Last update Nov. 23, 2022

Nicotinic Acid; Niacin (Vit. B3)

Compatible

Safe product and/or breastfeeding is the best option.

Niacin, niacinamide, nicotinamide, nicotinic acid or vitamin B3 is one of the water soluble vitamins. It is naturally present in many foods and is available as a dietary supplement. Absorbed niacin is metabolized into the coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), essential to catalyze more than 400 metabolic reactions in the body related to cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis and cellular antioxidant function. Tryptophan is also a source of niacin. The daily requirement for niacin is 17 mg (or 1,000 mg tryptophan) for lactating women. Many foods contain niacin: meat, fish, whole grains, nuts, legumes... (NIH 2022 and 2019, Ares 2015, Hall 2010)

Breast milk contains niacin (1.2–2.8 mg/L) and its concentration is higher in mature milk than in colostrum and initial milk. (Allen 2019, Ren 2015)
Niacin content in breast milk is highly correlated with maternal intake (Allen 2019, Greer 2001). In healthy breastfed infants of well-nourished mothers, there is little risk of niacin deficiency. (Greer 2001)

Severe niacin deficiency causes pellagra
An excess of niacin (more than 30 mg daily) can cause skin, gastrointestinal and hepatic side effects.

Recommendations for Drugs in the Eleventh WHO Model List of Essential Drugs: compatible with Breastfeeding. (WHO 2002)

A moderate consumption of niacin without exceeding the daily requirements is compatible with lactation.

 

Suggestions made at e-lactancia are done by APILAM team of health professionals, and are based on updated scientific publications. It is not intended to replace the relationship you have with your doctor but to compound it. The pharmaceutical industry contraindicates breastfeeding, mistakenly and without scientific reasons, in most of the drug data sheets.

Jose Maria Paricio, Founder & President of APILAM/e-Lactancia

Your contribution is essential for this service to continue to exist. We need the generosity of people like you who believe in the benefits of breastfeeding.

Thank you for helping to protect and promote breastfeeding.

José María Paricio, founder of e-lactancia.

Other names

Nicotinic Acid; Niacin (Vit. B3) is also known as Niacinamide (Vit. B3). Here it is a list of alternative known names::


Nicotinic Acid; Niacin (Vit. B3) in other languages or writings:

Groups

Nicotinic Acid; Niacin (Vit. B3) belongs to these groups or families:

Tradenames

Main tradenames from several countries containing Nicotinic Acid; Niacin (Vit. B3) in its composition:

Pharmacokinetics

Variable Value Unit
Oral Bioavail. 100 %
Molecular weight 123 daltons
VD 2.79 l/Kg
Tmax 0.75 - 3 hours
0.9 - 4.3 hours
Theoretical Dose 0.22 mg/Kg/d
Relative Dose 3 - 9 %
Ped.Relat.Dose 2.2 %

References

  1. NIH. Niacin. Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. 2022 Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  2. NIH. Institutos Nacionales de Salud. Niacina. Hoja informativa para consumidores 2019 Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  3. Allen LH, Hampel D. Water-Soluble Vitamins in Human Milk Factors Affecting Their Concentration and Their Physiological Significance. Nestle Nutr Inst Workshop Ser. 2019;90:69-81. Abstract
  4. Ren X, Yang Z, Shao B, Yin SA, Yang X. B-Vitamin Levels in Human Milk among Different Lactation Stages and Areas in China. PLoS One. 2015 Abstract Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  5. Ares Segura S, Arena Ansótegui J, Díaz-Gómez NM; en representación del Comité de Lactancia Materna de la Asociación Española de Pediatría. La importancia de la nutrición materna durante la lactancia, ¿necesitan las madres lactantes suplementos nutricionales? [The importance of maternal nutrition during breastfeeding: Do breastfeeding mothers need nutritional supplements?] An Pediatr (Barc). 2015 Abstract Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  6. Hall Moran V, Lowe N, Crossland N, Berti C, Cetin I, Hermoso M, Koletzko B, Dykes F. Nutritional requirements during lactation. Towards European alignment of reference values: the EURRECA network. Matern Child Nutr. 2010 Oct;6 Suppl 2:39-54. Abstract Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  7. EFSA. European Food Safety Authority. Tolerable upper intake levels for vitamins and minerals. Scientific Committee on Food. 2006 Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  8. WHO / UNICEF. BREASTFEEDING AND MATERNAL MEDICATION Recommendations for Drugs in the Eleventh WHO Model List of Essential Drugs. Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development (WHO/UNICEF) 2002 Abstract Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  9. Greer FR. Do breastfed infants need supplemental vitamins? Pediatr Clin North Am. 2001 Abstract

Total visits

9,381

Help us improve this entry

How to cite this entry

Do you need more information or did not found what you were looking for?

   Write us at elactancia.org@gmail.com

e-lactancia is a resource recommended by Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine - 2015 of United States of America

Would you like to recommend the use of e-lactancia? Write to us at corporate mail of APILAM