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There are a shocking number of forms of vitamin B3, with each having its own unique properties. Some are more bioavailable than others, side effects vary, etc. The two more well-known forms of vitamin B3 are niacin and nicotinamide riboside. While their effects are similar, especially on cellular processes, there are important differences to consider before increasing your intake of either.

What Is Niacin

Niacin is vitamin B3, which is vital to your body. This vitamin is crucial for metabolic health and for aiding cell energy production. Niacin is one of the water-soluble B vitamins. It is the generic name for nicotinic acid, which comes in a few forms, such as nicotinamide and nicotinamide riboside. While some benefits and side effects overlap, each form of niacin has its own advantages and side effects.

Once in the body, niacin is quickly converted to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). NAD+ is a vital coenzyme. It assists with many cellular processes, such as energy production and DNA repair. Niacin is readily found in most of the foods we eat, so most people will not and should not take supplementary vitamin B3. The side effects of high doses can be severe, ranging from an upset stomach to liver toxicity.

What Is Nicotinamide Riboside

While niacin is the most recognized form of vitamin B3, it isn’t the only one. In fact, those who use cosmetic products or products aimed at promoting skin health are likely familiar with another form: nicotinamide riboside. Nicotinamide riboside is an amide form that is used over niacin because one of the side effects of a high dose of niacin is skin flushing. This particular side effect is absent in nicotinamide riboside.

Nicotinamide riboside is a newer form of vitamin B3. As with many other forms of vitamin B3, it helps your body in numerous ways. It supports cellular energy production and enhances mitochondrial function, making it vital to metabolic health. Its most significant selling point for many is that it promotes healthy aging. As a result, it’s a popular ingredient in anti-aging and other skin health products. The biggest benefit it may offer is its high bioavailability, meaning not only will you absorb nicotinamide riboside relatively quickly, but your body will also start using more of it faster. It can also be found in dietary supplements for this reason.

Benefits of Nicotinamide Riboside

Supplementing your diet with nicotinamide riboside has been shown to have many positive effects. A few examples include healthy aging, increasing your nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide levels, supporting cellular metabolism through enhancing mitochondrial function, and possibly leading to improved metabolic health. And, unlike niacin, high doses of nicotinamide riboside won’t lead to skin flushing.

That’s not all that this form of vitamin B3 can do, though. Research suggests that it may also have some anti-aging effects by promoting healthy aging. It may even improve both athletic performance and cognitive function. Nicotinamide riboside is highly bioavailable, making it an effective vitamin B3 supplement that supports energy production and may even reduce the risk of age-related diseases. This has already made it a common ingredient in cosmetics and skincare products.

Dietary Supplements and Vitamin B3

Many people choose to start taking vitamin B3 supplements, but be sure to use them with care. The supplement you take needs to be high-quality and backed by human studies and other scientific research. This is important because of nicotinamide mononucleotide, or NMN. While not harmful, this form of vitamin B3 is still being studied. What we do know so far, though, is that the bioavailability and efficacy are still in question. It’s best to avoid this one until more clinical trials and human studies have been performed.

It’s essential to be careful when taking any vitamin B3 supplement, including nicotinamide riboside, to ensure you achieve the desired effects of treating niacin deficiency and supporting cellular metabolism, mitochondrial function, cellular energy, and DNA repair. Taking excessively high doses can cause a wide range of other issues, such as liver damage. Nicotinamide riboside is highly orally bioavailable, which increases these risks. Before you start taking any new supplement, talk to your doctor. They can ensure you’re not doing more harm than good. Also, follow the supplement’s instructions to make sure you’re getting an adequate intake.

Conclusion

Niacin and nicotinamide riboside are not the same, but they are similar. Understanding the similarities and differences between these two forms of vitamin B3 is essential to staying healthy. Nicotinamide riboside has many benefits, as shown in clinical trials. It aids cellular energy production by enhancing cellular metabolism and mitochondrial function, supports DNA repair, and more. One of, if not the, largest benefits of nicotinamide riboside is its high bioavailability. For all of these reasons, we’ll probably continue to see it as a key ingredient in skin health products.

However, it can have damaging effects in high doses, just like niacin. Unlike niacin, though, skin flushing isn’t one of them. Talk to your healthcare provider about niacin deficiency and vitamin B3 supplements before taking any. Otherwise, you might do more harm than good, potentially leading to irreversible liver damage.

It has promising potential, though, so research and clinical trials are still underway to discover more effects, both positive and negative. We may even find benefits for other tissues along the way.