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Niacin, aka vitamin B3, is essential for your health, and the only way you can get any is through foods and supplements. Niacin's job is to help convert food into energy and support the nervous system, and it is available from nuts, seeds, bananas, poultry and whole grains and is often added to cereals. The recommended daily amount is 16 milligrams for guys and 14 milligrams for gals. Pregnant and lactating women may need a bit more.

But you can get too much of a good thing, according to a new lab study in Nature Medicine. If you are taking in more than your body can process, you may be cranking up inflammation, damaging blood vessels and increasing your risk for heart disease. (When patients with heart disease take niacin for their blood pressure, it may turn out to be the wrong approach.)

According to the lead researcher in the study, Dr. Stanley Hazen of Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute and co-section head of preventive cardiology at the Heart, Vascular, and Thoracic Institute, 25% of Americans have higher than the recommended level of niacin in their bodies. So, unless your doctor tells you specifically that you are deficient or have some other identified need, skip the supplement and opt for the tasty food sources to get what you need. For the inside scoop on all the vitamins and minerals benefits -- and risks -- tune into the free newsletter at 4YOUngevity.com and have fun with the tasty recipes in my "What to Cook When Cookbook."

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@4YOUngevity.com.

(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.