Niacinamide: Why You Should Consider This Skincare Supplement
You have probably seen topical niacinamide everywhere lately, and don’t get me wrong, I love niacinamide in my skincare products! But I also love taking an oral niacinamide supplement. If you want to continue nurturing your skin from the inside and up your supplement game, I would consider adding a dose of niacinamide.
What Is Niacinamide?
Niacinamide is a derivative of vitamin B. There are eight B vitamins needed by the body; vitamin B3 is also known as niacin, and once niacin is ingested, it’s converted into niacinamide. Niacin is naturally found in:
- Eggs
- Grains
- Green vegetables
- Legumes
- Fish
- Dairy
So can’t you just eat more foods with niacin? Well, not exactly.
Niacinamide supplements are an active form of niacin, which means they’re highly absorbable because they’re already in the form that your body can use. In addition, it’s hard to track the vitamins you get from the food you eat. When you take a supplement, you know what you’re getting and how much.
Researchers believe that niacinamide works because it’s a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+/NADH) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+), both of which are critical to cellular health. Niacinamide supports your cells in repairing damage, propagating, and functioning properly; it neutralizes free radicals to prevent them from causing damage in your body.
That includes damage to your skin.
Skin Benefits of Niacinamide Supplements
Niacinamide has a number of benefits for the skin, particularly if you suffer from acne or rosacea. Research shows that niacinamide can support better skin health by:
- Supporting keratin production
- Improving your skin barrier by increasing production of ceramides, which is important for dry and sensitive skin
- Calming inflammation
- Reducing acne breakouts
- Protecting cells from oxidative damage from free radicals
- Decreasing skin cancer risk and rebuilding healthy skin cells after UV damage
If you have acne or rosacea, your dermatologist might even recommend prescription niacinamide. Two scientific studies that researched the effectiveness of niacinamide supplements for acne found a significant benefit, with no adverse side effects.
In addition to benefits for the skin, niacinamide supports joint health, promotes restful sleep, and protects beta cells in the pancreas. Some of the most common oral medications used for acne have worrisome side effects, so trying niacinamide supplements first makes sense since they can benefit your overall health, rather than potentially harming it.
What About Topical Niacinamide?
Topical niacinamide is fabulous, and I definitely recommend it, but it doesn’t compare to oral supplements and the systemic benefits they offer. Topical niacinamide can also interact with other serums and skincare products you put on your face, causing irritation. You don’t need to worry about that with supplements.
Challenge: Up your skincare game and add niacinamide to your routine.
Niacinamide
An active non-flushing form of vitamin B3 that supports joint and skin health.
