain energy from the food.
NADP is vital for the metabolism of cholesterol and fatty acids. Furthermore, it has potent antioxidant properties.
Additionally, high niacin intake seems to protect the liver from fat accumulation and improve insulin sensitivity. Obese people tend to develop insulin resistance, which leads to increased blood glucose levels and metabolic disorders.[3,4]
According to studies, people can significantly improve their metabolic status and lose weight, when they follow a diet high in niacin, decrease the consumption of saturated fat, and start exercising regularly.[5,6]
Replacing saturated fatty acids with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids, and particularly omega-3s, is vital for good health and maintaining a normal body weight.
Moreover, obesity increases inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation promotes weight gain! Niacin can attenuate the detrimental effects of inflammation.[7]
Additionally, low niacin intake seems to increase free fatty acid concentrations. But, high free fatty acid concentrations inhibit the secretion of the growth hormone. Low levels of growth hormone can lead to weight gain and increased fat accumulation. Especially in the belly! Also, low levels of growth hormone can cause poor bone mineral density and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.[8,9]
Last, but not least, we should consume foods with tryptophan. This is an amino acid which the body can convert to niacin. Moreover, tryptophan is crucial for the synthesis of serotonin. A hormone which promotes weight loss as well.
How much Niacin per day for Weight Loss?
The recommended daily intake for niacin is 16 mg and 14 mg for men and women, respectively. Only pregnant and lactating women need higher doses of 18 mg and 17 mg, respectively. Children require lower doses.
Do I need Niacin Supplements?
Poor diet, alcohol abuse, medication, and disease are common reasons of niacin deficiency. If you follow a healthy, well-balanced diet, you probably don’t need niacin supplementation, though. Niacin supplementation won’t help you burn more belly fat.
We lose weight when we consume fewer calories than we burn! Thus, caloric deficit, combined with moderate exercise, is crucial for losing weight.
What’s the Maximum Safe Dose?
The maximum safe dosage of niacin from supplements is 35 mg for adults, 30 mg for teenagers, and 10-20 mg for children, depending on the age.
Skin flushing is the most common side effect when too much niacin from supplements is consumed.
Only patients under medical supervision could receive much higher doses.
You should consult your physician before taking niacin supplements. Especially, if you’re pregnant, take medication, or have a medical condition.
Do high amounts cause weight gain?
Niacin is a water-soluble vitamin. Excess amounts are excreted through urine. But, much higher dosages than the maximum safe intake for a long time may cause adverse effects. For instance, chronic extremely high intakes of niacin from supplements and fortified foods seem to increase appetite, eventually causing weight gain.[10]
Also, extremely high doses of niacin of 2,000 mg a day can negatively affect blood glycemic levels. High blood glucose levels lead to obesity, diabetes, and even cardiovascular disease. [11,12]
Can I get too much niacin from food?
There hasn’t been established a maximum safe dose of niacin from foods. Following a diet high in niacin won’t cause any side effects.
In fact, there is a wide variety of foods high in niacin. Animal-based food sources high in niacin are turkey, beef, and fish. These foods provide about 5-10 mg of niacin per serving.
Beans, seeds, nuts, whole grains, mushrooms, and nutritional yeast are excellent plant-based sources of niacin. They provide about 2-5 mg of niacin per serving. Nutritional yeast is among the richest foods in niacin. It provides 15 mg of niacin per serving!
Moreover, there are many fortified foods with niacin, which boost the daily intake. Niacin in fortified foods is highly bioavailable.
Side effects of too much Niacin
Most niacin supplements contain between 50-500 mg of niacin per serving. But, a dose of 500 mg is about 3,000% and 1,300% higher than the recommended daily and maximum safe dose, respectively!
Even smaller niacin doses of 50 mg in the form of nicotinic acid may cause skin flushing, as it increases the blood flow of small subcutaneous blood vessels. The flushing may be accompanied by a burning or itching sensation.
But, more serious side effects may occur. For instance, headache, rash, dizziness, and a decrease in blood pressure are common side effects of niacin overdose.
If you experience adverse effects, you should immediately talk to your healthcare provider. Furthermore, you should decrease the daily dose. Also, if you take niacin supplements in the form of nicotinic acid and experience side effects, you could take them with food.
Additionally, much higher doses of 3,000 mg a day may cause more serious adverse effects, such as impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, nausea, heartburn, abdominal pain, and even blurred vision.
Hence, you should take these pharmacological doses only under medical supervision.
Moreover, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend measuring hepatic transaminase, fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1C, and uric acid levels before starting therapy with extremely high doses of niacin.
Furthermore, if you take high doses of niacin from supplements, you should avoid alcohol. Alcohol seems to increase the risk of flushing. Also, people who overconsume alcohol for years shouldn’t take high doses of niacin, as it may further damage their liver!
Last, but not least, pregnant women shouldn’t take high dosages of niacin, without consulting their physician. High doses of niacin may harm the fetus.
Which niacin supplement has fewer side effects?
Niacin in dietary supplements is mainly found in two forms; nicotinamide and nicotinic acid. High doses of both niacin forms can cause adverse effects, though.
As a rule of thumb, nicotinamide is more tolerable than nicotinic acid. The same dosage has fewer adverse effects than nicotinic acid. For instance, it doesn’t cause skin flushing.
Side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, may occur at extremely high nicotinamide intakes of 3,000 mg per day, though.
In any case, you shouldn’t exceed the maximum safe dose of niacin without consulting your physician.
Do I need high niacin doses from supplements?
Healthy people who follow a well-balanced diet don’t need niacin supplementation. On the other hand, poor diet, alcohol abuse, medication, and disease are common reasons of niacin deficiency.
Animal-based foods high in Niacin
Actually, niacin is naturally present in a wide variety of foods.
Foods from animal sources, such as poultry, beef, and fish are excellent dietary sources. First, they provide the most highly bioavailable forms of niacin; NAD and NADP. Also, they provide about 5-10 mg niacin per serving!
| food | mg/100g |
| anchovies | 20 |
| beef liver | 17.5 |
| turkey | 11.8 |
| tuna | 10.5 |
| salmon | 10 |
| chicken | 6.2 |
| beef | 6.1 |
| sardines | 5.2 |
| pork | 4.8 |
The richest dietary sources of niacin are seafood, such as anchovies, sardines, salmon, and tuna.
Also, meat and poultry are excellent sources of niacin. Beef liver, turkey, chicken, and pork provide high doses of niacin per serving as well.
On the contrary, dairy and eggs don’t contain high doses of niacin.
Tryptophan for niacin synthesis
Moreover, the body converts the amino acid tryptophan to niacin. About 60 mg of tryptophan are needed for the synthesis of 1 mg of niacin. Chicken, turkey, red meat, pork, fish, eggs, and dairy are the richest foods in tryptophan.
Turkey is the richest natural source of tryptophan. A 3 oz portion of turkey breast provides about 180 mg tryptophan. It’s the equivalent to 3 mg of niacin. We can also get high doses from a turkey sandwich.
Vegan foods high in Niacin
Foods from animal sources, such as fish, poultry, and beef, are the main dietary sources of niacin for the standard American diet. But, we shouldn’t depend on these foods to get the recommended daily intake. Actually, there is a wide variety of plant-based foods high in niacin.
Nutritional yeast
Above all, nutritional yeast is the richest food in niacin. It has 100 mg of niacin per 100g, or 15 mg per a 3 tbsp serving! Hence, eating nutritional yeast is the easiest way to boost our daily niacin intake.
Seeds & nuts
Moreover, we could eat 1–2 handfuls of seeds and nuts per day in order to meet our daily needs. Peanuts, chia, hemp, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds are great natural sources of niacin!
| mg/100g | |
| peanut butter | 13.3 |
| peanuts | 12.9 |
| hemp seeds | 9.2 |
| chia seeds | 8.8 |
| sunflower seeds | 8.3 |
| pumpkin seeds | 5 |
| almonds | 3.6 |
| flaxseeds | 3.1 |
| walnuts | 2.2 |
| cashews | 1.1 |
| Brazil nuts | 0.3 |
Peanut butter is pretty rich in niacin as well. A serving of 2 tbsp contains about 4.3 mg, or 26% of the Daily Value.
Beans contain moderate amounts of Niacin
Furthermore, consuming beans could help get high doses of niacin. In fact, green peas and lentils are the 2 richest beans in niacin.
| mg/100g | |
| green peas | 1.5 |
| lentils | 1.2 |
| chickpeas | 0.53 |
| soybeans | 0.4 |
| tofu | 0.38 |
| pinto beans | 0.32 |
| white beans | 0.14 |
Other common vegan foods high in Niacin
Mushrooms are also excellent sources of niacin. Portabella mushrooms have 6.26 mg, while maitake mushrooms have 6.58 mg of niacin per 100g, respectively. Additionally, dried shiitake mushrooms contain 14.1 mg of niacin per 100g!
Moreover, whole grains help us meet our daily needs. For instance, whole wheat bread (4.4 mg per 100g), brown rice (2.5 mg), and pasta are excellent sources of niacin. Just a slice of whole wheat bread provides 10% of the DV.
Avocado and potatoes are also common vegan foods high in niacin.
| | mg/100g |
| avocado | 1.9 |
| potato | 1.4 |
| raisins | 1.1 |
| spinach | 0.72 |
| banana | 0.67 |
| broccoli | 0.64 |
| tomato | 0.6 |
| apple | 0.09 |
Do Vegans get enough Niacin?
But, we shouldn’t depend on food from animal sources to get the recommended intake of niacin in order to maintain a healthy body weight. Actually, there are so many plant-based foods high in niacin.
In fact, nutritional yeast is the richest food in niacin. It has 100 mg niacin per 100g, or 15 mg per serving! Only 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast a day provide all the niacin we need.
Additionally, mushrooms, peanut butter, chia, sunflower, pumpkin, and flax seeds are particularly high in niacin. Hence, vegans and people who follow a plant-based diet should consume nutritional yeast, seeds, and nuts regularly in order to get high doses of niacin!
Moreover, many vegan foods, such as wheat flour, corn flour, rice, bread, and breakfast cereals, are fortified with niacin.
Last, but not least, there is a wide variety of plant-based foods high in tryptophan, which is converted to niacin. Beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are the best dietary sources of tryptophan.