Why sourcing matters
When niacin is taken at the RDA (14-18mg), sourcing is irrelevant. At therapeutic doses of 1-3 grams per day, you're consuming 100x more — manufacturing contaminants, filler quality, and dissolution profiles all matter.
The key distinctions: USP-verified vs. USP-claimed, pharmaceutical grade vs. food grade, whether a Certificate of Analysis (COA) is available and from an independent lab.
What to look for
- Form: Immediate-release nicotinic acid (not "flush-free", not sustained-release)
- Grade: USP or pharmaceutical grade preferred
- COA: Independent third-party analysis, not just manufacturer's own
- Purity: ≥99% for gram-scale use