Vitamins and Minerals 101: Niacin

Here's another installment of what I'm sort of making an ongoing feature here on That's Fit. It's not really one of our true features (those are listed on the right hand side of this page), it's just something I felt like putting together myself. It's called Vitamins and Minerals 101, and this time around we're taking a look at Niacin.

Name: Niacin

What it Is: A water-soluble type of B vitamin (B3) that is sometimes also referred to as nicotinic acid.

What it Does: Among its many functions, niacin derivatives are involved with detoxification of xenochemicals, DNA repair, and the production of certain hormones in the adrenal gland.

How Much You Should Be Consuming: Recommended Daily Allowance for men and women age 14 and older is 14 mg/d. Pregnant women should shoot for 18 mg/d and breastfeeding women 17 mg/d. However, it is important to note that consuming too much (an amount that far exceeds the RDA) can be toxic and can lead to a number of possible side effects.

Where to Get It: Chicken, liver, beef, fish, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, nuts, whole grains, mushrooms.

Consuming an adequate amount of Niacin is important for maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet. For more information on this vital mineral, click HERE to visit the National Institute of Health's website.