Supplement
Nicotinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that cells use to make NAD, a molecule involved in energy production and DNA repair. People mostly look at it for skin cancer, but the evidence is very limited, and a study of 416 people found no clear difference in melanoma risk. The evidence is stronger for acne, where three studies of skin-applied nicotinamide found symptoms improved, though that is a separate question.
Sources: PMID 23786503; PMID 7657446
- Updated
- How we grade
- 8 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade A
- Conditions studied
- 6
- Outcomes
- 19
- Graded outcomes
- 1033
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acne Symptoms Moderate Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 3 studies | 331 people | ||
| Erythema Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | 175 people | ||
Studies that measured erythema | ||||||
| Wound Healing | Improves (the measure goes up) | 175 people | ||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erythema Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | 50 people | ||
Studies that measured erythema | ||||||
| Skin Quality | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 188 people | |||
Studies that measured skin quality | ||||||
| Hyperpigmentation | Changes; see studies | 138 people | ||||
| Skin Elasticity | Improves (the measure goes up) | 50 people | ||||
| Wrinkles | Improves (the measure goes up) | 50 people | ||||
Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)
- Erythema: improves
- Wound Healing: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erythema Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | 175 people | ||
Studies that measured erythema | ||||||
| Wound Healing | Improves (the measure goes up) | 175 people | ||||
Skin Cancer
- Melanoma Risk
- Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Risk: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melanoma Risk No effect | NoneNo effect | 416 people | ||||
| Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Risk | Changes; see studies | 2 studies | 552 people | |||
Studies that measured non-melanoma skin cancer risk | ||||||
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
- Serum Calcium
- Serum Phosphorus: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serum Calcium No effect | NoneNo effect | 219 people | ||||
| Serum Phosphorus | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 98 people | |||
Studies that measured serum phosphorus | ||||||
General Cardiovascular Health
- Blood glucose
- Triglycerides: improves
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL): improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood glucose No effect | NoneNo effect | 53 people | ||||
| Triglycerides | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 164 people | |||
Studies that measured triglycerides | ||||||
| High-density lipoprotein (HDL) | Improves (the measure goes up) | 164 people | ||||
| Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | Improves (the measure goes down) | 164 people | ||||
| Total cholesterol | Improves (the measure goes down) | 14,750 people | ||||
Key findings
- Acne SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
- ErythemaImproves (the measure goes up)
- Melanoma Risk
Shop the evidence-backed picks
The collection holds the supplements we grade A or B for its theme, in third-party tested products where the catalog has them. It opens in our Fullscript store. You can look through it without signing in; Fullscript asks for a free account to order.
Or shop one supplement
Third-party tested Nicotinamide products, in the forms the graded studies used where we can match them.
- Grade A
We earn from purchases made in our Fullscript store, and links to Fullscript, iHerb or Thorne carry our referral, so we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Grades come from the research and never change based on what we earn. Full disclosure
Studies cited
8 studies from PubMed
- Topical 4% nicotinamide vs. 1% clindamycin in moderate inflammatory acne vulgaris
- Topical nicotinamide compared with clindamycin gel in the treatment of inflammatory acne vulgaris
- 1-Methylnicotinamide: a potent anti-inflammatory agent of vitamin origin
- Niacinamide: A B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance
- The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
- Phosphate binders for preventing and treating chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD).
- Effect of Nicotinamide in Skin Cancer and Actinic Keratoses Chemoprophylaxis, and Adverse Effects Related to Nicotinamide: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- The Role of Nicotinamide as Chemo-Preventive Agent in NMSCs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis