Vitamin B3 (Niacin)...

 Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

• Having enough niacin, or vitamin B3, in the body is important for general good health. As a treatment, higher amounts of niacin can improve cholesterol levels.
• As a cholesterol treatment, there are good studies showing that niacin can boost levels of good HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides. 
• Niacin also modestly lowers bad LDL cholesterol. It's sometimes prescribed in combination with statins for cholesterol control, such as rosuvastatin (Crestor, Ezallor), simvastatin (Flolipid, Zocor), fluvastatin (Lescol), atorvastatin (Lipitor) and pravastatin (Pravachol). 
• However, niacin is only effective as a cholesterol treatment at fairly high doses. These doses could pose risks, such as liver damage, gastrointestinal problems, or glucose intolerance. So don't treat yourself with over-the-counter niacin supplements. Instead, get advice from your health care provider, who can prescribe FDA-approved doses of niacin instead if recommended.
•  In addition, niacin is an FDA-approved treatment for pellagra, a rare condition that develops from niacin deficiency.

1) Daily requirement :

• Adult : 16 - 20 mg
• Infant : 700 mg per kg body weight

2) Sources : 

• Liver
• Kidney
• Fish
• Legumes
• Pulses

3) Functions :

• Normal functioning of skin, intestine and nervous system
• Metabolism of protein, fat and carbohydrate

4) Effects Of deficiency

A niacin deficiency is rare in the United States and other industrialized countries because it is well-absorbed from most foods (with the exception of some cereal grains in which niacin is bound to its fibers, decreasing the absorption) and is added to many foods and multivitamins. A severe niacin deficiency leads to pellagra, a condition that causes a dark, sometimes scaly rash to develop on skin areas exposed to sunlight; bright redness of the tongue; and constipation/diarrhea. Other signs of severe niacin deficiency include:

• Pellagra : Characterized by 3Ds(dermatitis dementia and diarrhea)
• Depression 
• Headache 
• Fatigue 
• Memory loss 
• Hallucinations