From Anirva, the maker of Dermal Radiance. This article is general information, not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Niacinamide is on the label of many skin creams and serums. If you have used one, you may wonder what this ingredient is, and whether it also does something when you take it by mouth. Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3. Here we look at what it does in skin cells and what the research shows, the difference between creams and supplements, how much is in Dermal Radiance, and safety.
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- Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3. The body turns it into NAD, a helper molecule that more than 400 enzymes need [1].
- Regulators accept the link with normal skin. In Europe, labels may say that niacin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin [5][6].
- Lab studies point to collagen support. Skin cells given niacinamide made more collagen, elastin and ceramides [2].
- Niacinamide creams improved lines, tone and elasticity in human trials. A 12-week trial used a 5% cream [2][3].
- Dermal Radiance contains 250 mg of niacinamide. This is the form of vitamin B3 that does not cause flushing [1][8].
What is niacinamide?
Vitamin B3 is also called niacin. It comes in two main forms, nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. Niacinamide is another name for nicotinamide, and the two words mean the same thing [1].
The body turns both forms into a helper molecule called NAD. More than 400 enzymes need NAD to work, which is more than for any other vitamin-based helper. NAD helps cells turn food into energy. It also helps cells look after their DNA and send signals [1].
Adults need 14 mg (women) or 16 mg (men) of niacin a day. Most Americans get more than this from food, and about 1% of adults fall short [1].
Niacinamide taken by mouth is absorbed well, and blood levels peak within about an hour [9].
Niacinamide differs from nicotinic acid in one way that people notice. Nicotinic acid can make the skin flush red and feel warm. Niacinamide does not cause flushing [1].
How might niacinamide work in skin?
Cell energy (lab studies)
Skin cells need a steady supply of NAD. In lab studies, niacinamide refilled the NAD supply in skin cells and supported their energy production. It also lowered oxidative stress in skin surface cells [2].
Collagen and elastin (lab studies)
In cell studies, fibroblasts given niacinamide made more collagen, elastin and fibrillin. These are the proteins that keep skin firm and springy. The cells also made less of the MMP enzymes that break collagen down [2].
Skin barrier (lab studies)
The outer layer of skin holds water in with the help of fats called ceramides. In cultured skin cells, niacinamide raised the production of ceramides and related fats [2].
Skin tone (lab studies)
In lab models of skin, niacinamide slowed the movement of pigment from the cells that make it to the surface cells [2].
What does the research show?
The research on niacinamide and skin is still growing. Most of the human trials used creams, so we describe each kind of study separately.
Regulators accept the link with normal skin
In 2010, the European Food Safety Authority reviewed health claims for niacin, including one about normal skin [5]. European law now allows labels to say that niacin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin [6].
Severe niacin deficiency shows up in skin. It causes a rough, dark rash on skin that is exposed to sunlight [1].
A 12-week trial of a niacinamide cream
In 2005, researchers tested a cream with 5% niacinamide on 50 women with signs of facial skin aging. Each woman used the niacinamide cream on one side of the face and a plain cream on the other, twice a day for 12 weeks [3].
On the niacinamide side, fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots and redness improved more. Skin elasticity, measured with a device, also improved. All three authors worked for Procter & Gamble, a consumer products company [3].
A 2021 review lists more cream trials with 4% or 5% niacinamide, lasting 8 to 12 weeks, with similar results [2]. These trials put niacinamide on the skin. They do not tell us what a supplement does.
A one-week trial of niacinamide by mouth
In 2009, researchers gave healthy volunteers 500 mg or 1,500 mg of niacinamide a day, or a placebo, for one week. They then exposed a small patch of skin to UV light and tested the skin's immune response [4].
UV light normally weakens that response. With both amounts of niacinamide, the response was weakened less than with placebo. Both amounts were well tolerated [4]. Niacinamide is not a sunscreen, and experts suggest daily sunscreen and shade for sun care.
Study summary
| Study | People | Amount | Length | Main result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bissett et al., 2005 [3] | 50 women | 5% cream on half the face | 12 weeks | Fine lines, spots, redness and elasticity improved vs plain cream |
| Yiasemides et al., 2009 [4] | Healthy volunteers | 500 mg or 1,500 mg by mouth | 1 week | Skin immune response after UV was weakened less than with placebo |
| Boo, 2021 [2] | Review | Lab studies and cream trials | Varied | Lab findings on collagen, ceramides and pigment; cream trials of 8 to 12 weeks |
Creams and supplements are different
A cream puts niacinamide directly on the outer skin, at a strength of 4% or 5% in the trials [2]. A supplement goes through the gut and the blood, and reaches all the cells of the body.
This means cream results cannot be assumed for supplements. In our search, we did not find a placebo-controlled trial of niacinamide by mouth that measured fine lines, firmness or elasticity in healthy adults. The 2021 review did not describe one either [2].
How much niacinamide is in Dermal Radiance compared with the studies?
| Source | Niacinamide a day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dermal Radiance (2 capsules) | 250 mg | 1,563% of the Daily Value, from the label [8] |
| Adult daily need (RDA) | 14 mg (women), 16 mg (men) | As niacin equivalents [1] |
| Average intake from food, US adults | 21 mg (women), 31 mg (men) | [1] |
| One-week trial by mouth | 500 mg or 1,500 mg | Healthy volunteers [4] |
Dermal Radiance provides 250 mg of niacinamide. This is far above the daily need, and lower than the 500 mg and 1,500 mg used in the one-week trial.
Food sources of niacin
Meat, fish and some grains and nuts are good sources. Some examples [1]:
- Chicken breast, 3 ounces: 10.3 mg
- Sockeye salmon, 3 ounces: 8.6 mg
- Canned light tuna, 3 ounces: 8.6 mg
- Brown rice, 1 cup cooked: 5.2 mg
- Peanuts, 1 ounce: 4.2 mg
The body can also make niacin from tryptophan, an amino acid found in protein foods [1].
What the research does not show yet
- We found no placebo-controlled trial of niacinamide by mouth that measured fine lines, firmness or elasticity in healthy adults.
- The collagen, ceramide and pigment findings come from lab studies [2].
- The human trials on lines, tone and elasticity used creams, and companies paid for some of them [2][3].
- The trial by mouth in healthy volunteers lasted one week and used 500 mg or more [4].
- We found no study of niacinamide combined with the other Dermal Radiance ingredients.
Safety and interactions
Niacinamide does not cause the skin flushing that nicotinic acid can. It also has fewer unwanted effects than nicotinic acid [1].
At very high intakes, problems have been reported. Nausea is usually the earliest sign [9]. At 3,000 mg a day, vomiting and signs of liver harm can also occur. In people on kidney dialysis, 500 to 1,500 mg a day caused diarrhea and low platelet counts [1].
Regulators set different upper limits. The US limit for supplemental niacin is 35 mg a day. It was set to avoid skin flushing and is applied to both forms, although niacinamide does not cause flushing [1]. The European limit for niacinamide is 900 mg a day [7]. Dermal Radiance has 250 mg, which is above the US figure and below the European one.
Some medicines for tuberculosis can lower the amount of niacin the body makes. High doses of nicotinic acid can raise blood sugar, which matters for people taking diabetes medicines [1]. An older report suggests that niacinamide may slow the body's clearance of carbamazepine, a seizure medicine [9].
- Check your other supplements. Many multivitamins and B-complex products also contain niacin or niacinamide.
- A niacinamide cream and a supplement are different products, and you can ask a skin care professional how they fit together.
- If you have liver or kidney problems, or take prescription medicines, ask your doctor or pharmacist before you start.
Niacinamide is one part of Dermal Radiance
Dermal Radiance is a daily two-capsule supplement with 20 vitamins, minerals and plant extracts. They were chosen to support healthy collagen, skin firmness and elasticity, and radiance. Niacinamide is one of them.
Dermal Radiance has not been clinically tested as a finished product. For this reason, we cannot say how its ingredients work together. The studies in this article tested niacinamide by itself, and most of them used creams.
If you take Dermal Radiance, you are not relying on niacinamide alone. It is one of 20 ingredients in each serving. Every ingredient and amount is listed on the label [8].
A daily skin supplement with 20 ingredients
Niacinamide is one of 20 vitamins, minerals and plant extracts in Dermal Radiance, each listed with its amount on the label. Two capsules a day with a meal.
See the full ingredient listIf you are deciding
For lines, tone and elasticity, the human trials used niacinamide creams. Research on supplements and healthy skin is at an earlier stage. A supplement supplies vitamin B3 to the whole body, including the skin. If you would like to try Dermal Radiance, the directions are two capsules a day with a meal [8].
The short version
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that cells use to make NAD. In lab studies, it supported collagen, ceramides and cell energy. In human trials, niacinamide creams improved fine lines, tone and elasticity. A one-week trial by mouth looked at how skin responds to UV light. Dermal Radiance provides 250 mg of niacinamide, the form that does not cause flushing.
Frequently asked questions
Is niacinamide the same as niacin?
Niacin is vitamin B3. Niacinamide, also called nicotinamide, is one of its two main forms. The other is nicotinic acid [1].
Does niacinamide help skin?
In trials of 8 to 12 weeks, creams with 4% or 5% niacinamide improved fine lines, skin tone and elasticity [2][3]. In lab studies, niacinamide supported collagen and ceramides in skin cells [2].
Does niacinamide support collagen?
In cell studies, skin cells given niacinamide made more collagen and elastin, and less of the enzymes that break collagen down [2]. This has not been confirmed in people taking it by mouth.
Can I take niacinamide by mouth?
Yes. Niacinamide is a vitamin the body needs, and it is absorbed well by mouth [1][9]. Most skin trials so far used creams, so research on supplements is at an earlier stage.
Does niacinamide cause flushing?
No. Flushing is linked with nicotinic acid, the other form of vitamin B3 [1].
Is niacinamide safe to take every day?
Niacinamide does not cause flushing, and it has fewer unwanted effects than nicotinic acid. Problems have been reported at very high intakes, such as 3,000 mg a day [1]. The safety section gives the upper limits.
What foods contain niacin?
Chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna, brown rice and peanuts are good sources. Three ounces of chicken breast has about 10 mg [1].
Is a cream or a supplement the right choice?
They are different products. The human trials on lines and tone used creams [2][3]. A supplement supplies vitamin B3 to the whole body.
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Niacin: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated November 18, 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Niacin-HealthProfessional/ (accessed October 3, 2026).
- Boo YC. Mechanistic basis and clinical evidence for the applications of nicotinamide (niacinamide) to control skin aging and pigmentation. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(8):1315. doi:10.3390/antiox10081315. PMID: 34439563.
- Bissett DL, Oblong JE, Berge CA. Niacinamide: a B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance. Dermatol Surg. 2005;31(7 Pt 2):860-865. doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2005.31732. PMID: 16029679.
- Yiasemides E, Sivapirabu G, Halliday GM, Park J, Damian DL. Oral nicotinamide protects against ultraviolet radiation-induced immunosuppression in humans. Carcinogenesis. 2009;30(1):101-105. doi:10.1093/carcin/bgn248. PMID: 19028705.
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to niacin and maintenance of normal skin and mucous membranes and other functions. EFSA Journal. 2010;8(10):1757. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1757.
- European Commission. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/432 (accessed October 3, 2026).
- European Food Safety Authority. Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels as derived by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) and the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Version 11, August 2025. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-05/ul-summary-report.pdf (accessed October 3, 2026).
- Anirva. Dermal Radiance Supplement Facts label and product page. https://anirva.com/pages/anti-aging-skin-supplement-dermal-radiance (accessed October 3, 2026).
- Niacinamide. Monograph. Altern Med Rev. 2002;7(6):525-529.
