May 19, 2010

Vitamin B3: Learn How To Effectively Supplement Your Diet With Niacin

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Niacin, also referred to as vitamin B3, is an important vitamin that should be supplemented if a person is not getting enough in their diet. However, you should strive to try to eat more fruits...


Niacin, also referred to as vitamin B3, is an important vitamin that should be supplemented if a person is not getting enough in their diet. However, you should strive to try to eat more fruits and other foods that are abundant in vitamin B3 before seeking supplementation. On the other hand, if you do not enjoy eating foods that are rich in niacin and/or suffer from allergic reactions to these foods, then taking the extra supplements will be beneficial.

Where can you find niacin supplements and how should they be taken?

Be sure to consult with your doctor before beginning any supplementation program or nutritional dietary change. Once you have, finding niacin (B3), is the easy part because you can find this supplement in most health food stores, as well as the vitamin section in standard grocery stores. However, if you are in need of very high doses then a prescription will be needed from your doctor.

Below are the various forms in which niacin is available in. You should choose one that caters to your needs and is the most convenient for you.

1. Like most supplements, niacin comes in tablets and capsules which are easy to swallow with liquids. Unless your doctor gives you specific instructions on timing, it is very common to swallow vitamin B3 tablets approximately 1 hour after your meals. Be sure not to chew or crush these tablets as it will greatly reduce the effect of absorption by the body.

2. Next you will find what is called "time released" capsules. Time release supplements allow them to slowly get absorbed by the body over a period of time. The difference between this and a standard niacin pill capsule is that the standard version will get the majority of its benefits absorbed immediately swallowed and the rest is discarded as waste. The body can only absorb so much of any nutrient at one time and because of this, time released capsules ensure that you are going to get the most out of them.

3. There are also injectable forms of niacin. You may have heard of people getting vitamin B shots from the doctor. This will give you a very quick boost of energy and if you do not mind needles then this procedure may suit you. However, it is quite expensive and most people do not have the time to schedule doctor appointments whenever they need to supplement with vitamin B3.

4. And for those people that cannot swallow pills and are unable to withstand having niacin injected by a doctor, this supplement also comes in powder form. You simply dilute a serving of niacin in most any liquid of your choice and swallow. Just like your tablets, this water solution should be taken approximately 1 hour after meals, unless of course your doctor says differently.

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