You may suffer cardiovascular disease if you consume this vitamin in excess

Newly-published research has raised alarm for those people who consume higher amounts of a specific vitamin found in meat, nuts, fish, bread, etc, that may cause a deadly disease in the human body.

The research published in the journal Nature Medicine Monday underlined the risk of damage to the blood vessels, risk of inflammation, and heart diseases by taking high levels of niacin — vitamin B.

As per the experts, the recommended intake is 16 mg per day for males and 14 for non-pregnant females.

The author, Dr Stanley Hazen, who is heading cardiovascular and metabolic sciences at the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute, said: “About 1 in 4 Americans has higher than the recommended level of niacin.

It remains unclear how much niacin is unhealthy and will be ascertained in future research.

Dr Hazen said: "The average person should avoid niacin supplements now that we have reason to believe that taking too much niacin can potentially lead to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease."

"Americans consume much of niacin in their diet as scientists revealed in the 1940s that low levels of the nutrient may lead to a fatal condition called pellagra," Dr Hazen noted.

Before the statins used for lowering blood cholesterol, niacin supplements were prescribed to improve cholesterol levels.

In the research, experts found the existence of a substance in those blood samples containing excess amounts of niacin.

It was revealed that the breakdown product of the niacin may cause future risk of heart attack, stroke, and death in the participants.

According to Dr. Robert Rosenson, director of metabolism and lipids for the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, the findings were fascinating and important.

This research may pave the way for developing medicines for such diseases.

Dr Rosenson — who was not part of the study — expressed hope that the food industry will bring down the levels of niacin in products like bread.

"This is a case where too much of a good thing can be a bad thing."