Niacin, which is also called Vitamin B3, is an experiential Nootropic (an experience that you might NOT love!) with a range of Biohacking benefits that make the flush well worth it! This is the immediate release form of this vitamin, not a timed or slow release, I find the skin flush it induces slightly uncomfortable. The trade-off for that passing discomfort is boosting NAD, which has an expansive range of anti-aging benefits - from DNA repair to mental health support.
I did use my self-quantification tools while flushed on Niacin. I took a Heart Rate Variability measurement with my HeartMath device and did brain training to see if it boosted my cognitive powers.
I took it in a moderate 500-milligram dose, which is appropriate for otherwise healthy people who just want to support their NAD levels. In scientific literature, it looks like larger doses of 1 or 2 grams are appropriate for people taking it to treat various conditions.
Can't afford NMN? Take Niacin
As a Biohacker, you probably don't fall for the Big Telcom propaganda - that EMFs are harmless. Hopefully, you understand that an important part of staying healthy is supplementing some things to keep your biology resilient as it constantly faces nearly impossible-to-avoid harmful radiation emitted by smartphones, WiFi routers, and 5G towers. The book EMF*D by Dr. Mercola explains...
EMF exposure can cause your cells to become NAD+ depleted. PARP is ordinarily the largest consumer of NAD+ in your body, and if you have a large EMF exposure you can radically reduce your NAD+ levels. And when your cells become NAD+ depleted, it also impacts your mitochondria by lowering an NAD coenzyme called NADH, which is necessary for your mitochondria to produce ATP. Another consequence of PARP sucking up most of your NAD+ is that it depletes the supply for other vital longevity proteins, called sirtuins, that require NAD+ to function. If PARP is consuming most of your NAD+, your sirtuins will not have enough NAD+ to run and your aging will be accelerated dramatically. (p. 151)
If you're not going to give up your smartphone and WiFi, you should regularly supplement your NAD+ levels. The best way to do this is to take NMN - which I call the epigenetic vitamin for smarter genes - but it's not cheap (a monthly supply at a moderate daily dose of 500 milligrams will run you around $30). If you're ballin' on a budget, 500 milligrams of Niacin daily costs just $12 in convenient capsuled form (it's even cheaper powdered, this $6, 100-gram supply would last over six months).
But empowering your DNA repair system is far from the only thing Niacin does...
Scientific overview
Back in 2017, I published a deep-dive investigation on Vitamin B3 and called it a Vitamin of Hope for a Hurting World. Since then a lot of good science has been done; over a hundred items of human science are on Pubmed with 16 clinical trials published specifically on Niacin, which I'll summarize here.
A 2019 study of 124 American students suggests it's something of a social smart drug; 100 milligrams beat a placebo in enhancing the speech performance of the subjects. The abstract of the study hints that it's a public speaking biohack for the anxious.
A small study done at the Boston Children's Hospital confirmed previous research indicating that it's a growth hormone hack in amounts as little as 500 milligrams.
Good news for diabetics in a 2020 meta-analysis, Eight [randomized controlled trials] comprised a total of 2110 patients and found that niacin supplementation could improve lipid profiles without affecting the glycemic levels for patients.
A meta-analysis out of Harvard Medical School looked at 17 different studies and suggests that Niacin is a heart health hack with positive effects treating...
Cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease mortality, and other cardiovascular events, including acute coronary syndrome, fatal and nonfatal stroke, revascularization, and major adverse cardiac events.
It's an essential supplement for expecting mothers according to a recent Australian meta-analysis that crunched the data of a bunch of studies totaling over 35,000 women. From its abstract...
The meta-analysis showed that expectant mothers with an insufficient niacin intake were significantly more likely to have babies with congenital abnormalities...
In case you're curious, the top natural dietary sources are liver, chicken breast, tuna, turkey, anchovies, and wild-caught salmon. So supplementing Niacin is a good idea for women with more vegetarian diets.
A Spanish study, observes that 2 grams taken with a high-fat meal improves glucose response for those with metabolic syndrome.
Great news from a German study, drinking coffee boosts Niacin! The study subjects drank 500 milliliters a day, which might be a lot for some people (that's two larger coffees a day).
If you going to turn to the dark nectar of productivity as your Niacin source, drink organic, toxin-free stuff.
An Italian meta-analysis looked at Niacin in the Central Nervous System, it has a role in...
regulating biological functions, including gene expression, cell cycle progression, DNA repair and cell death. In the central nervous system, vitamin B₃ has long been recognized as a key mediator of neuronal development and survival.
Powdered vs capsuled
It's pretty affordable from PureBulk.com, both in powdered and capsuled form. Powdered supplements are not a lot of fun to take, so I just add Niacin to the tasty probiotic Bulgarian yogurt I enjoy daily, it doesn't taste like much.
Purity-verified with COA
The final thing I like about this Niacin is that it's verified as pure with a certificate of analysis from an accredited American lab. This evidence of purity is something you should demand that your local supplement shop or the sellers on Amazon likely can't provide.
An epiphany cofactor?
Something to add to my personal review of Niacin, after I had been taking Niacin for a couple of weeks I had the most mind-blowing day of my life as a Biohacker in 12 years and a major epiphany (this is something I'm still processing and will be sharing a lot more about soon!) Having studied the work of Abram Hoffer on how Niacin enables transformative breakthroughs for alcoholics and addicts I question if Niacin had something to do with this Satori experience I had in the nascent days of 2024.
Support me on Substack? For $7/monthly?
Take THIS (just 40 cents a day) and you don't have to be as paranoid about EMFs