Vitamin B3 “ also known as niacin “ is another water-soluble,
B-complex vitamin important to unlocking the energy in
carbohydrates. In fact, niacin participates in more than 50
individual metabolic functions each of them involved in one way
or another with processing energy. It is not an exaggeration to
say that niacin helps maintain the integrity of almost every
cell in the body. Niacin comes in two basic forms niacin (also
called nicotinic acid), and niacinamide (or nicotinamide). The
absorption of niacin takes place in the intestines, but niacin
is stored in the liver until needed for processes like digestion
and activation of enzymes which nourish the body. Niacin needs
are partially met by eating foods with protein since the body
can convert tryptophan, an amino acid, into niacin. How did
niacin get chosen as the name for this powerful vitamin? Vitamin
B3 was first described in 1873 by scientists studying nicotine,
so the name nicotinic acid was an obvious possibility. But even
back then, prudence dictat