Niacin is one of ferments taking part in cells breathing process and protein metabolism, regulating high nervous activity and functions of digestion organs. It is used for prophylactic and treatment of pellagra, digestive tract disease, slowly healing wound and ulcer, atherosclerosis.

Excess of vitamin PP causes redness of a face and upper part of a body, giddiness, feeling of blood coming to a head, nettle-rash. Fast injection causes blood pressure fall.

Main sources of the vitamin are meat, liver, kidneys, eggs, milk. It is contained in bread, cereals, beans and mushrooms.

Adult daily need in vitamin PP is 14-18 mg, for pregnant and nursing women is 19-21 mg, for children is 5-7 mg. Vitamin PP can synthesize in human organism from irreplaceable amino acid of tryptophan forming proteins.

This vitamin is relatively stable to heating. It is necessary to consider that in cereals, especially in maize, most part of niacin is in connected form (niacitin). This part of the vitamin becomes available after intensive heating only. There is no connected form in beans and animal products.