Tuna
Daily reference value of vitamin B3 is 20 mg according to the 2013 FDA food-labeling guidelines.
What Are the Recommended Dietary Allowances for Vitamin B3?
| 1–3 years | 6 mg |
| 4–8 years | 8 mg |
| 9–13 years | 12 mg |
| 14–18 years | 16 mg (boys); 14 mg (girls) |
| 19 years and older | 16 mg (men); 14 mg (women) |
The upper daily intake limit of vitamin B3 is 41 mg for men and 35 mg for women.
Vitamin B3 Supplements
• Dosage. The most common dosages of vitamin B3 supplements are 100–500 mg, which well exceeds the daily upper limit of 35–41 mg. Common side effects of vitamin B3 include flushing, fever, and itching.
• Types. Vitamin B3 supplements contain niacin, nicotinic acid, inositol hexanicotinate, niacinamide, and nicotinamide riboside. Inositol hexanicotinate may lower LDL levels. Niacinamide can mitigate the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, and nicotinamide riboside lowers LDL and blood glucose levels. These niacin-derived products are less likely to cause flushing or other side effects compared to niacin supplements.
• Hypercholesterolemia. Vitamin B3 can mitigate symptoms of hypercholesterolemia and osteoarthritis. The suggested daily dose is 1,000 mg.
• Melanoma. High-dose vitamin B3 can prevent melanoma. Australian studies have shown that people who took vitamin B3 supplements reduced their risk of melanoma by 23%. The suggested daily dose of vitamin B3 is 1,000 mg.
Safety Issues
• Side effects. High doses of vitamin B3 can cause flushing, itching, nausea, and vomiting, as well as high blood glucose and high blood levels of uric acid.
• Diseases. High doses of vitamin B3 increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and hepatitis. People with liver disease, ulcers, gout, or alcoholism should avoid taking high-dose vitamin B3 supplements. The sustained-release dosage form of niacin is also associated with potentially harmful side effects.
What Types of Drugs May Interact with Vitamin B3?
• Statins. Statins are the most commonly prescribed drugs to lower blood cholesterol levels. Muscle ache is a common side effect of statin drugs. Vitamin B3 supplementation exacerbates the muscle ache caused by statins.
• Sulfinpyrazone. Sulfinpyrazone is used as an antigout medication. Vitamin B3 can interfere with the drug’s action.
• Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can reduce blood levels of vitamin B3. Cancer patients who receive chemotherapy should consider taking vitamin B3 supplements.
Vitamin B5 is pantothenic acid. In 1933, Roger J. Williams discovered that an acidic water-soluble substance was essential for the growth and proliferation of yeasts. In 1939, scientists confirmed that the chemical structure of this acidic water-soluble substance was pantothenic acid and named it vitamin B5. Panto means “everywhere” in Greek, and pantothenic acid is a widely distributed nutrient in animal- and plant-based foods. In 1954, M. B. Hoagland and G. David Novelli found that vitamin B5 was the key precursor for the biosynthesis of coenzyme A, a cofactor that is essential for energy production in the cell and is one of the most important molecules for the survival of all living beings on the planet. Its prominent role in the life process equates to that of DNA. Coenzyme A allows the body to convert proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates from foods into energy. Energy sustains life. Without coenzyme A, no organism can survive on Earth.
What Are the Symptoms of Vitamin B5 Deficiency?
• The major symptoms of vitamin B5 deficiency are adrenal malfunction, dermatitis, enteritis, hair loss, and hepatic encephalopathy (liver disease causing a decline in brain functions). Various foods are rich in vitamin B5, so vitamin B5 deficiency is rare. Malnutrition and malabsorption are the main causes of vitamin B5 insufficiency.
Prevention and Treatment of Diseases
• Treatment. Vitamin B5 may decrease blood levels of LDL and triglycerides and increase blood levels of HDL. It may also mitigate the morning stiffness and pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis (102).
Which Food Items Are Vitamin B5 Rich?
Vitamin B5 is widely present in a variety of animal- and plant-based foods. Almost all kinds of foods contain vitamin B5. Animal-based foods like fish, eggs, milk, and other dairy products, as well as plant-based foods—such as vegetables, legumes, and whole wheat—are all excellent sources of vitamin B5.
This list of vitamin B5–rich food items is adapted from information provided by the USDA.
