Niacin, also known as vitamin B-3, is one of eight essential B-vitamins. It is water soluble, meaning your body doesn't store the vitamin, so you have to eat foods containing niacin throughout the day. High dosages of niacin can be beneficial for your cholesterol levels. Your doctor can prescribe pills containing high amounts of niacin if your cholesterol is a health concern.
Functions and Dosage
Niacin works with other B-vitamins to metabolize food so it can be utilized for energy. This important vitamin also helps produce certain sex hormones, as well as stress-related hormones. Having adequate amounts of niacin in your diet improves blood flow and keeps your cholesterol on track. Men and women require different amounts of niacin in a normal healthy diet. Women need 14 mg, while men need as much as 16 mg, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Types of Cholesterol
Your body needs some cholesterol to give structure to cell walls and arteries, as well as to produce certain hormones. Cholesterol can be good or bad. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, is the bad cholesterol that builds up on artery walls, leading to hardening and clogging, thus increasing your risk of heart disease. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL cholesterol, is the good cholesterol that aids in ridding your body of excess LDL cholesterol.
Niacin and Cholesterol
Niacin can help boost your good HDL cholesterol, while lowering your bad LDL cholesterol level. According to the Mayo Clinic, niacin can increase your good cholesterol by 15 to 35 percent. Additionally, niacin works to lower your triglycerides. This harmful fat can increase your risk of heart disease if too much is in your blood. For optimal heart health, your LDL should fall below 100 mg/dL, triglycerides need to stay under 150 mg/dL and HDL needs to be above 60 mg/dL. A dosage of 1 g of niacin per day may be prescribed to treat hyperlipidemia, a disorder causing high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood.
Food Sources
Niacin comes from a variety of food sources. Poultry meat is an excellent source; a 3 oz. serving of chicken breast provides 7.3 mg and the same amount of light turkey has 5.8 mg. Canned tuna contains more than 11 mg per 3 oz. serving, notes the Linus Pauling Institute. Fortified cereal can have as much as 27 mg per 1-cup serving. Additionally, 1-cup of cooked enriched pasta provides 2.3 mg, 1 oz. of peanuts contains 3.8 mg and 1-cup of cooked lentils has 2.1 mg. You can even get some niacin from your morning coffee. An 8 oz. mug of coffee contains about .5 mg.
