Niacin Supplements....

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OregonShell
OregonShell Posts: 44 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My doctor has recommended that I start taking Niacin again to help with my low HDL's and High Triglycerides, I took it a few years ago at 500 mg a day but when I tried to up it to get to the 2,000 mg the DR wanted me to take I thought I was going to die. so I stopped. Recently my new DR. wanted me to at least take 500mg, so I went to GNC and picked up a bottle. took one last night and OMG I felt like I was burning up, from head to toe my body turned deep red, felt like a bad sunburn the sheets hurt my skin, so I took a shower to help til it passed... got light headed, ears started ringing, nearly blacked out, got our of the shower after a few minutes and my body basicly emptied my digestive track for me... the whole thing last nearly and hour...

Has anyone had a simular experience?? If so did you do anything that helped.

I am afraid to take it again not sure if this is just "side effects or an allergic reaction, I am going to call my DR but being the weekend I have to wat til Monday and thought I'd get some feed back...

Thanks all and have a great day
Shell

Replies

  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    A niacin flush is pretty normal... but I've never heard of it being that severe. Yes... talk to that doctor of yours.

    Does niacin come in smaller quantities? Can you cut the pill in half? If so, take it several times a day instead of just at once.

    Otherwise... there are other ways to raise up HDL and lower LDL. Look into mono- and polyunsaturated fats for starters. Oatmeal too.
  • tophat1
    tophat1 Posts: 19
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    Niacinamide is supposed to be better than niacin (fewer flushing/reactions). I take it from time to time with no issues.
  • Amazon_Who
    Amazon_Who Posts: 1,092 Member
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    I had a severe reaction to a cholesterol reducing medication that had some form of niacin in it. I had the tingling, burning, felt paralyzed at times and did black out more than once. It was so bad my doctors thought I had MS. I even asked my pharmacist, primary care doctor and my neurologist is any of my medications could cause my symptoms. After a lot of expensive tests I ran out of the medication and didn't get it refilled right away. My symptoms when away. When I restarted it they came back.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
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    Niacin (nicotinic acid) dilates capillaries which increases blood flow and can lower blood pressure When this happens cells expel their waste products and can produce histamine making it seem like an allergic reaction. A natural anti-histamine is vitamin C. I've also heard that B vitamins should be taken to balance each other.

    If you take niacin again, I recommend taking 2000-3000 mg vitamin c and a B-complex or multivitamin to reduce your reactions.
  • dlyeates
    dlyeates Posts: 875 Member
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    I had that happen to me too when I took Niacin. Some people react to it and get a flush.

    Easy fix......go back and get the "Flush Free Niacin". Same stuff but it's treated in a way that it doesn't cause the flush.

    I freaked out too and then learned that some people react that way and that's why they make the other stuff. Get the other stuff!!
  • maryd322
    maryd322 Posts: 1 Member
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    i have taken Niacin supplements. I have read that taking a non-flushing brand is ineffective in reducing triglycerides. I take a brand called Slo-Niacin (Walgreens) (1000mg/day) which is a slow release. I still got flushing in the beginning; however, after about 2 weeks the flushing went away for the most part. If I don't take the Niacin for a few days, upon taking it again the flushing comes back. However, never as bad as the first few weeks. My triglicerides went from over 300 to around 150~however, I am also taking a triple strength fish oil~so not sure which one did the trick. I am trying to avoid statins and cholesterol reducing meds~so the Niacin and fish oil seem to be working "naturally" for me. Good luck. Try to get by the first few weeks.
    :explode:
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
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    I had that happen to me too when I took Niacin. Some people react to it and get a flush.

    Easy fix......go back and get the "Flush Free Niacin". Same stuff but it's treated in a way that it doesn't cause the flush.

    I freaked out too and then learned that some people react that way and that's why they make the other stuff. Get the other stuff!!

    That would be inositol hexanicotinate(IHN). From the article that looks to be a better cholesterol reducing agent than nicotinic acid.

    "Studies showing that IHN improves lipid profiles date back as far as the early 1960s. In an in vitro study using fat cells from rats, IHN was found to be more effective than niacin in reducing hypercholesterolemia. When given to rabbits on a fatty diet, IHN resulted in normalization of all lipid fractions, including cholesterol."

    http://www.life-enhancement.com/article_template.asp?ID=7

    Make sure you don't buy time released niacin because it has been known to cause increased liver toxicity.
  • OregonShell
    OregonShell Posts: 44 Member
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    Thanks Guys.. I started cutting the pills in half and all this week I have been taking half in the morning with my vitamins and half at night with food and the side effects have been dramatically reduced, This weekend I am goingto try the whole tablet again, didn't want to do it duringhte week because of having to work... I will get some vitamin C and B complex... and take those too.. can't hurt and the extra vitamin C and B should also have the benefit of boosting my immune system and energy levels .. ++

    Thanks for the input... Have a great day
  • w292737
    w292737 Posts: 25
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    good luck!
  • OregonShell
    OregonShell Posts: 44 Member
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    Easing my self into it with 1/4 pill , 1/2, then 1/2 twice a day. now I can take 1 in the morning and one at bed time and the side effects are minimal.. I am now one more step towards getting my health under control. :smile:

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