Nutrient deficiencyOne of 30 articles on the topicAll vitamins at a glance

Vitamin B3 deficiency: symptoms, causes and treatment

Skin that burns in sunny spots, a sore tongue, irritable mood? Vitamin B3 works in every cell. A true deficiency is rare; too much niacin from tablets is the more common problem. Which symptoms are proven, what pellagra is, and how much is too much.

Gregor AßlaberJoerg Hauke
Gregor Aßlaber, Editor at Saturo · ✓Fachlich geprüft von Joerg Hauke, Nutrition expert
Aktualisiert 1 October 2026 · 16 Min. Lesezeit · 72 Quellen
In 30 seconds
Vitamin-B3-Quellen auf hellem Stein: Erdnüsse, Champignons, Sonnenblumenkerne, Vollkornbrot, Erbsen, Thunfisch, Hähnchenbrust, Lachs und eine Tasse Kaffee
B3Niacin
Vitamin B3 sources at a glance: peanuts, button mushrooms, sunflower seeds, wholemeal bread and peas from the plant world, tuna, chicken breast and salmon as animal sources, plus a cup of coffee.

The key points in 30 seconds

Daily requirement
11–16mg

DGE recommended intake in niacin equivalents: women 11 to 13 mg, men 14 to 16 mg a day. 100 g of chicken breast, or a handful of peanuts with two slices of wholemeal bread, covers that.

EU limit for nicotinic acid
10 mg

This much nicotinic acid from supplements is considered safe long term in the EU. It's a third of the dose at which skin occasionally turns red. For nicotinamide the limit is 900 mg.

Below the recommendation
1–2%

of men and women in the National Nutrition Survey didn't reach the recommended intake; the median was two to three times higher. Niacin is the best-supplied vitamin in Germany.

Flush
Warning sign

Red, hot skin after a niacin capsule doesn't mean it's working. It means the dose is too high. From around 30 to 50 mg of nicotinic acid this happens regularly; nicotinamide never causes it.

01 Recognise

Vitamin B3 deficiency symptoms: how to recognise them

Vitamin B3, also called niacin, is the building block of NAD, a helper in over 400 reactions in every cell. If it's missing for months, it hits your skin, mouth and gut as well as your nerves and mind; the full picture is called pellagra (chapter 2). In Germany that's rare and almost always has a cause from chapter 4.
Interactive

Which signs do you recognise in yourself?

Tap what applies to you. You'll then see how many typical signs add up.

Not a diagnostic tool. All of these signs have many possible causes. Only an examination at your doctor's surgery can give you certainty. For sudden confusion, hallucinations or bloody diarrhoea: get medical help immediately.

Vitamin B3 deficiency symptoms in adults: the first signs

The first signs are unspectacular and come before any skin changes: loss of appetite, weakness, weight loss, digestive complaints ranging from burning in the upper abdomen to constipation or diarrhoea, plus irritability, anxiety and trouble concentrating. That's how the WHO and DGE describe it. These early signs are only documented as a precursor to a true deficiency; no study has shown that someone with a marginal intake is tired because of it. So tiredness alone points first to iron, sleep, thyroid and vitamin B12.
Woman looking at her reddened forearm in the sun: with vitamin B3 deficiency, skin on sun-exposed areas reacts like sunburn
Backs of the hands, forearms, neck: with niacin deficiency, the skin reacts exactly where the sun reaches it, and gets worse with every new exposure.

Vitamin B3 deficiency in skin, mouth and gut: redness in sunny spots

The key symptom is a symmetrical redness on sun-exposed skin: backs of the hands and forearms up to the sleeve line, feet and shins, nose and cheeks, a band around the neck along the collar (Casal necklace). At first it looks like sunburn, then the skin turns brown, rough and scaly, with a sharp border to healthy skin, and every new bout of sun makes it worse; why is unknown. Added to that are a red, swollen, painful tongue, a sore mouth, burning in the gullet and upper abdomen, bloating, constipation or, later, diarrhoea. Without sun, the skin signs can be absent.

Vitamin B3 deficiency and mental health: irritability, anxiety, confusion

In pellagra, depression, anxiety and apathy are common, along with headaches, dizziness and tremors. Later come confusion, memory gaps, hallucinations and delirium, which in people with alcohol dependence looks like withdrawal. According to the WHO, the classic fourth D, dementia, is rare. Delirium is more common, and it can be the only sign. This evidence applies to full-blown pellagra. No study shows that a marginal supply changes mood or sleep in healthy people. If you feel restless inside, a doctor will usually check your thyroid, B12 and folate first.
Fact check

What really fits vitamin B3 deficiency and pellagra

Eleven complaints from search queries and textbooks, and what the WHO, MSD Manual and studies actually say about them.

What the sources sayAssessment
Redness on sun-exposed skin, Casal necklaceKey symptom per WHO, MSD Manual, NIH; takes months of severe undersupplyEvidenced
Red tongue, sore mouthAround 60% of pellagra cases in Malawi; also seen with B2 deficiencyEvidenced
DiarrhoeaOnly 19% of cases in Malawi; constipation equally commonEvidenced, not always
Loss of appetite, heartburn, weight lossEarly signs per WHO and DGEEvidenced
Depression, anxiety, apathyCommon in pellagra; unproven in healthy people without pellagraEvidenced in pellagra
Delirium, psychosis, dementiaLate stage; delirium more common than dementia (4 to 10% of chronic cases)Evidenced, late stage
Tiredness, weakness, irritabilityNon-specific early signs, no study on marginal supplyPossible
Tingling, muscle weaknessMore likely other B vitamins; niacin alone didn't helpPossible
Sleep problems, hair lossNo study; sleep data only on NAD boostersUnproven
Weight gainWHO describes the opposite, weight lossUnproven
High blood pressure, high cholesterolMSD Manual: link “uncertain”; cholesterol only as a drug effectUnproven

Based on WHO 2000, MSD Manual 2026, NIH ODS 2022, DGE 2025, StatPearls 2023, Oldham 2012 and a keyword search in Europe PMC. As of 1 October 2026.

Vitamin B3 deficiency symptoms in women

Three things are different. In pregnancy, the requirement rises to 14 mg from the second trimester and 16 mg in the third. At the same time, the body converts tryptophan to niacin more efficiently. A deficiency from diet alone hasn't been described in Germany. Eating disorders mostly affect women, and anorexia is one of the few causes of pellagra in Europe, even without visible underweight. And the skin signs are more likely to be mistaken for acne, rosacea or sun allergy in women. The difference is the sharp border with healthy skin and the exact location on sun-exposed areas. PMS and the menopause have nothing to do with niacin.

Blood pressure, sleep problems, hair loss: what doesn't fit with B3 deficiency

The three most-searched complaints aren't listed as deficiency signs in any specialist source. On blood pressure, the MSD Manual says a link with niacin status is uncertain; what nicotinic acid does to blood pressure at high doses is covered in chapter 8. Sleep problems have only been studied with NAD boosters, not in niacin deficiency. Hair loss appears in a single list of complications without any evidence.
When to see a doctor

Redness on the backs of your hands, forearms or neck that feels like sunburn and turns sharply defined brown, plus a sore mouth or diarrhoea: see your GP, especially if you drink alcohol, have an eating disorder or are on tuberculosis therapy. Sudden confusion is an emergency.

02 Pellagra

Pellagra: the disease behind severe vitamin B3 deficiency

Pellagra isn't a separate condition alongside the deficiency, it's the full-blown version: skin, gut and brain all at once. A hundred years ago it killed tens of thousands in the USA and southern Europe. Today it affects the odd individual in Europe, almost always with a history behind it.

What is pellagra?

The name comes from Italian, pelle agra, meaning rough skin, and describes the key symptom: a brown, rough, sharply bordered dermatitis on sun-exposed skin. Textbooks sum the disease up as the four Ds: dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia, death. The WHO considers the formula misleading, because diarrhoea is often absent and dementia is rare. In one case series, only 3 of 16 people with alcohol dependence and pellagra had the full triad. Untreated, it is fatal. In the early 20th century, 39% of those affected in the US Deep South died. With nicotinamide, it improves within days.

Does pellagra still exist today?

Yes, in risk groups. In 105 case reports from 1957 to 2014, alcohol was the main factor in 35%, medication in 26%, too little food in 16% and absorption disorders in 13%. More recent European cases involve anorexia, gastric bypass plus alcohol, Crohn's disease, HIV and homelessness. There are no figures for Germany. Historically, pellagra was a maize disease: in maize, niacin is tightly bound to sugars and protein, and its protein is low in tryptophan. People who ate maize porridge fell ill. People who soaked maize in limewater, as in Central America, didn't, because the alkali releases the niacin. That's why tortillas never caused pellagra.
03 Understand

How vitamin B3 works in the body

Three stops from plate to cell. Once you know them, you'll see why eggs and milk count even though they contain hardly any niacin, why alcohol and maize cause deficiency, and why your body rarely runs completely empty.

1

Plate and tryptophan

Niacin from meat, fish, peanuts, mushrooms and coffee is absorbed almost completely in the small intestine. On top of that, the liver makes niacin itself from the amino acid tryptophan: 60 mg of tryptophan yields about 1 mg. That's why eggs, milk, cheese and soy count too, and why the DGE calculates in niacin equivalents. The conversion needs vitamin B2, B6 and iron.

2

NAD and NADP in every cell

Both sources produce NAD, the electron carrier for over 400 reactions, and NADP for building and protection. There's no real store: a small reserve sits in the red blood cells, and the rest is methylated in the liver and excreted in the urine. These breakdown products are exactly what the deficiency test measures.

3

Energy, DNA, skin and nerves

NAD extracts energy from sugar, fat and protein, repairs DNA and controls enzymes that switch genes on and off. Cells with a high turnover suffer first: skin in sunlight, the gut lining, nerve cells. That gives you the three fronts of deficiency.

04 Causes

Vitamin B3 deficiency causes: who is really at risk

Too little on your plate is almost never the reason in Germany: men take in a median of 36 mg niacin equivalents a day, women 27 mg, two to three times what they need. A deficiency arises when alcohol, an illness or a medication gets in the way.

How much vitamin B3 do you need per day?

The DGE recommends 11 to 13 mg niacin equivalents for women and 14 to 16 mg for men, graded by age, because the requirement depends on energy intake: 6.6 mg per 1,000 kcal. It drops slightly with age and rises to 14 to 16 mg during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Niacin equivalents count preformed niacin plus one sixtieth of the tryptophan from protein. On labels, the reference value is 16 mg. 100 g of chicken breast, or a handful of peanuts with two slices of wholemeal bread, is enough.
Interactive

How much vitamin B3 do you need per day?

12mg NE per day

Woman 25 to 50: 12 mg niacin equivalents a day (19 to 24 years: 13 mg, 51 and over: 11 mg). 30 g of peanuts (5.5 mg), 150 g of lentils (3.6 mg) and two slices of wholemeal bread (3.1 mg) cover that between them. A piece of salmon alone provides around 18 mg.

Recommended intake according to the DGE's D-A-CH reference values (derived 2015) in mg niacin equivalents (1 mg = 1 mg niacin = 60 mg tryptophan). Children: 8 mg (1 to 3 years) to 17 mg (boys 15 to 18 years). EFSA calculates 1.6 mg per megajoule. On labels, the reference intake is 16 mg (NRV).

What is a vitamin B3 depleter?

This means substances that use up niacin or block its build-up from tryptophan. The best-documented are the tuberculosis drugs isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethionamide: they are chemically similar to nicotinamide and displace it; taking nicotinamide alongside them prevents a deficiency. Then there are the chemotherapy drugs 5-fluorouracil and azathioprine, each with isolated cases. Two conditions act like depleters: in carcinoid syndrome the tumour uses up tryptophan to make serotonin, and in the hereditary Hartnup disease the transporter that takes tryptophan up from the gut and kidney is missing.
At a glance

B3 depleters: medicines and conditions that lower your levels

Documented triggers of niacin deficiency and what follows from them.

Used for / what it isWhat happens to niacinWhat to do
Isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethionamideTuberculosisDisplace nicotinamide, block its build-up from tryptophanAdd nicotinamide or B complex, under medical guidance
5-FluorouracilChemotherapyBlocks the conversion of tryptophan; isolated casesWatch your skin and mouth during treatment
AzathioprineAutoimmune conditionsBlocks the conversion; two case reportsThink of niacin if skin signs appear
AlcoholMost common cause in EuropePoor diet, gut damage, blocked conversionWithdrawal, nicotinamide plus B complex under medical guidance
Carcinoid syndromeSerotonin-producing tumourTryptophan goes into serotonin; 45% are deficientNiacin is part of tumour treatment
Hartnup diseaseHereditary, rareTryptophan is not absorbedNicotinamide for life, under medical guidance
Crohn's disease, chronic diarrhoea, cirrhosisAbsorption and metabolismLess absorption, more lossTreat the underlying condition, check vitamins
Anti-epileptics (phenytoin, valproate)EpilepsyOnly old isolated cases with additional factorsNo supplement without a diagnosis

Based on NIH ODS 2022, MSD Manual 2026, StatPearls 2023, Li 2016, Shah 2005, Bouma 2016 and case reports. Not a dosage recommendation; only change medication with your doctor's guidance.

Alcohol: the most common cause in Europe

Alcohol acts on every route at once: people who drink a lot eat little and eat a narrow range of foods, the gut absorbs less, and the conversion of tryptophan to niacin is blocked. In the case reports, alcohol was the main factor in 35%, and pellagra often shows up there only as delirium that looks like withdrawal. The catch: treating people with alcohol dependence with just vitamin B1 and B6 can make the confusion worse, which is why niacin belongs in every vitamin treatment for alcohol dependence (the related condition Wernicke's is covered in the vitamin B1 article).

Gut, stomach surgery, eating disorders: who else is at risk

The DGE (German Nutrition Society) names alcoholism, anorexia, chronic diarrhoea, liver cirrhosis and Hartnup disease as causes in Germany. With Crohn's disease, coeliac disease and after bowel surgery, absorption is the problem; with anorexia, it's intake. After obesity surgery there are only isolated cases, mostly together with alcohol; dialysis is not a documented cause. Two bits of good news: eating vegan is not a risk, as a large cohort shows vegans take in almost the same amount of niacin as people who eat meat, because peanuts, wholegrains, pulses, mushrooms and the tryptophan in soya cover it. And coffee supplies part of your requirement on the side.
05 Diagnosis and treatment

Identifying and fixing a vitamin B3 deficiency

There's no routine niacin value in a blood count. Diagnosis is clinical: typical skin signs, medical history, response to nicotinamide. Here's what blood and urine tests show, what the test costs and how fast treatment works.
Before the test

If you take supplements with niacin, a B complex or energy drinks, tell your doctor's office: they distort the urine value. If your tongue is sore, ask for vitamin B2, B12, folic acid and iron to be tested too, as these are the more common causes.

Vitamin B3 deficiency test: what blood and urine show

The most reliable marker is the breakdown products in 24-hour urine, N1-methylnicotinamide and 2-pyridone: below 5.8 µmol a day counts as deficient, 5.8 to 17.5 as low, and above that as sufficient. According to the NIH, blood values are unreliable; some labs measure nicotinamide in serum, but it isn't established as a deficiency test. That's why the MSD Manual says: diagnosis is clinical, confirmed by improvement on nicotinamide. If you pay for it yourself, a serum test at a Berlin lab costs around 60 euros, not including doctor's fees; home tests have no validation.
Urine sample in the lab: vitamin B3 status is determined from breakdown products in 24-hour urine, not from the blood value
It's not the blood, it's the urine that shows your supply: the methylated breakdown products of niacin in 24-hour urine are the established marker.

Fixing a vitamin B3 deficiency: food, tablet or cause?

The order is always the same: cause first, otherwise the deficiency comes back, then food, and for pellagra a medicine. The WHO recommends 300 mg of nicotinamide daily in divided doses over three to four weeks, plus a B complex, because other B vitamins are almost always missing too. Nicotinamide rather than nicotinic acid, because it doesn't cause a flush; these are medical doses, not a food supplement. How long does it take? Mouth and diarrhoea improve within a few days, skin and mood usually within the first week, and chronic cases take longer; in case reports, people were symptom-free after two to four weeks. Until then: avoid the sun, no alcohol.
06 Too much niacin

Niacin side effects and overdose: when vitamin B3 does harm

In Germany, too much niacin is a more common problem than too little, and it only comes from supplements: you can't reach a harmful amount through food. Whether a dose is bothersome or dangerous depends on the chemical form.

Nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, niacin: what's the difference?

Niacin is the collective name for two substances that do the same job in the body but act completely differently as supplements. Nicotinic acid widens the blood vessels in your skin from around 30 to 50 mg (the flush) and, in gram doses, lowers blood fats, with risks to the liver and blood sugar; the EU upper limit is 10 mg. Nicotinamide causes no flush, is in most multivitamins and is rated safe up to 900 mg. Inositol hexanicotinate is sold as “flush free”, but releases on average 30% less niacin.
Comparison

Four forms of vitamin B3 in supplements

What it says on the pack, and what it means for flush, upper limit and risk.

Nicotinic acidNicotinamideInositol hexanicotinateNR and NMN
Also calledNiacin, vitamin B3Niacinamide, nicotinic acid amide“Flush-free niacin”NAD booster
FlushYes, from around 30 to 50 mgNoBarelyNo
EU upper limit (SCF)10 mg a day900 mg a dayNone of its ownNone; NMN assessed up to 300 mg
BfR proposal per supplement4 mg160 mg4.4 mgNo proposal
Typical useFormerly a cholesterol-lowering drugMultivitamins, pellagra treatmentFood supplementsAnti-ageing supplements
Risk at high dosesLiver, blood sugar, uric acid, eyesNausea; liver only from around 3 gLike nicotinic acid, but less absorbedClinical benefit unproven

According to SCF 2002, BfR 2021, NIH ODS 2022, EFSA 2021 and 2026, MacKay 2012. Upper limits do not apply during pregnancy and breastfeeding or to medical treatment.

Niacin flush: why your skin goes red and whether it's dangerous

Nicotinic acid binds to a receptor in the skin, skin cells release prostaglandins and the small blood vessels widen: your face, arms and chest turn red and hot, and it burns, tingles and itches, usually within 30 minutes. At a single dose of 50 mg this happens to one in twenty people, at 100 mg to one in two. According to the NIH, the flush is unpleasant but not toxic, though it can come with headache, dizziness and a drop in blood pressure; the EU upper limit is based on this. For the Verbraucherzentrale (German consumer advice centre), it's not a sign that it's working but a warning signal to stop taking it. Nicotinamide doesn't trigger it at all.
Man with a flushed face holding a small tablet tub: the niacin flush appears from around 30 to 50 mg of nicotinic acid
Red, hot, tingling, usually half an hour after the capsule: the flush is harmless, but a warning signal that your nicotinic acid dose is too high.

Niacin overdose: at what dose does it become dangerous?

Never from food. Since 2002, the EU upper limit for nicotinic acid from supplements has been 10 mg a day: a third of the dose at which a flush occasionally appears, as a safety margin. The BfR proposes just 4 mg for food supplements, and 160 mg for nicotinamide. One meta-analysis considers 10 mg very cautious, with severe side effects in healthy people only appearing below 1,000 mg a day; in Europe, though, the 10 mg limit still stands. The scale shows where your dose sits, in milligrams of nicotinic acid from all supplements combined.
Interactive

How much extra nicotinic acid do you take a day?

Tap an amount or type in the number from the pack: niacin or nicotinic acid from tablets, capsules, powders, energy drinks and B-complexes combined. If the pack says “nicotinamide” or “niacinamide”, use the table above, not this scale.

Pick your dose above. The scale is logarithmic so that everyday needs and gram-level doses fit on one line.

Not a diagnostic tool. Limits based on SCF 2002 (10 mg), BfR 2021 (4 mg per supplement), NIH ODS 2022 (flush from 30 to 50 mg, side effects from 1,000 mg), Verbraucherzentrale 2026, McKenney 1994. Nicotinamide has its own limits (900 mg EU, 160 mg BfR). Doses prescribed by a doctor are a treatment, not a food supplement.

Symptoms of a vitamin B3 overdose are graded by dose: flush, headache and dizziness from 30 to 50 mg of nicotinic acid; nausea, heartburn and abdominal pain from several hundred milligrams; from around one gram, liver values up to liver failure, especially with slow-release supplements, plus rising blood sugar, uric acid up to a gout attack and a mostly reversible macular oedema with blurred vision; two isolated cases at just 7 and 18 mg have been described. Nicotinamide is more forgiving: nausea and signs of liver strain only from around 3 g a day.

With niacin, I almost never see anyone getting too little, but I regularly see people getting too much: a B-complex, an energy drink, a sports product, and suddenly it's 50 milligrams a day. When your skin then goes hot, a lot of people think, “Now it's working.” It's the opposite. My advice: add up your packs, stop if you flush, and if you have questions about your levels, test first, then supplement.

Joerg Hauke, Nutrition expert, subject-matter review of this article

Hidden sources add up: according to the label, energy drinks contain around 8 mg per 100 ml, so one can has about 20 mg, mostly as nicotinamide; B complexes and multivitamins come in around 16 mg, and pure niacin supplements at 500 mg and more. Even chromium supplements exist as chromium nicotinate, bound to niacin. There are interactions with blood sugar-lowering drugs and anticoagulants; if you take such medication, discuss any niacin supplement with your doctor.
Jaundice, dark urine, abdominal pain

Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, severe abdominal pain, vision problems or persistent nausea while taking high-dose niacin: stop taking it and get medical advice straight away, as these could be liver or eye damage. A flush on its own isn't an emergency, but it is a reason to stop the dose.

07 Nutrition

Vitamin B3 foods: where to find the most

Niacin is found in meat, fish, peanuts and mushrooms, as well as in coffee and bread; thanks to their tryptophan, eggs, milk, cheese and soy count too. The bars show the top 10 per 100 g in niacin equivalents, as eaten, according to the USDA.

Vitamin B3 per 100 g: top 10 plant-based and animal-based

  1. Peanuts (roasted): 18.2 mg NE
  2. Chia seeds: 16.1 mg NE
  3. Pumpkin seeds: 14.6 mg NE
  4. Sunflower seeds: 14.1 mg NE
  5. Tahini (sesame paste): 11.7 mg NE
  6. Sesame: 11.0 mg NE
  7. Almonds: 7.1 mg NE
  8. Oyster mushrooms: 5.7 mg NE
  9. Button mushrooms (cooked): 4.9 mg NE
  10. Soybeans (cooked): 4.4 mg NE

USDA SR Legacy 2018 in niacin equivalents (niacin plus tryptophan/60, our own calculation), seeds dry. Portions: 30 g peanuts 5.5 mg, 30 g pumpkin seeds 4.4, 100 g button mushrooms 4.9, 150 g tofu 6.5, 200 g wholemeal pasta 8.8, 180 g brown rice 5.6 mg. Hemp seeds and wheat germ are in the lookup.

Vitamin B3 foods: meat, fish, peanuts, mushrooms and tryptophan

With meat or fish, one portion is enough: 100 g of chicken breast gives you 20 mg of niacin equivalents, more than the daily requirement, 125 g of salmon 15 mg, 80 g of tinned tuna 11 mg. If you eat purely plant-based, you need three to five portions from peanuts, wholemeal pasta, brown rice, tofu, button mushrooms and lentils; an example vegan day comes to 30 mg. The twist: eggs, milk, cheese and soya contain almost no niacin, but they still count thanks to their tryptophan, with 30 g of Gouda giving about 1.8 mg. And fruit isn't a source: half an avocado covers around 8%, a banana 5%.

Coffee, maize and grains: hidden and bound niacin

Raw coffee beans contain hardly any niacin, but roasting creates it from the alkaloid trigonelline, up to 25 times over. The DGE names coffee alongside meat and bread as a main source in Germany; a cup provides roughly 0.3 to 1.4 mg, depending on the roast and the table. It's the other way round with grains and maize: most of their niacin is bound to sugars and protein, and only around 30% is available. So table values for wholegrain, rolled oats and bran overestimate what your body actually gets.
Interactive

How much vitamin B3 is in …?

Values in mg niacin equivalents per 100 g, as eaten (niacin plus tryptophan/60). Traffic light: 4.8 mg and above is high, 2.4 to 4.7 mg is medium, anything below is low. These are the label limits for “high content” and “source”. Type in what's on your plate, or pick a group.

  • Chicken breast chicken fillet 19.7150 g = 29.6 mg NE, roasted, without skin (USDA; BLS 26.8 mg per 100 g)
  • Chicken leg chicken drumstick, thigh 10.9120 g = 13.0 mg NE, roasted, meat without skin (USDA)
  • Turkey breast 17.8150 g = 26.7 mg NE, roasted (USDA)
  • Pork tenderloin pork fillet 12.0150 g = 18.0 mg NE, roasted, lean (USDA)
  • Pork chop pork loin 13.2150 g = 19.8 mg NE, grilled, lean (USDA)
  • Pork neck pork shoulder, collar 10.1150 g = 15.1 mg NE, roasted, lean (USDA)
  • Beef fillet beef tenderloin, fillet steak 11.5150 g = 17.2 mg NE, grilled, lean (USDA)
  • Beef mince minced beef 7.86125 g = 9.83 mg NE, fried, 85% lean (patty) (USDA)
  • Beef leg topside, hip, beef schnitzel 15.8150 g = 23.7 mg NE, grilled, lean (USDA)
  • Veal schnitzel veal, leg of veal 18.2150 g = 27.4 mg NE, fried, without breadcrumbs (USDA)
  • Leg of lamb lamb 12.7150 g = 19.1 mg NE, roasted, lean (Australian lamb) (USDA)
  • Venison roe deer, game 13.2150 g = 19.8 mg NE, grilled, loin (USDA)
  • Beef liver 23.1100 g = 23.1 mg NE, fried (USDA); because of the vitamin A, not every day and not during pregnancy
  • Pork liver 14.5100 g = 14.5 mg NE, braised (USDA)
  • Chicken liver poultry liver 18.3100 g = 18.3 mg NE, fried (USDA); same vitamin A note as for beef liver
  • Salami dry-cured sausage 9.8220 g = 1.96 mg NE, sliced (USDA)
  • Cooked ham ham, sliced 5.4950 g = 2.74 mg NE, sliced (USDA)
  • Bacon breakfast bacon 17.220 g = 3.45 mg NE, fried (USDA)
  • Bratwurst pork 10.6120 g = 12.7 mg NE, fried (USDA)
  • Viennese sausages frankfurters 5.27100 g = 5.27 mg NE, heated (USDA)
  • Tuna, fresh yellowfin tuna, tuna steak 27.3150 g = 40.9 mg NE, cooked (USDA; BLS only 15.5 mg per 100 g)
  • Tuna, tinned in its own juice 13.680 g = 10.9 mg NE, tinned, drained (USDA)
  • Tuna, tinned in oil 17.880 g = 14.3 mg NE, tinned, drained (USDA)
  • Salmon, farmed salmon fillet, Atlantic salmon 12.2150 g = 18.3 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Salmon, wild-caught 14.8150 g = 22.2 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Smoked salmon 8.1450 g = 4.07 mg NE, smoked, sliced (USDA)
  • Mackerel Atlantic 11.3150 g = 16.9 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Herring Atlantic 8.42150 g = 12.6 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Trout rainbow trout, farmed 11.3150 g = 16.9 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Sardines tinned in oil 9.8590 g = 8.86 mg NE, tinned, drained (USDA)
  • Anchovies tinned in oil 25.310 g = 2.53 mg NE, tinned, drained (USDA)
  • Swordfish 13.7150 g = 20.5 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Cod 6.78150 g = 10.2 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Pollock Alaska pollock, saithe 8.33150 g = 12.5 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Pangasius catfish, channel catfish 6.21150 g = 9.32 mg NE, cooked (channel catfish as a substitute) (USDA)
  • Prawns shrimp 7.01100 g = 7.01 mg NE, boiled (USDA)
  • Mussels 7.45150 g = 11.2 mg NE, boiled (USDA)
  • Squid calamari 5.97100 g = 5.97 mg NE, fried/deep-fried (USDA)
  • Egg hen's egg 2.6150 g = 1.31 mg NE, hard-boiled (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Whole milk cow's milk, 3.5% fat 0.76200 g = 1.51 mg NE, drinking milk (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Plain yoghurt yoghurt, 3.5% fat 0.41150 g = 0.61 mg NE, plain (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Low-fat quark quark 3.15125 g = 3.94 mg NE, plain (BLS 4.0); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Gouda semi-hard cheese 5.9330 g = 1.78 mg NE, cheese slice (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Emmental Swiss cheese 6.7530 g = 2.02 mg NE, cheese slice (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Parmesan 8.3010 g = 0.83 mg NE, grated (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Mozzarella 8.69125 g = 10.9 mg NE, fresh (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Peanuts shelled peanuts 18.230 g = 5.46 mg NE, dry-roasted, unsalted (USDA)
  • Peanut butter peanut spread 17.020 g = 3.39 mg NE, spread, smooth, no added salt (USDA)
  • Peanut butter 100% pure peanut butter 19.320 g = 3.86 mg NE, pure (BLS 4.0)
  • Sunflower seeds 14.130 g = 4.24 mg NE, dried, unroasted (USDA)
  • Pumpkin seeds 14.630 g = 4.38 mg NE, dried (USDA)
  • Sesame seeds 11.010 g = 1.10 mg NE, dried, unhulled (USDA)
  • Tahini sesame paste 11.720 g = 2.33 mg NE, roasted (USDA)
  • Chia seeds 16.115 g = 2.41 mg NE, dried (USDA)
  • Hemp seeds hulled hemp seeds 15.330 g = 4.61 mg NE, hulled (USDA)
  • Linseeds flaxseeds 8.0310 g = 0.80 mg NE, dried (USDA)
  • Almonds 7.1330 g = 2.14 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Walnuts 3.9630 g = 1.19 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Hazelnuts 5.0230 g = 1.51 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Cashews 5.8430 g = 1.75 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Pistachios 5.4830 g = 1.64 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Pine nuts 6.1720 g = 1.23 mg NE, dried (USDA)
  • Button mushrooms, cooked cultivated 4.86100 g = 4.86 mg NE, cooked, drained (USDA)
  • Button mushrooms, raw 4.19100 g = 4.19 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Oyster mushrooms 5.66100 g = 5.66 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Shiitake, fresh, cooked 1.57100 g = 1.57 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Shiitake, dried 14.610 g = 1.46 mg NE, dried (USDA)
  • Chanterelles 7.30100 g = 7.30 mg NE, raw (BLS 4.0)
  • Porcini ceps 8.40100 g = 8.40 mg NE, raw (BLS 4.0)
  • Lentils 2.41150 g = 3.62 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Chickpeas 1.94150 g = 2.91 mg NE, cooked (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Kidney beans red beans 2.31150 g = 3.47 mg NE, cooked (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • White beans 2.06150 g = 3.09 mg NE, cooked (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Green peas peas 2.64150 g = 3.96 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Soybeans 4.43150 g = 6.65 mg NE, cooked (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Edamame 3.02100 g = 3.02 mg NE, frozen, prepared (USDA)
  • Plain tofu 4.30150 g = 6.45 mg NE, plain (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Soy drink soy milk, unsweetened, no additives 1.15250 g = 2.87 mg NE, drink (USDA); almost entirely from tryptophan
  • Rolled oats oats, porridge oats 4.1650 g = 2.08 mg NE, dry (USDA); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Wholegrain rye bread wholemeal bread 3.1150 g = 1.56 mg NE, bread, 1 slice (BLS 4.0); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Rye-wheat bread mixed bread 2.4550 g = 1.23 mg NE, bread, 1 slice (BLS 4.0); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • White bread sliced bread, wheat bread 2.4740 g = 0.99 mg NE, bread, 1 slice (BLS 4.0); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Wheat roll white bread roll 3.2560 g = 1.95 mg NE, bread roll (BLS 4.0); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Wholegrain rye crispbread 2.6720 g = 0.53 mg NE, crispbread, 2 slices (BLS 4.0)
  • White pasta spaghetti, penne, pasta 1.78200 g = 3.57 mg NE, cooked, without US fortification (USDA)
  • Wholewheat pasta 4.41200 g = 8.82 mg NE, cooked (USDA); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • White rice long-grain rice 0.92180 g = 1.65 mg NE, cooked, without US fortification (USDA)
  • Brown rice wholegrain rice 3.11180 g = 5.60 mg NE, cooked (USDA); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Bulgur 1.80150 g = 2.70 mg NE, cooked (USDA); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Couscous 1.80150 g = 2.70 mg NE, cooked (USDA); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Quinoa 1.28150 g = 1.92 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Millet 1.96150 g = 2.94 mg NE, cooked (USDA); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Buckwheat buckwheat groats 1.76150 g = 2.64 mg NE, toasted, cooked (USDA); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Wheat bran 18.310 g = 1.83 mg NE, raw (USDA); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Wheat germ 12.110 g = 1.21 mg NE, raw (USDA); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Rice bran 35.810 g = 3.58 mg NE, raw (USDA); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Cornflakes, unsweetened not fortified 0.8030 g = 0.24 mg NE, breakfast cereal (BLS 4.0); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Cornflakes, sweetened, fortified with vitamins 15.430 g = 4.6 mg NE, only because fortified (label value, BLS); check the label
  • Potatoes jacket potatoes, boiled in their skins 1.92200 g = 3.84 mg NE, boiled in skin (USDA)
  • Sweet potato 2.15150 g = 3.23 mg NE, baked (USDA)
  • Sweetcorn 2.07100 g = 2.07 mg NE, cooked (USDA); niacin is bound, only around 30% available
  • Broccoli 1.12150 g = 1.68 mg NE, cooked, drained (USDA)
  • Spinach 1.16150 g = 1.74 mg NE, cooked, drained (USDA)
  • Red pepper 1.18150 g = 1.77 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Tomato 0.69100 g = 0.69 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Tomato purée 3.5920 g = 0.72 mg NE, canned (USDA)
  • Carrot 1.1880 g = 0.95 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Asparagus 1.57150 g = 2.35 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Brussels sprouts 1.07150 g = 1.61 mg NE, cooked, drained (USDA)
  • Avocado 2.1570 g = 1.51 mg NE, raw, half a fruit (USDA)
  • Courgette 0.61150 g = 0.92 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Kale 1.04150 g = 1.56 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Green beans French beans 0.95150 g = 1.42 mg NE, cooked (USDA)
  • Garlic 1.805 g = 0.09 mg NE, raw, 1 clove (USDA)
  • Nori seaweed sheet for sushi 16.53 g = 0.49 mg NE, toasted, dried (BLS 4.0)
  • Banana 0.81120 g = 0.98 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Guava 1.45100 g = 1.45 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Mango 0.89150 g = 1.33 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Peach 0.97150 g = 1.46 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Apricot 0.85100 g = 0.85 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Orange 0.43150 g = 0.65 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Apple 0.11150 g = 0.16 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Strawberries 0.52150 g = 0.78 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Raspberries 0.70125 g = 0.88 mg NE, raw (BLS 4.0)
  • Blueberries 0.47125 g = 0.58 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Kiwi 0.5980 g = 0.47 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Pineapple 0.58150 g = 0.87 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Pear 0.19150 g = 0.29 mg NE, raw (USDA)
  • Peaches, dried 4.5440 g = 1.82 mg NE, dried (USDA)
  • Apricots, dried 2.8640 g = 1.14 mg NE, dried (USDA)
  • Dates Medjool 1.7340 g = 0.69 mg NE, dried (USDA)
  • Prunes dried plums 2.3040 g = 0.92 mg NE, dried (USDA)
  • Figs, dried 0.9540 g = 0.38 mg NE, dried (USDA)
  • Raisins 0.8030 g = 0.24 mg NE, dried (USDA)
  • Mango, dried 4.4030 g = 1.32 mg NE, dried (BLS 4.0)
  • Banana chips/dried banana 3.3030 g = 0.99 mg NE, dried (BLS 4.0)
  • Filter coffee brewed coffee 0.19Cup of 200 ml = 0.4 (USDA) to 1.4 mg (BLS), depending on the roast; the DGE counts coffee as one of the main sources
  • Instant coffee powder soluble coffee 28.72 g = 0.57 mg NE, powder, 1 tsp (USDA)
  • Instant coffee, prepared 0.58200 ml = 1.15 mg NE, mixed with water (BLS 4.0)
  • Green tea 0.10200 ml = 0.20 mg NE, brewed (USDA)
  • Beer, pilsner lager 1.41500 ml = 7.05 mg NE, beer 0.5 litre (BLS 4.0)
  • Wheat beer 1.73500 ml = 8.65 mg NE, beer 0.5 litre (BLS 4.0)
  • Red wine 0.48150 ml = 0.72 mg NE, wine 0.15 litre (BLS 4.0)
  • Orange juice 0.43200 ml = 0.87 mg NE, juice (USDA)
  • Cocoa powder baking cocoa, unsweetened 7.0710 g = 0.71 mg NE, powder, 1 tbsp (USDA)
  • Grain coffee coffee substitute, powder 10.83 g = 0.32 mg NE, powder, 1 tsp (BLS 4.0)
  • Baker's yeast, dry dried yeast 49.21 sachet (7 g) = 3.4 mg NE, only as a baking ingredient (USDA)
  • Nutritional yeast yeast flakes 18.51 tbsp (5 g) = 0.9 mg; some products are fortified, check the label (BLS 4.0)
Source: USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy 2018 (nutrients 1167 niacin, 1210 tryptophan, equivalents our own calculation), bread, mushrooms, beer, nutritional yeast, and individual entries from the German Federal Food Code (Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel) 4.0. Rice, pasta and bread without the fortification common in the US. In cereals, part of the niacin is bound and only around 30% is available. Ballpark figures, not analysis values for your pack.

Cooking barely destroys niacin. It's heat-stable but water-soluble: fish, potatoes in their skins, rice, eggs and milk keep 95 to 100%, meat cooked in a pan or oven keeps 75 to 90%. Losses come from leaching: pulses are down to just 55% after two hours in water, drained pasta to 65%, boiled chicken without the broth to 60%. If you eat the cooking liquid, sauce or soup too, you're back to 90 to 100%.
Foods rich in vitamin B3: chicken breast, tuna, peanuts, mushrooms, wholemeal bread, sunflower seeds, peas and coffee
One piece of chicken breast covers your whole day on its own; without meat, peanuts, mushrooms, wholegrain, pulses, soya and, surprisingly, coffee step in.

Vitamin B3 in everyday life: drinkable meals

On sandwich-and-canteen days, the very food group that supplies niacin is missing. A drinkable meal then gives you a plannable contribution without the overdose question: depending on the flavour, one bottle of Saturo contains 4.8 to 5.5 mg of niacin, 30 to 34% of the reference intake, plus 25 other vitamins and minerals, 36 g of protein and 400 kcal. That's far below any upper limit, doesn't replace treatment for a confirmed deficiency and isn't a remedy for any illness. If you add up your niacin supplements, count the bottle in too.
Ready-to-Drink 6 x 400 ml
From the Saturo range

Drinkable meal: a complete meal in a bottle

26 vitamins and minerals, including niacin and vitamins B2, B6 and B12. One bottle provides 4.8 to 5.5 mg of niacin, which is 30 to 34% of the reference intake of 16 mg per day (NRV).

26Vitamins & minerals
36 gProtein
400kcal
5.5 mgNiacin per bottle34% of the reference intake
Choose a flavour
€4,39per meal
Drinkable meal · Cocoa€4,39 per meal ·
08 Heart, skin and hype

Vitamin B3 and blood pressure, cholesterol, skin: what's true

Three promises and one worry circulate around niacin: that it lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, that it protects your skin, and that too much of it harms your heart. Here's what the big studies say.

Vitamin B3 and blood pressure: what's true

A deficiency doesn't cause high blood pressure, and a supplement doesn't lower it; the MSD Manual calls any link between niacin status and hypertension uncertain. What does exist is the brief drop in blood pressure during the flush, because nicotinic acid widens the blood vessels; even so, in a small study with 1 g a day, 24-hour blood pressure didn't change. At very high doses the drop can get so strong that older people fall. What helps against high blood pressure is less salt, exercise, weight loss and medication, not vitamin B3.

Niacin for cholesterol: why it disappeared from treatment

Nicotinic acid in gram doses raises HDL and lowers LDL and triglycerides, which is why it was a cholesterol-lowering drug for decades. Then the outcome studies came: AIM-HIGH was stopped in 2011 for lack of effect, and HPS2-THRIVE found in 2014, among 25,673 patients, no fewer vascular events but more loss of blood sugar control in diabetes, more infections and more bleeding; the EU suspended the product in 2013. In 2024 a signal came from the other direction: high blood levels of the breakdown product 4PY were linked to more vascular events in heart patients, and in mice it promotes inflammation; an observation, not proof. The old question "Is niacin good for the heart?" gets a no from the research.

Nicotinamide against non-melanoma skin cancer?

In the Australian ONTRAC study, 386 people with at least two non-melanoma skin cancers in five years took 500 mg of nicotinamide twice a day; after one year they had 23% fewer new tumours, and once they stopped, the benefit was gone. In organ transplant recipients, the follow-up study in 2023 found no benefit. This is a medical therapy for high-risk patients, not prevention for everyone, and no substitute for sun protection. On the hype: NMN and NR, the NAD boosters, are well tolerated, but in meta-analyses they improved neither metabolism nor tiredness nor sleep. And niacinamide in creams is a cosmetics question; it tells you nothing about your supply.
09 Look it up

Common questions about vitamin B3 deficiency

How do you notice a vitamin B3 deficiency?

First with loss of appetite, weakness, digestive problems and irritability, then with a sunburn-like redness on the backs of your hands, forearms, neck and face, a sore tongue, diarrhoea and, in severe deficiency, confusion. The full-blown condition is called pellagra. In Germany it's rare and almost always has a cause: alcohol, an eating disorder, bowel disease or medication.

What happens if you take too much vitamin B3?

From food, nothing. From supplements, nicotinic acid causes a flush from around 30 to 50 mg: red, hot, itchy skin, sometimes dizziness. From several hundred milligrams come stomach problems, and from around one gram liver damage, rises in blood sugar and uric acid, and vision problems. Nicotinamide only causes trouble from around 3 g.

When should you take vitamin B3?

With a normal diet, not at all: 98 to 99% of people in Germany get enough from food. Niacin only makes sense with a confirmed deficiency, while taking tuberculosis drugs, or with alcohol dependence or Hartnup disease, under medical supervision and usually as nicotinamide. There's no proven role for time of day; taking it with a meal makes a flush milder.

How does vitamin B3 affect your mind?

As NAD, niacin supplies the energy of your nerve cells; the EU permits the claim that it contributes to normal psychological function. In pellagra, depression, anxiety and confusion are common and go away with nicotinamide. In healthy people, a supplement doesn't improve mood or sleep, and mega-doses against schizophrenia had no effect.

Which B vitamin shouldn't you overdose on?

Two: nicotinic acid (vitamin B3), whose EU upper limit of 10 mg is only just above your requirement, and vitamin B6, where from 12 mg permanent nerve damage is a risk (vitamin B6 article). Nicotinamide, B1, B2, B12 and folic acid are much more forgiving. With B-complex products, what counts is the total of all your packs.

Are vitamin B3 and niacin the same thing?

Yes. Niacin is the umbrella name for vitamin B3 and covers two substances: nicotinic acid and nicotinamide (niacinamide). In your body, both become NAD. As supplements they differ a lot: only nicotinic acid causes the flush and lowers blood fats in gram doses, while nicotinamide is found in multivitamins and skin creams.

Can alcoholism cause pellagra?

Yes, alcohol is the most common cause in Europe, and in case reports it was the main factor in 35% of cases. It displaces food, damages the gut and inhibits the conversion of tryptophan into niacin. Pellagra then often shows up only as confusion, similar to withdrawal, and improves quickly with nicotinamide.

How much does a vitamin B3 test cost at the GP?

There's no test covered by statutory health insurance, because there's no routine value for this. If you pay for it yourself, measuring nicotinamide in serum costs around 60 euros at a Berlin lab, plus the doctor's fee, but it isn't an established deficiency test. The breakdown products in 24-hour urine are more informative; with typical symptoms, what counts is how you respond to nicotinamide.

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Gregor Aßlaber
Gregor AßlaberAuthor · Editor, Saturo

Has been writing for Saturo since 2019 about nutrition, nutrients and how good nutrient supply works in practice in everyday life.

Joerg Hauke
Joerg HaukeFachliche Prüfung · Nutrition expert

Hat diesen Artikel am 1. Oktober 2026 auf fachliche Richtigkeit geprüft. The content is not a substitute for medical advice.

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