BY SANDRA GUY

Your body needs niacin, also known as vitamin B3, to turn food into energy.

Doctors can prescribe it to lower high cholesterol levels and to treat respiratory or vascular disorders. It aids in good blood circulation and normal brain functioning.

The vitamin also acts as an antioxidant, which can further protect your heart.

But can niacin become too much of a good thing?

Yes, if you take too-high doses. In fact, niacin can lead to liver damage, glucose intolerance and gastrointestinal problems.

So don’t treat yourself with over-the-counter niacin supplements. Instead, get a doctor’s advice and a prescription. That’s especially true if you take statins or blood pressure-lowering medication.

People need niacin in varying amounts. Though the quantities listed below are guidelines, it’s best to check with your doctor.

• Children: between 2-16 milligrams of niacin equivalents daily, depending on age
• Men: 16 milligrams daily
• Women: 14 milligrams daily
• Pregnant women: 18 mg daily
• Women who are breastfeeding: 17 milligrams daily
• Maximum daily intake for adults of all ages: 35 milligrams daily.

Your body doesn’t store water-soluble niacin. But damage can occur when you overload the dose.