Ingredient intelligence
Niacinamide
Skin barrier · Niacinamide · C6H6N2O
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 involved in cellular metabolism as a precursor of NAD+. It has been studied for barrier-related, pigmentation-related and sebum-related endpoints in skin.
Molecular identity
- Formula
- C6H6N2O
- Molecular weight
- 122.12 g/mol
- PubChem CID
- 936
- ChEBI
- CHEBI:17154
Biological targets
Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT)
high confidencetargets · enzyme
Rate-limiting enzyme of the NAD salvage pathway that uses nicotinamide as substrate.
UniProt P43490Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1)
medium confidenceinhibits · enzyme
Nicotinamide is a product-inhibitor of PARP enzymes in biochemical assays.
UniProt P09874Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)
medium confidencemodulates · enzyme
UniProt Q96EB6ADP-ribosyl cyclase CD38
low confidenceinhibits · enzyme
UniProt P28907
How could this ingredient interact with biology?
Biological network
Ingredient → molecule → target → gene/protein → pathway → process → studied outcome. Relationship strength is drawn from the curated confidence tier; nothing is added to make the chain look complete.
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3 lower-confidence relationships are hidden at this filter level. Use “Show more biology” to include them.
Text alternative for this network
- Niacinamide is molecule Nicotinamide — high confidence
- Niacinamide is molecule NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) — high confidence
- Nicotinamide targets Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) — high confidence
- Nicotinamide inhibits Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) — medium confidence
- Nicotinamide modulates Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) — medium confidence
- Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) encoded by NAMPT — high confidence
- Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) encoded by PARP1 — medium confidence
- Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) encoded by SIRT1 — medium confidence
- NAMPT participates in Nicotinate metabolism (NAD salvage) — high confidence
- PARP1 participates in Nicotinate metabolism (NAD salvage) — medium confidence
- SIRT1 participates in Nicotinate metabolism (NAD salvage) — medium confidence
- NAMPT participates in NAD+ dependent deacetylation (sirtuins) — medium confidence
- PARP1 participates in NAD+ dependent deacetylation (sirtuins) — medium confidence
- SIRT1 participates in NAD+ dependent deacetylation (sirtuins) — medium confidence
- NAMPT participates in Keratinocyte differentiation — medium confidence
- PARP1 participates in Keratinocyte differentiation — medium confidence
- SIRT1 participates in Keratinocyte differentiation — medium confidence
- Nicotinate metabolism (NAD salvage) associated with Cellular energy metabolism — high confidence
- NAD+ dependent deacetylation (sirtuins) associated with Cellular energy metabolism — medium confidence
- Keratinocyte differentiation associated with Cellular energy metabolism — medium confidence
- Nicotinate metabolism (NAD salvage) associated with Epidermal barrier formation — medium confidence
- NAD+ dependent deacetylation (sirtuins) associated with Epidermal barrier formation — medium confidence
- Keratinocyte differentiation associated with Epidermal barrier formation — medium confidence
- Nicotinate metabolism (NAD salvage) associated with Melanosome transfer — medium confidence
- NAD+ dependent deacetylation (sirtuins) associated with Melanosome transfer — medium confidence
- Keratinocyte differentiation associated with Melanosome transfer — medium confidence
- Cellular energy metabolism studied in Studied for barrier support and transepidermal water loss — medium confidence
- Epidermal barrier formation studied in Studied for barrier support and transepidermal water loss — medium confidence
- Melanosome transfer studied in Studied for barrier support and transepidermal water loss — medium confidence
- Cellular energy metabolism studied in Studied for reduction of uneven pigmentation — medium confidence
- Epidermal barrier formation studied in Studied for reduction of uneven pigmentation — medium confidence
- Melanosome transfer studied in Studied for reduction of uneven pigmentation — medium confidence
- Cellular energy metabolism studied in Studied for visible signs of skin ageing — medium confidence
- Epidermal barrier formation studied in Studied for visible signs of skin ageing — medium confidence
- Melanosome transfer studied in Studied for visible signs of skin ageing — medium confidence
Biological pathways
Nicotinate metabolism (NAD salvage)
high confidenceNicotinamide is recycled into NAD+ by NAMPT and NMNAT enzymes, supplying redox and signalling cofactors.
Reactome R-HSA-196807
NAD+ dependent deacetylation (sirtuins)
medium confidenceNAD+ availability constrains sirtuin-mediated protein deacetylation.
Reactome R-HSA-3247509
Keratinocyte differentiation
medium confidenceBarrier-protein expression programme examined in niacinamide-treated keratinocyte models.
Gene Ontology GO:0030216
Evidence engine
Moderate
Some human evidence exists, but replication or sample sizes are limited.
Skinceptor Evidence Index
60
experimental · of 100
This index is a research-navigation aid describing how much evidence exists and how it was produced. It is not a medical safety score, an efficacy guarantee, or a clinical recommendation.
Study composition
- Human2
- In-vitro2
- Review1
- Total studies
- 5
- Human studies
- 2
- Largest sample
- 50
- Range
- 2000–2018
Index breakdown
- Study design quality47% × 28%
Mean design weight across curated studies (meta-analysis 1.0, RCT 0.9, other human 0.7, review 0.45, animal 0.35, in-vitro 0.25).
- Human evidence share67% × 22%
Proportion of curated evidence measured in people rather than cells or animals.
- Evidence volume82% × 14%
Log-scaled count of curated studies, so volume alone cannot dominate the score.
- Largest sample size57% × 12%
Log-scaled largest reported sample size across curated human studies.
- Replication67% × 12%
Independent human studies, capped at three; one study is never treated as replicated.
- Recency60% × 7%
Linear decay over a twenty-year window from the most recent curated publication.
- Source traceability40% × 5%
Share of curated studies with a verified PMID or DOI in this dataset.
Insufficient comparable evidence for quantitative synthesis.
Research timeline
How the evidence accumulated
2000
Topical niacinamide and epidermal barrier lipid synthesis in cultured keratinocytes
In-vitrosample size unavailable · Journal of Cosmetic Science
2002
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Humann = 18 · British Journal of Dermatology
2005
Niacinamide: a B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance
Humann = 50 · Dermatologic Surgery
2011
Nicotinamide as an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity
In-vitrosample size unavailable · Biochemical Journal
2018
Nicotinamide and NAD precursor metabolism in human cells
Reviewsample size unavailable · Cell Metabolism (review)
Ingredient fingerprint
21 nodes · 46 relationships · seed "niacinamide"
The fingerprint is a deterministic visual signature: ridge amplitude comes from the number of entities in each tier, node placement from identifier hashes, and opacity from confidence. Two ingredients can never produce the same figure unless their networks are identical.
Open in Biology as Art →Research
5 curated studies
Nicotinamide and NAD precursor metabolism in human cells
Summarises the NAD salvage route in which nicotinamide is converted by NAMPT and NMNAT enzymes to NAD+, supporting redox and signalling functions.
Limitations — Review of mechanism, largely non-cutaneous; does not evaluate topical delivery.
Nicotinamide as an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity
Characterises nicotinamide as a weak product inhibitor of PARP enzymes in cell-free assays.
Limitations — Biochemical assay; inhibitory concentrations far above physiological skin levels.
Niacinamide: a B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance
Reported improvements in several appearance endpoints including fine lines and skin texture over 12 weeks of use versus vehicle.
Limitations — Manufacturer-affiliated authorship; appearance endpoints partly investigator-graded.
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Reported reduced hyperpigmentation with topical niacinamide, and reduced melanosome transfer to keratinocytes in an accompanying co-culture model.
Limitations — Small sample, short duration, split-face design without long-term follow-up.
Topical niacinamide and epidermal barrier lipid synthesis in cultured keratinocytes
Reported increased ceramide and free fatty acid synthesis in keratinocyte culture after niacinamide exposure.
Limitations — In-vitro only; concentrations may not reflect in-use exposure.
Community evidence
Submitted by readers
Reader submissions appear here only after review. They are not part of the curated dataset and do not affect the Skinceptor Evidence Index.
No approved community submissions yet.
Sources
- PubChem 936retrieved 2026-09-14
- UniProt P43490retrieved 2026-09-14
- Reactome R-HSA-196807retrieved 2026-09-14