All grain products have three components — the bran, the germ, and the endosperm — that contain specific nutrients. The bran is the seed of grain, which contains fiber. It also has an abundant supply of nutrients such as B vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium, as well as others.

The germ is the inner core of the seed. It’s responsible for the plant’s growth. It contains vitamins B and E, as well as other nutrients.

Refinement of grains began in the late 19th century. It’s done to prolong the shelf life of the end product.

Refining grains means grinding the plants into white flour. To do this, the bran and germ must be removed from the outer layer, leaving only the endosperm. This leaves the final product nutritionally deficient.

Not surprisingly, refinement of grains has resulted in many diseases related to nutrient deficiencies — including vitamin B3 deficiency. In response, fortification of refined grains was introduced to stem the spread of nutrient deficiencies related to refinement.

Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 (also called niacin). Both niacin and niacinamide are part of the vitamin B3 complex.

The human body can make niacinamide from niacin when the body absorbs more niacin than it needs. The difference between niacin and niacinamide is their chemical structures. It has an amide ring attached to it, which differentiates it from niacin (hence “niacinamide”).

Both niacin and niacinamide are water-soluble, and they have similar effects in the body — though their pharmacological properties differ somewhat. For example, when taken orally niacin can cause the skin to become red and itchy for a period of time. This is often referred to as a “niacin flush.”

Niacinamide does not cause this flushing reaction in the vast majority of people. That’s because niacin dilates blood vessels in the skin; niacinamide generally does not. Occasionally, a patient will complain of skin flushing from taking niacinamide, but that is rare.