Vitamin B3 Unit Converter

Vitamin B3 is a water-soluble B vitamin that exists in two main forms: nicotinic acid (niacin) and nicotinamide (niacinamide). Both forms serve as precursors to NAD and NADP, coenzymes required by over 400 enzymes in the body.

A blood test for vitamin B3 measures nicotinic acid and nicotinamide levels in your blood. These reflect your recent niacin intake rather than long-term stores, since niacin is water-soluble and has a short half-life.

The body can also produce niacin from the amino acid tryptophan, with roughly 60 mg of dietary tryptophan yielding 1 mg of niacin equivalent.

Obtained from dietary sources including poultry, fish, meat, liver, peanuts, legumes, whole grains, and enriched cereals. The body also synthesizes niacin from the amino acid tryptophan, a conversion that requires adequate riboflavin (B2), vitamin B6, and iron.