Niacin, or vitamin B3, is a a water soluble B vitamin. The two most common forms of niacin are nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. The body can also convert tryptophan—an amino acid—to nicotinamide. Niacin is water-soluble so that excess amounts the body does not need are excreted in the urine. Niacin works in the body as a coenzyme, with more than 400 enzymes dependent on it for various reactions. Niacin helps to convert nutrients into energy, create cholesterol and fats, create and repair DNA, and exert antioxidant effects. 

Niacin has been used since the 1950s to maintain healthy balance of cholesterol levels. Since 1978, researchers have labeled niacin a “front-line” nutrient for cardiovascular support. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) panel designated niacin a “first-line therapy” for support of specific parameters related to balancing cholesterol levels in 1988, further emphasizing the micronutrient’s safety and importance in cardiovascular health. Other studies have shown niacin to enhance long-term cardiovascular health.

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