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Vitamins & minerals · FROM DR. PURSER’S TEACHING

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Provides building blocks for NAD and NADP, which participate in cellular energy reactions.

Based on teaching by Dan Purser, MD. How we prepare these guides

Updated Sep 23, 2026 · Educational reference

THE TEACHING CONNECTION

Provides building blocks for NAD and NADP, which participate in cellular energy reactions.

What it does

Provides building blocks for NAD and NADP, which participate in cellular energy reactions.

Possible deficiency symptoms

Severe deficiency causes pellagra, which can involve skin, digestive and neurological symptoms.

How supplementation is approached

Identify whether the product contains nicotinic acid, niacinamide or another form before discussing B3. Dr. Purser’s course specifically prepares patients for flushing with niacin; those forms should not be treated as interchangeable therapies.

Food sources

Poultry; fish; meat; peanuts; enriched grains.

Supplement forms

Nicotinic acid and nicotinamide (niacinamide).

What to track and reassess

Note any flushing and the exact form of niacin you use. Higher-dose treatment for blood fats needs different follow-up from ordinary nutrient replenishment, including attention to liver and blood sugar results.

From starting support to follow-up

If you and your clinician start a CMA replenishment plan, you may add one new product at a time, often waiting 3–7 days to see how you feel. A check-in is usually planned near ten weeks during an approximately 100-day period. Follow your written plan for amounts and timing. At follow-up, you may continue, change, or stop each item. This timetable does not automatically end longer-term support.

Names you may see

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) · Niacin