Vitamin B3 intake and risk of cardiovascular complications

The journal Nature Medicine published an article on vitamin B3, which is included in most multivitamin complexes.

In a study of more than 4500 people, it was shown that an excess of vitamin B3 metabolites correlates with an increased risk of heart attacks, including fatal ones.

This paper studied metabolites of vitamin B3, specifically one of its forms, niacin (nicotinic acid). At excess of vitamin B3 in the blood plasma of the studied subjects, increased concentrations of two metabolites - 2PY and 4PY - were observed.

And this, in turn, correlated with an increased risk of serious cardiovascular complications. Elevated 2PY levels were 64% more likely to cause heart attacks during three years of follow-up (US) and 102% more likely in Europeans. For individuals, the risks were even higher, namely in the presence of the rs10496731 polymorphism.

Thus, uncontrolled intake of vitamins can lead to serious negative consequences.