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Niacin is regularly advocated in many hair loss products is an important element for preventing hair loss and stimulating hair growth. The vitamin itself is in fact beneficial for a variety of health issues and it's mainly influential in alleviating stress, a principal cause of many hair problems.

Like both of its earlier equivalent like B1 and B2 vitamins, Vitamin B3 is essential for releasing energy from the foods that you eat and converting them to different energy sources. It also helps with your skin, hair, nerves, digestive system and brain functions as well.

Vitamin B3 is made of nicotinic acid which later converts to niacinamide inside the body. Both compounds are required for living cells because they produced 2 important coenzymes, namely niacinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and niacinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP). These 2 coenzymes alone are responsible for over 40 of your body's critical biochemical and cellular processes.

Besides that, Niacin assists in balancing blood sugar and cholesterol, improving circulation while reducing blood pressure levels. It's overall a very useful vitamin that is generally recommended for maintaining optimum health.

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Main functions of Niacin

• Helps maintain mental health
• Releases energy from food
• Promotes proper growth and development
• Good for heart and blood circulation

Niacin can also play roles in maintaining your digestive system and ease diarrhoea attacks. If you are an alcoholic, the vitamin might help reduce dependencies. For arthritis sufferers, it can help reduce inflammation as well.

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Hair Benefits

There was a pilot study on two of the vitamin's derivatives, octyl nicotinate and myristyl nicotinate both specially formulated for the hair follicles on women suffering Female Pattern Baldness. Sixty females with mild to moderate pattern hair loss were assessed for a period of 6 months and the results came back quite positively with over 70% of the completed test subjects under the treatment reported improved hair density.

Full details on the study here (opens in a new window)

While the vitamin in its natural form is very much different from these two derivatives and cannot be used as a comparison for treating hair loss, there is no doubt that vitamin B3 has positive effects on your hair follicles mainly by improving blood circulation and providing sufficient energy. Niacinamide is also good anti-inflammatory agent which helps reduces symptoms of many scalp conditions.

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Deficiency Symptoms

• Memory problems
• Anxiety
• Headaches
• Fatigues
• Eczema
• Numbness and pricking in legs

Thiamin is easily destroyed by many factors like alcohol, caffeine, high temperatures and stress. If you are pregnant or smoke then you might need to take this supplement.

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Essential Information

Recommended Daily Allowance for Adults

18mg

Main Food Sources Lean meat Whole grains Brewer's yeast Fish Cheese

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Precautions

High doses of vitamin B3 should be avoided as it may cause liver malfunction, flushing and headaches. Taking more than 100mg is not recommended unless under your doctor's prescription and supervision. Pregnant women, diabetics and people with liver problems, gout and stomach ulcers should not take more than the daily RDA. Taking high levels of the vitamin is only possible under proper medical supervision.

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