Niacinamide (Nicotinamide)
The no-flush form of vitamin B3. Cheap NAD+ precursor, evidence-backed for skin cancer prevention, and a quiet workhorse for joint and bone support.
Strong for non-melanoma skin cancer prevention in high-risk individuals (ONTRAC trial). Moderate for: osteoarthritis pain reduction, acne (topical), hyperpigmentation, and inflammatory skin conditions. Modest NAD+ raising — less efficient than NMN/NR per dose but vastly cheaper. Effects: 4–12 months for skin cancer prevention.
Niacinamide (a.k.a. nicotinamide) is the amide form of vitamin B3, distinct from nicotinic acid (niacin) — niacinamide doesn't cause flushing or lipid changes. It's a precursor to NAD+ via the salvage pathway, supports DNA repair (by inhibiting PARP1, sparing NAD+ for other uses), and has demonstrated benefit in skin cancer prevention. The ONTRAC trial showed 23% reduction in non-melanoma skin cancers with 500 mg twice daily in high-risk patients — making niacinamide one of the very few supplements with rigorous outcome-trial data for cancer prevention. Topically, it's a workhorse skincare ingredient for acne, hyperpigmentation, and barrier support.
- Form
- Nicotinamide / Niacinamide — same compound, different naming. Plain capsules. Topical niacinamide serum (4–10%) is a separate use case for skin.
- Dose
- 500 mg twice daily (1 g/day) — the ONTRAC dose for skin cancer prevention. 50–500 mg/day for general NAD+ / methylation support. Don't exceed 3 g/day chronically (liver risk).
- Timing
- With food (reduces nausea). AM and PM split for higher doses.
- Schedule
- Daily.
- Side effects
- Generally well-tolerated. Nausea, GI upset, headache, fatigue at high doses. Liver function changes at very high doses (>3 g/day).
- Interactions
- Mild interaction with anticoagulants. Carbidopa (Parkinson's) — some interaction reported. Does NOT cause flushing like niacin does.
- Contraindications
- Active liver disease. Caution at high doses with diabetes (paradoxical effect on glucose at high doses in some studies).
- Lab markers
- Liver enzymes (ALT, AST) if running >1 g/day long-term. NAD+ if tracking longevity protocol.
- Food sources
- Beef, chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna, mushrooms, peanuts, brown rice, fortified grains. Adequate dietary intake is easy.
Pairs with
TMG (betaine) — methylation support. NMN, NR (alternative NAD+ pathway). Topical niacinamide pairs with retinoids, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid in skincare.
within Coenzymes & mitochondrial cofactors