Niacin (B3)
(to prevent heart disease)
Taking niacin can prevent cholesterol problems by raising HDL (that’s the good cholesterol) and improving circulation. The recommended daily requirement of 16mg can easily be met through diet alone. It’s found in a variety of foods including beets, salmon, tuna, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and niacin-fortified cereals and breads. If you’re more of a red meat, chicken, egg, and dairy guy — you’re in luck: these foods all contain tryptophan, an amino acid the body coverts into niacin.
Higher doses of niacin (over 100mg/day) can combat existing heart disease or high cholesterol, but check with your doctor first since intake at these levels could lead to liver damage.