Overview

Niacin is a B vitamin the physique makes. The physique makes use of niacin to show meals into vitality. It helps hold the nervous system, digestive system, and pores and skin wholesome.

Folks might take niacin, additionally known as vitamin B-3, as a part of a each day multivitamin. However most individuals get sufficient niacin from the meals they eat. Meals wealthy in niacin embrace yeast, milk, meat, and cereals.

Some individuals use prescription niacin (Niacor) to assist handle ldl cholesterol.

The advised each day quantity of niacin for adults assigned male at beginning is 16 milligrams (mg) a day. For adults assigned feminine at beginning who aren’t pregnant, the dose is 14 mg a day.

What the analysis says

Analysis on using niacin you’re taking by mouth to deal with sure situations reveals:

• Excessive ldl cholesterol. Prescription niacin raises high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ldl cholesterol. That is the “good” ldl cholesterol that helps take away low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “dangerous” ldl cholesterol, from the blood. Regardless that niacin might increase HDL ldl cholesterol, analysis means that niacin remedy is not linked to decrease charges of demise, coronary heart assault, or stroke.
• Niacin deficiency, additionally known as pellagra. Niacin and a nutrient known as niacinamide deal with or forestall an absence of niacin. This situation is not frequent in the US.

Our take

Typically secure

Prescription niacin might assist individuals with excessive ldl cholesterol who cannot take medicines known as statins or have not managed their levels of cholesterol with a statin, eating regimen and train. Do not take prescription niacin for top ldl cholesterol in the event you’re pregnant.

Security and unwanted effects

Consultants imagine niacin to be secure when taken by mouth in typical quantities.

Excessive doses of prescription niacin may cause:

• Pores and skin flushing and dizziness.
• Itching.
• Upset abdomen and vomiting.
• Stomach ache.
• Unfastened stools.
• Gout.
• Liver harm.
• Diabetes.

Severe unwanted effects are probably for individuals who take between 2,000 and 6,000 mg of niacin a day. If you happen to suppose you may need taken an excessive amount of niacin, search medical assist instantly.

If in case you have a liver situation, a peptic ulcer, or very low blood strain, known as hypotension, do not take giant quantities of niacin. The complement has been linked with liver harm. Liver harm may cause hypotension and would possibly make a peptic ulcer lively.

Taking niacin additionally would possibly make allergic reactions, gallbladder situations, and signs of some thyroid situations worse. If in case you have diabetes, niacin can have an effect on the way you handle your blood sugar. Use niacin with care in case you have gout. Niacin may cause an excessive amount of uric acid within the blood, known as hyperuricemia. This raises the danger of gout.

If you happen to’re pregnant, do not take prescription niacin for top ldl cholesterol. However in the event you want niacin to stop or deal with lack of niacin, known as deficiency, niacin is probably going secure to take throughout being pregnant and breastfeeding. Use it solely as your healthcare skilled tells you.

Interactions

Doable interactions embrace:

• Alcohol. Taking niacin with alcohol would possibly increase the danger of liver harm. And it’d make niacin unwanted effects, reminiscent of flushing and itching, worse.
• Allopurinol (Lopurin, Zyloprim). If you happen to take niacin and you’ve got gout, you would possibly must take extra of this gout medication to handle your gout.
• Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines, herbs and dietary supplements. All these medicines, herbs and dietary supplements restrict blood clotting. Taking niacin with them would possibly increase the danger of bleeding.
• Blood strain medicines, herbs and dietary supplements. Niacin would possibly add to the impact of medicines, herbs and dietary supplements that handle blood strain. This might increase the danger of low blood strain, additionally known as hypotension.
• Chromium. Taking niacin with chromium would possibly decrease blood sugar. If in case you have diabetes and take niacin and chromium, watch your blood sugar ranges.
• Diabetes medicines. If in case you have diabetes, niacin can have an effect on blood sugar administration. You would possibly want to alter the dose of the diabetes medicines.
• Medicines, herbs and dietary supplements that trigger liver harm, known as hepatotoxic. Niacin may cause liver harm. So do not take it with medicines, herbs or dietary supplements that can also trigger liver harm.
• Statins. Analysis reveals that taking niacin with these ldl cholesterol medicines does little greater than statins alone. Taking niacin with statins would possibly increase the danger of unwanted effects.
• Zinc. Taking zinc with niacin would possibly worsen niacin unwanted effects, reminiscent of flushing and itching.

March 21, 2025