Niacin, vitamin PP, or just the precious vitamin B3. Its numerous beauty properties are the base for skincare and ensure it with the fame in the beauty industry. Learn more about this miraculous vitamin and its properties and you will never want to care for your skin without it.
Vitamin B3 – beauty properties
Vitamin B3 is known to humanity for about hundred of years but only recently its beauty properties have been researched. It turns out that it’s quite phenomenal.
Vitamin B3 for acne and hyperpigmentations
It has been discovered that vitamin B3 applied to the skin is able to reach deeper its levels in greater amount and eliminate skin problems (acne, pimples, hyperpigmentations, roughness, inflammations). What is more, its effectiveness can be improved using special compounds, so-called absorption promotors.
The benefit of vitamin B3 is the fact that in comparison to other substances with similar properties (e.g. retinol) niacin is stable and resistant to light, heat, and oxidation which makes it easier to use in the beauty industry.
Vitamin B3 for wrinkles
Vitamin B3 inhibits water loss (TEWL), stimulates epidermis regeneration, and collagen production in skin cells.
It’s a strong antioxidant, inhibits free radicals, protects skin against UV rays, but also protects against hyperpigmentations, and prevents new ones. Skin becomes smooth and healthy, looks younger.
Vitamin B3 – other valuable properties
- Vitamin B3 takes part in the metabolism of precious components for skin such as carbs, fatty acids, and amino acids.
- Supports red cell production, widens blood vessels.
- Lower the level of bad cholesterol and neutralizes the toxic impact of some chemical compounds and medication.
- Vitamin B3 is often described as ‘happy vitamin’ because it can perfectly calm nerves, that is why it is used in treatment for depression and other disorders, e.g. schizophrenia.
Interesting!
In the United States in the 30s of XX century pellagra plage broke – a skin disease that killed 100 thousand people out of 3 million people infected. The acute skin changes came along with headaches, depression, insomnia, and diarrhea. The cause for the disease is diet poor in, among many, vitamin B3. That is how the alternative name for this vitamin came to life – vitamin PP (pellagra preventive factor).
The lack of vitamin B3 has a very unpleasant impact on our organism as it causes weakness, insomnia, migraine, memory issues, and on some occasions also diarrhea, aggression, and depression. The lack of niacin is also visible on the skin because it becomes red and rough.
Vitamin B3 – where to find it?
You can easily supplement vitamin B3 or deliver it with food. Niacin is found in products containing lots of protein so you can find it in lean meat, organ meats (such as a liver, heart), the meat of chicken and fish, but also in beans and peas. Vitamin B3 is also found in beer yeast, dried peaches, almonds, and mushrooms.
You should keep in mind that niacin is compatible with other vitamins B (B1, B2, and B6), and in fact, it strongly depends on them that is why they should be ingested together. Chromium enhances its effectiveness and excessive sugar intake does quite the opposite.
