CLEVELAND, OH (CLEVELAND CLINIC) - For years, vitamin B-3, better known as niacin, has been added to many of the foods we eat every day. But new research from Cleveland Clinic shows getting too much can put you at risk for cardiovascular disease.
Researchers discovered that if a person gets too much niacin, it can lead to an excess of a specific kind of metabolite, which can then contribute to a risk for cardiovascular disease. So, why are people getting too much niacin? They say the United States originally required niacin to be added to foods like cereal, flour, and oats to help prevent vitamin B-3 deficiency. Our body doesn't create enough B-3 on its own. However, the problem now is since many of the foods people eat are highly processed, they're getting too much. Researchers believe these findings could help change that.
"One thing is it improves diagnostic tests to identify who is at risk for disease and needs to be the focus of where preventative efforts go. The second is by understanding who is involved, we can do the process of how do we intervene on this pathway," stated Dr. Stanley Hazen, Cleveland Clinic.
Doctor Hazen says until a blood test for this can be made public, people should try to stick to a whole foods diet and avoid processed foods. He also recommends not taking any supplements that have niacin in them.
