Just like thiamin and riboflavin, which I wrote about recently, niacin is another B vitamin commonly found in fortified foods such as cereals, breads from enriched flour, pasta, sauces, baby foods, energy drinks. In case you have wondered what it is and why it is needed, here is some research for you in a simple Q&A format. Let me know what you think of this format and if you have any other questions that I did not cover here. I will get them answered by one of our experts and post them under Ask the Expert column.

What is Niacin?

Niacin is also known as vitamin B3, one of the 8 B vitamins needed for many important cell functions inside our body. In short, they are needed for healthy functioning and growth of child’s body. Together they are also known as vitamin B complex especially in nutritional supplements.

Sometimes, the word niacin is also used for nicotinic acid and nicotinamide or niacinamide. It can get very confusing, especially because most fortified foods contain nicotinamide as a nutritional supplement and the ingredient list may not explicitly show niacin. Although they are chemically different, the thing to remember is that they all do pretty much the same thing inside the body.

Niacin, like the other B vitamins, is soluble in water. Just like riboflavin, niacin is also involved in production of energy at the cellular level. It is also responsible for synthesis of fatty acids, cholesterol and steroids. Even more importantly, it is involved in gene expression, that is production of proteins when genes become active. When taken as a medical treatment, niacin lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases good cholesterol (HDL) and reverses the clogging of arteries. Of course, you should not rely on supplements to achieve this effect if you have a cholesterol problem; you need to see a doctor!

Why does my child need it?

According to the 2nd edition of the PDR for Nutritional Supplements, niacin is involved in the conversion of carbohydrates, fat and protein into energy required for cell functions. It plays an important role in regulating your child’s metabolism and growth.

There is some recent research which shows a preventive effect of nicotinamide for type I diabetes. The data is far from conclusive, so you should talk to your doctor if you suspect your child might have a risk of type I diabetes because of family history or another medical condition.

How much niacin should my child be getting?
What are good sources of niacin?

For infants, the FDA has recommended a daily amount of 8 mg. And for toddlers less than 4 years old, the recommendation is 9 mg. Pregnant and nursing women are recommended to take about 20 mg per day. Healthy adults are also advised to take about 20 mg per day.

Niacin is usually present in meat, poultry, yeast, fish (salmon, tuna), whole grains, fortified cereals, breads made from enriched flour. Leafy green vegetables and milk also provide some niacin.  Here are a few examples of different food sources and amount of niacin per serving (source: wikipedia and Linus Pauling Institute):

1. Chicken, 3 oz (deck of cards), cooked = 7.3 mg
2. Turkey, 3 oz = 5.8 mg
3. Salmon, 3 oz = 8.5 mg
4. Fortified breakfast cereal, 1 cup = 5 mg
5. Portabella mushrooms, 3.5 oz = 3.6 mg
6. Lentils, 1 cup = 2.1 mg
7. Hazelnut, 100 g = 1.5 mg
8. Peanuts, 1 oz = 3.8 mg
9. Broccoli, sweet potatoes, carrots = 0.6 – 1.2 mg
10. Avocado, 100 g = 1.7 mg

It is not common  to get excessive amounts of niacin from food sources.

What happens if my child does not get enough niacin?

According to the PDR for Nutritional Supplements, niacin deficiency causes pellagra, which these days is very rare in the developed countries. In the old times, pellagra was a condition that resulted in dermatitis, dementia and diarrhea and even death.

Should I be concerned about niacin deficiency?

The short answer is no. There is a risk with corn rich diets unless the corn is processed in a certain way to release the niacin from its bound form. Too many refined carbohydrates, unless enriched with niacin – which they commonly are – can also present a risk. If you have known problems with digestion and absorption of food,  your doctor can advise a proper treatment including supplements.

What do you think? What changes, if any, would you consider making to your child’s diet so she gets enough niacin?

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