What is niacinamide? What are the effects and benefits of niacinamide on the skin?

Niacinamide can be seen in many skin care products. What exactly is this niacinamide? What effects and benefits does niacinamide have on the skin?

What is Niacinamide?

Niacinamide is an amide compound of nicotinic acid, generally a white crystalline powder. It has almost no odor, tastes bitter, and is slightly hygroscopic. It is easily soluble in water or ethanol and soluble in glycerol. It is also called niacinamide. Niacinamide can be used as a nutritional additive in cosmetics, and is also used in medicine, food and feed additives.

Effects and benefits of niacinamide on the skin

Niacinamide has an anti-glycation effect, which can lighten the yellow color of protein after glycation, thereby having a whitening effect on the skin, especially for people with dark yellow skin. In addition, niacinamide can reduce the transport of melanin to the stratum corneum of the skin and reduce the deposition of melanin in the stratum corneum, thereby preventing skin darkening.

Is Niacinamide a Vitamin?

Niacinamide is not a vitamin, but it is inextricably linked to vitamins. Niacinamide is a derivative of vitamin B3, a component of coenzyme I and coenzyme II, and a coenzyme for many dehydrogenases. Its deficiency can affect the normal respiration and metabolism of cells and cause pellagra.

Nicotinamide is easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. After absorption, it is distributed to tissues throughout the body and metabolized by the liver. Only a small amount is excreted in the urine in its original form. It is mainly used to prevent and treat pellagra, stomatitis, and glossitis. Proper use has a good therapeutic effect. This drug can also treat heart block, improve sinus node function, and resist tachyarrhythmia. After taking the medicine, adverse reactions such as skin flushing and itching may occur. Hyperglycemia, hyperuricemia, and arrhythmia may occasionally be found. Some patients may experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, upper abdominal discomfort, and loss of appetite. Reasonable use is the key.

Is niacinamide toxic?

Niacinamide is not harmful to the skin, on the contrary it is beneficial.

Niacinamide has a whitening effect because it can inhibit the deposition of melanin and block the transfer of melanin to surface cells. It can also accelerate the shedding of keratin containing melanin, reduce the yellowing of protein after glycation, and reduce the size and number of spots.

Niacinamide can promote dermis microcirculation, maintain skin moisture (that is, moisturizing) and reduce free radical damage to the skin. Therefore, it can slow down skin aging and enhance skin defense, and is also widely used in anti-aging products.

Conclusion: Nicotinamide participates in the transport process of melanin and can accelerate the movement rate of melanosomes in melanocytes, indicating that nicotinamide has a regulatory effect on calcium pumps, cell motor protein Dynein expression and melanosome movement, and the concentration is an important regulatory factor.