Niacin

This mineral helps your body produce energy from consumed foods. It’s also important in other biochemical activities in your body. Niacin is a B vitamin mineral. What makes this mineral so different is that your body can synthesize niacin from the amino acid tryptophan. So basically your body uses the niacin from foods, as well as the niacin created within your body.

Best Sources of Niacin:

The richest sources of niacin is from high protein foods such as beef, poultry, and fish. Other rich sources are peanut butter, and fortified cereals are good food for niacin.

When You Don’t Eat Enough:

Individuals with low levels of niacin develop Pellagra. The symptoms of pellagra are depression, apathy, headache, fatigue, memory loss, diarrhea, skin conditions, and mental problems. People living in urban communities do not have niacin deficiencies unless they have chronic alcoholism or Hartnup’s disease (condition where disruption of the process of converting tryptophan to niacin).

Eating Too Much:

Consuming excess levels of niacin from foods have no ill effects. Excess of niacin from supplements can cause nausea, vomiting, flushed skin or liver damage.

How Much You Need:

niacin