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Niacinamide

No E-numberVitamins & mineralsOrigin: Lab-made
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The short answer
Niacinamide is the mild form of vitamin B3: it does the same job as nicotinic acid but does not make you flush. It is safe at amounts beyond anything in a drink or a cereal, and it is the version most fortified products use.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromLab-made
What it doesVitamins & minerals
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledNiacinamide, Nicotinamide

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDAApproved
🇪🇺 European UnionApproved
🇨🇦 Health CanadaApproved
CaliforniaNo extra rules

In the United States, niacinamide is permitted as a nutrient additive under the FDA's food additive rules for special dietary and nutritional additives. It has no E-number: the EU authorizes it as a nutrient for fortification under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 rather than as an additive, and EFSA found no adverse effects for niacinamide at intakes up to 900 mg a day, against 10 mg for nicotinic acid.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Niacinamide, also called nicotinamide, is the amide form of vitamin B3 and one of the two ways the vitamin can be added. It behaves the same as nicotinic acid once it reaches the cells, but it does not widen blood vessels, so there is no flush and no itching. That one difference is the reason the two forms have separate rules, and it is why a 500 mg tablet can be taken without the effect that the acid form causes at 50 mg.

Where it comes from: Niacinamide is made by chemical synthesis from nicotinic acid or from industrial building blocks. It dissolves easily in water and stays stable in drinks and cereals, which is why it became the default B3 in fortified products rather than nicotinic acid.

Why it’s in food

  • Fortifying drinks and drink powders
  • Adding B3 to breakfast cereals
  • Putting the vitamin in supplements
  • Enriching flour and grain products
  • Balancing diets short of B3

Often found in

Energy drinksDrink powders and mixesBreakfast cerealsMultivitamin tabletsEnriched breadFortified sport drinks

Also listed as: Niacinamide, Nicotinamide, Vitamin PP, Niacinamide (vitamin B3 amide)

Health & gut impact

No flushing limitBenefit

EFSA set an upper level of 10 mg a day for nicotinic acid because of the flushing it causes, and for niacinamide it found no adverse effects at intakes up to 900 mg a day. A fortified drink carries a tiny fraction of that, so there is no practical ceiling for an ordinary shopper.

EFSA Journal, scientific opinion on niacin

Everyday intakeBenefit

EFSA sets a dietary reference value of 16 mg of niacin equivalents a day for adults, and niacinamide counts toward it. A fortified cereal can cover a good part of that on its own, which is the point of adding it.

EFSA, dietary reference values for niacin

The form you can take dailyUnder study

The two forms are one atom apart chemically, and the body converts them to the same active compound. The difference is vascular rather than nutritional: nicotinic acid flushes and niacinamide does not, so anyone who reacted badly to a B3 tablet can often switch without losing the vitamin.

NHS, vitamins and minerals

What can I use instead?

Niacin (nicotinic acid)

Ratio: Use the same milligram amount

Best for: The acid form, when flushing is not an issue

Enriched bread and cereal

Ratio: Check that the cereal lists niacin, or buy enriched bread

Best for: Filling the daily gap without a supplement

Meat, fish and peanuts

Ratio: Serve fish, meat or peanuts a few times a week

Best for: Diets that skip fortified grain

Related

More vitamins & minerals:

CholineCholine is a nutrient most people get enough of from eggs, meat and soy, so it is rarely something to hunt down. It is added on purpose to infant formula, where the amount is regulated, and EFSA sets 400 mg a day for adults.Use in moderationFerrous sulfateFerrous sulfate is the iron added to flour, bread and cereals, and it is safe at fortification amounts. The catch is the dose: a large single serving upsets the stomach, so read the milligram amount on the label, not the product count.Use in moderationFolic acid (Vitamin B9)Folic acid is the synthetic form of vitamin B9, and it is added to flour, bread and breakfast cereals on purpose. It is safe at fortification levels, but EFSA caps it at 0.6 mg a day for adults because a large intake can hide a vitamin B12 deficiency.Use in moderationNiacin (Vitamin B3)Niacin is vitamin B3 in the nicotinic acid form, added to flour and cereals because many diets fall short of it. Fortification amounts are small and safe, but a 100 mg supplement is a bigger dose, and that much nicotinic acid makes many people flush.Use in moderation

Common questions

Is niacinamide the same as niacin?

They are two forms of the same vitamin, B3, and the body treats them almost the same way once they are absorbed. Niacinamide is the one that does not cause flushing, which is why it is the default in supplements and drinks.

Is niacinamide safe to take every day?

EFSA found no adverse effects at intakes up to 900 mg a day, which is far above what any supplement or drink delivers. That is a statement about a well-studied vitamin, not about taking a megadose of everything on the label.

Why do energy drinks list niacinamide?

It gives the drink a B3 entry and it is gentler on the stomach than nicotinic acid, which is why it is the version used in drinks. The amount in a can is small, though several fortified drinks in a day add up.

Is Niacinamide safe?

Use in moderation (84/100). In the United States, niacinamide is permitted as a nutrient additive under the FDA's food additive rules for special dietary and nutritional additives. It has no E-number: the EU authorizes it as a nutrient for fortification under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 rather than as an additive, and EFSA found no adverse effects for niacinamide at intakes up to 900 mg a day, against 10 mg for nicotinic acid.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • EFSA Journal, scientific opinion on niacin
  • EFSA, dietary reference values for niacin
  • NHS, vitamins and minerals

CAS 98-92-0