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People only experience these positive effects on blood fats when they take therapeutic doses of niacin in the range of 1,000–2,000 mg per day ( 5). The study included 17 patients with hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) and low HDL cholesterol along with eight healthy control subjects. Overall, the study found that niacin supplementation decreased oxidative stress and triglyceride levels while significantly increasing HDL levels in the high cholesterol subjects. ( 6) 2. Can Increase Good Cholesterol According to a 2017 study, taking aspirin alongside niacin may help reduce the effects of flushing. Chromium. Taking niacin with chromium might lower your blood sugar. If you have diabetes and take niacin and chromium, closely monitor your blood sugar levels. Other medications, including some antidepressants and hormone replacement therapies (HRTs), can also trigger flush ( 1). SUMMARY
To attain the health benefits niacin can provide, it is best to maximize your intake through daily supplements. If a person is vegetarian or vegan, they may find it challenging to obtain niacin through natural food sources. Most food sources include meat and dairy produce. Thus, supplements can help increase daily intake. For these reasons, niacin is not a primary treatment for high cholesterol. It’s primarily used to help improve blood fat levels in people who cannot tolerate statin drugs ( 5, 7). 2. May reduce blood pressure
Controlled Release Niacin Concerns
Having enough niacin, or vitamin B3, in the body is important for general good health. As a treatment, higher amounts of niacin can improve cholesterol levels. Why do people take niacin? When eating foods rich in Niacin, the chances of side effect are very slim. However, they might arise when taking high dose supplements as the amount of the vitamin will be higher than when consumed through food. Regular high dose products containing Niacin often have the side effect of flushing. Solgar's special complexed form of Niacin does not come with this side effect. Jacobson TA. A "hot" topic in dyslipidemia management - "How to beat a flush": Optimizing niacin tolerability to promote long-term treatment adherence and coronary disease prevention. Mayo Clin Proc. 2010;85(4):365-79.
Niaspan is a prescription, slow-release form of nicotinic acid. It may reduce flushing and still provide benefits for lowering cholesterol. However, it may be more expensive than other forms of niacin.
Usual Pediatric Dose for Vitamin/Mineral Supplementation
Pazirandeh S. Overview of water-soluble vitamins. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Aug. 9, 2017.