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Skin supplement · Vitamin

Nicotinamide (vitamin B3)

Also searched as: niacinamide · vitamin B3 · nicotinamide supplement

A form of vitamin B3. One trial in people at high skin-cancer risk found fewer new skin cancers. A later trial in transplant recipients did not.

Vanu Health Research Team · Updated

What is Nicotinamide?

Nicotinamide (also called niacinamide) is a form of vitamin B3. The NIH fact sheet says it does not cause the skin flushing that nicotinic acid does.

What it does for skin

In the phase 3 trial, 386 people at high skin-cancer risk took 500 mg twice a day for 12 months. New non-melanoma skin cancers were 23% lower than with placebo (95% CI 4% to 38%, P = 0.02).

What the research shows

The transplant trial enrolled 79 people per group, all organ-transplant recipients with at least two keratinocyte cancers in the past five years. New keratinocyte cancers at 12 months were 207 with nicotinamide and 210 with placebo (rate ratio 1.0, 95% CI 0.8 to 1.3, P = 0.96).

Blackmores Pty Ltd donated tablets for the transplant trial, according to the trial report summarised by Physician’s Weekly.

Forms, amounts and limits

The phase 3 trial dose was 500 mg twice a day for 12 months.

The NIH tolerable upper limit for supplemental niacin, which also covers nicotinamide, is 35 mg a day for adults.

Safety

The NIH fact sheet says nausea, vomiting and signs of liver toxicity can occur with nicotinamide intakes of 3,000 mg a day.

Anyone at high skin-cancer risk should discuss it with a dermatologist.

Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a medical condition or take medicines.

Questions

Does nicotinamide prevent skin cancer?

In one phase 3 trial of people at high risk, it reduced new non-melanoma skin cancers by 23%. A trial in transplant recipients found no difference. It is not proven for the general public, and it does not replace sun protection.

Is nicotinamide an NAD+ booster?

It is a precursor the body can use to make NAD+. See our NAD+ page.

Sources

  1. A Phase 3 Randomized Trial of Nicotinamide for Skin-Cancer Chemoprevention (PubMed 26488693) (opens in a new tab)
  2. Physician’s Weekly: nicotinamide does not prevent keratinocyte cancers in organ recipients (opens in a new tab)
  3. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Niacin fact sheet (opens in a new tab)

General information, not medical advice. Vanu Health does not sell this supplement. Read our terms.