Niacin is equivalent to which vitamin?

Niacin is equivalent to which vitamin?

• A. Vitamin B1
• B. Vitamin B2
• C. Vitamin B3
• D. Vitamin B5

Answer: (C)

Niacin is Vitamin B3. It comes in forms used by the body, nicotinic acid and nicotinamide, which are part of the essential NAD and NADP coenzymes needed for energy metabolism. Because some niacin can be synthesized from the essential amino acid tryptophan, we talk about niacin equivalents to account for both direct dietary niacin and tryptophan-derived niacin. In practice, about 60 mg of tryptophan can yield 1 mg of niacin activity. The other vitamins listed—thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), and pantothenic acid (B5)—are different compounds with their own roles, not equivalents of niacin.

Niacin is Vitamin B3. It comes in forms used by the body, nicotinic acid and nicotinamide, which are part of the essential NAD and NADP coenzymes needed for energy metabolism. Because some niacin can be synthesized from the essential amino acid tryptophan, we talk about niacin equivalents to account for both direct dietary niacin and tryptophan-derived niacin. In practice, about 60 mg of tryptophan can yield 1 mg of niacin activity. The other vitamins listed—thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), and pantothenic acid (B5)—are different compounds with their own roles, not equivalents of niacin.