Vitamin B3 : Chemical Name, Sources and Deficiency Diseases

The Chemical Name of Vitamin B3 is Nicotinic acid or niacin.

Sources of Vitamin B3 :

The major sources of VItamin B3 are Kidney, liver, meat, poultry, fish, legumes and ground nut.

Diseases due to Vitamin B3 Deficiency:

Pellagra is a diseases that occurs due to the deficiency of Niacin.

Daily requirements of vitamin B3 : (in milligrams)

• Men – 19 mg
• Women – 15 mg
• Pregnant mothers – 17 mg
• Boys – 19 mg (16 to 18 years)
• Girls – 15 mg (16 to 18 years)

Role and Functions of Vitamin B3

It has an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Kidney, liver, meat, poultry, fish, legumes and ground nut are the good sources of the niacin. Deficiency of this vitamin leads to pellagra.

Patients with pellagra shows the symptoms of dermatitis (skin disease), diarrhoea and dementia (loss of memory). When the patient is exposed to sunlight, the skin becomes pigmented, scaly and cracks appear.