Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, promotes brain health. Your brain uses niacin, along with other B vitamins, to break down carbohydrates into energy. Although rare, a niacin deficiency can cause memory loss, confusion, and depression. Niacin increases good cholesterol and decreases bad cholesterol and triglycerides, which helps prevent strokes. Niacin supplements are even used to treat some types of schizophrenia, and niacin is being studied as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s, although, so far, results have been mixed.
Dietary sources of vitamin B3 include whole-grain foods, fortified cereal, lean meat, fish, poultry, peanuts, brewer’s yeast, yogurt, and sunflower seeds.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for niacin is 14 milligrams per day for women and 16 milligrams per day for men. Because it’s water soluble, your body will get rid of extra amounts. Even so, don’t overdo it! Niacin has a UL (upper limit) set at 35 milligrams per day for adults over eighteen.