1. What is the nutrient? Niacin, also known as Vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin. https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b3-niacin 2. What is the RDA/DRI for the nutrient? The RDA/DRI for niacin is as follows: Age Group (years) Children 1-3 years Children 4-8 years Children 9-13 years Boys 14-18 years Girls 14-18 years Men 19 and older Women 19 and older Breastfeeding women Amount (mg) 6 mg 8 mg 12 mg 16 mg 14 mg 16 mg 14 mg 17 mh https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b3-niacin 3. How is the nutrient metabolized? Niacin is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Following oral intake, niacininduced vasodilation occurs within 20 minutes and persists for 20 to 60 minutes. Symptoms of this include: increase in skin temperature, itching and tingling sensations and flushing. Niacin is metabolized in the liver. Niacin becomes niacinamide and is widely distributed in the body before being excreted in the urine. Tryptophan is converted to niacin at 1mg of niacin for 60 mg of tryptophan. http://www.rxmed.com/b.main/b2.pharmaceutical/b2.1.monographs/CPS%20Monographs/CPS-%20%28General%20Monographs%20N%29/NIACIN%20%20NIACINAMIDE.html 4. What are food sources of the nutrient? Food sources of niacin include: beets, brewer’s yeast, beef liver, beef, kidney, fish, salmon, swordfish, tuna, sunflower seeds and peanuts. Breads and cereals are usually fortified with niacin as well. Foods that contain tryptophan can also be used as a source of niacin. https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b3-niacin 5. What disease states alter the nutrients metabolism? Pellagra is a disease state caused by chronic lack of niacin. For people who are having larger doses used to treat pellagra or lower cholesterol, niacin is contradicted in those individuals with hepatic dysfunction, active peptic ulcer diabetes mellitus, hyper uricemia and gouty arthritis. 6. What are the tests or procedures to assess the nutrient level in the body? Niacin can be tested using a niacin skin flush test and also a urine test. 7. What is the drug –nutrient interactions? Possible interactions are as follows: Drug Antibiotics, Tetracycline Interaction Niacin interferes with the absorption and effectiveness of tetracycline Aspirin Taking aspirin before niacin may reduce flushing from niacin Anti-seizure Medications These medications may cause niacin deficiency in some people Anticoagulants Niacin may increase effects of these meds, increasing the risk of bleeding Blood Pressure Medications Niacin can make the effects of these drugs stronger, leading to a risk of low blood pressure. Cholesterol Lowering Medications Niacin binds the cholesterol lowering medications and may make them less effective Statins Niacin may slow down the progression of heart disease, however the combination with statins may increase the chance of serious side effects Diabetes Medications Niacin may increase blood sugar levels Isoniazid May cause niacin deficiency Nicotine Patches May wrorsen or increase the risk of flushing These medications may lower levels of niacin in body: Azathioprine Chloramphenicol Cycloserine Fluorouracil Levodopa and carbidopa Mercaptopurine 8. How is the nutrient measured? The most sensitive way to test niacin status is through urinary excretion. For adults, 24hour excretion rates less than 5.8 µmol/day indicated deficiency and levels of 5.8 µmol/day to 17.5 µmol/day indicate low levels of niacin. 9. What is the Upper Tolerable Limits? The upper tolerable limit is as follows: Age Children 1-3y Children 4-8y Males 9-13y Males14-18y Males 19-30y Males 31-50y Males 51-70y Males >70 Females 9-13y Females14-18y Females 19-30y Females 31-50y Females 51-70y Females >70 Pregnancy 14-18y Pregnancy 19-30y Pregnancy 31-50y Lactation 14-18y Lactation 19-30y Lactation 31-50y Amount mg/day 10 15 20 20 30 35 35 35 20 30 35 35 35 35 30 35 35 30 35 35 10.What are the physical signs of deficiency? Symptoms of mild deficiency are: indigestion, fatigue, canker sores, vomiting and depression. Severe deficiency is known as a condition of pellagra. Pellagra is characterized by cracked, scaly skin, dementia and diarrhea. 11.What are physical signs of toxicity? Megadoses may impair glucose tolerance, may increase plasma homocysteine, can induce hyperuricemia. It my also cause rash, vomiting, abdominal pain and severe skin flushing. References Niacin. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2015, from http://www.gbhealthwatch.com/NutrientNiacin-Overview.php RxMed: Pharmaceutical Information - NIACIN NIACINAMIDE. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2015, from http://www.rxmed.com/b.main/b2.pharmaceutical/b2.1.monographs/CPSMonographs/CPS- (General Monographs- N)/NIACIN NIACINAMIDE.html Vitamin B3 (Niacin). (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2015, from https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b3-niacin