Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Deficiency
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While vitamin B3 (niacin) deficiency is quite rare in the Western world, there are still people who can experience deficiency (and it is quite common in poorer countries):
- Alcoholics
People who drink excessive amounts of alcoholism do not absorb as much of the vitamin B3 (niacin) and many other nutrients and may not eat properly, so may be deficient in this vitamin and may need supplementation to avoid severe deficiency symptoms. - Infants with certain congenital disorders
Infants with certain congenital disorders (which are due to abnormalities in their chromosomes) may have an impaired ability to absorb and utilise vitamin B3 (niacin) from the food they eat and could become deficient. - People that have recently undergone surgery
People that have recently had surgery may need more vitamin B3 (niacin) as their body is using up so much of it for healing the damaged tissues that have undergone surgery and a deficiency may result. People that will be undergoing surgery need to seek the advice of their doctor to determine how much of this vitamin is required for their individual circumstances. - People under excessive and prolonged stress
People that are experiencing high levels of stress may need more vitamin B3 (niacin) as their body is using up so much of their stores and will need to be replenished, resulting in a deficiency if the vitamin B3 (niacin) are not restored.
There are many groups of people who may be at risk of vitamin B3 (niacin) deficiency
- People with certain gastrointestinal disorders
People with certain gastrointestinal disorders such as pancreatic insufficiency, sprue (celiac disease) or liver cirrhosis may not be able to absorb adequate amounts of vitamin B3 (niacin) from the foods they eat and a deficiency may result. - People with recent severe burns or injuries
People with recent severe burns or injuries may need more vitamin B3 (niacin) as their body is using up so much of it for healing the damaged tissues that have been burnt or injured some way and a deficiency may result. - Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
Women that are pregnant or breastfeeding may need more vitamin B3 (niacin) because they are passing on so much of it to their child and as a consequence may become deficient themselves. Women that are pregnant or breastfeeding need to seek the advice of their doctor to determine how much of this vitamin is required for their individual circumstances.