CompoAtlas

Nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) in food supplements

570 supplements declared in France contain a form of this nutrient

Nicotinic acid: in France, a food supplement may not provide more than 8 mg a day (Order of 9 May 2006, not revised since November 2006, Annex III); for adults, EFSA's upper safe limit is 10 mg a day. The doses of the 2006 Order have not been revised since the amending Order of 14 November 2006, and some were annulled by the Conseil d'État in 2011; the DGCCRF accepted higher levels for some nutrients through guidelines published until January 2019, and an update of the Order is being prepared (ministerial answer published in the Official Journal on 11 February 2025).

Order of 9 May 2006, Annex III. French orders of 9 May 2006 and 14 November 2006 as published in the Official Journal (maximum daily doses), retrieved 21 October 2026.

EFSA, Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (version 11, August 2025), retrieved 21 October 2026.

Written Question No 2686, ministry answer published in the Official Journal on 11 February 2025.

What we know about this ingredient

Associated research

ClinicalTrials.gov · A trial is not proof: it tests a hypothesis.

2026-11-01

In plain words

À quoi il sert, selon les fabricants

Objectifs les plus souvent annoncés pour les compléments qui en contiennent (acide nicotinique (vitamine B3)) : sport (146 produits), immunité (76 produits), cheveux et ongles (73 produits), peau (57 produits), antioxydant (55 produits).

Ce sont les objectifs déclarés par les fabricants à l'administration, pas des effets démontrés. Sur l'emballage, seules les allégations de santé autorisées par l'Union peuvent être écrites.

Compl'Alim, food supplement declarations (France), retrieved 23 October 2026.

Jusqu'où c'est sûr

Pour un adulte, l'EFSAEuropean Food Safety Authority. fixe la limite supérieure de sécurité à 10 mg/j : c'est l'apport quotidien qui, pris sur le long terme, toutes sources alimentaires réunies, ne devrait pas provoquer d'effet indésirable. Au-delà, le risque augmente. Un complément n'est qu'une partie de l'apport.

EFSA, Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (version 11, August 2025), retrieved 21 October 2026.

La règle en France

En France, la dose journalière recommandée d'un complément ne doit pas apporter plus de 8 mg (arrêté du 9 mai 2006, non révisé depuis novembre 2006). Compl'Alim ne publie pas la dose des produits déclarés : comparez celle de l'étiquette à ce plafond et à la limite de sécurité de l'EFSA.

French orders of 9 May 2006 and 14 November 2006 as published in the Official Journal (maximum daily doses), retrieved 21 October 2026.

EFSA safety references

Le repère de l'EFSA porte sur l'apport total d'une journée, alimentation et compléments.

EFSA daily references
PopulationTypeValue
1-3 yearsUpper limit2 mg/j
4-6 yearsUpper limit3 mg/j
7-10 yearsUpper limit4 mg/j
11-14 yearsUpper limit6 mg/j
15-17 yearsUpper limit8 mg/j
adultsUpper limit10 mg/j
pregnancyUpper limitinadequate data
breastfeedingUpper limitinadequate data

SCF, 2002a. EFSA, Overview on Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (version 11, August 2025), retrieved 21 October 2026.

Maximum dose in France

Maximum daily dose per supplement in France: 8 mg, according to the Order of 9 May 2006.

The doses of the 2006 Order have not been revised since the amending Order of 14 November 2006, and some were annulled by the Conseil d'État in 2011; the DGCCRF accepted higher levels for some nutrients through guidelines published until January 2019, and an update of the Order is being prepared (ministerial answer published in the Official Journal on 11 February 2025).

Order of 9 May 2006, Annex III. French orders of 9 May 2006 and 14 November 2006 as published in the Official Journal (maximum daily doses), retrieved 21 October 2026.

Forms declared in supplements

Union list: vitamin and mineral forms that may be used in a food supplement (Directive 2002/46/EC, Annex II).

Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements, latest consolidated version (Annex II: forms of vitamins and minerals), retrieved 23 October 2026.

Products containing it