Niacin Dosage For Lowering Triglycerides
Niacin, also known as vitamin B3 and prescribed by doctors since the 1950s, proves helpful in improving bloodstream levels of low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides. The amount of niacin prescribed for triglycerides depends on the severity of your current levels as well as your ability to tolerate side effects, including flushing of your skin. High doses of niacin may cause liver damage, and a recent clinical trial ended early when risks of taking niacin proved more harmful than helpful.
About Niacin And Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome
The use of niacin in a setting of AFS largely falls under two categories, as a sleep aid and as a detoxification agent. Its use as a lipid support agent is limited due to the large dose required, which can have unpleasant side effects.
As a sleep aid, niacin and its derivatives do have some supporting functions. The dosage varies greatly from person to person. It is usually best used in conjunction with other sleep aids and mood stabilizing agents including GABA, melatonin, 5-HTP, etc. and not as a single therapeutic agent. The liquid sublingual form is usually preferred as it is easier to titrate, and absorption into the bloodstream is fast.
As a lipotropic, it encourages the export of fat from the liver, and is therefore a detoxifying agent. However, its use should be closely supervised to avoid retoxification reaction. This is especially true in advanced stages of AFS where the liver is sluggish and clearance is compromised.
Excessive niacin, along with heat and exercise, can in fact trigger adrenal crashes. The liquid form is best for easy absorption. It is also best used in conjunction with other liver clearance aids including milk thistle in both fermented and unfermented forms, such as glutathione, lipoic acid, etc.
What Is A Niacin Flush
What is niacin? Niacin or vitamin B3 is an essential vitamin we should all be getting in our diets on a daily basis. According to current USDA standards, adults and children over the age of four should consume about 16 milligrams of B3 per day. What is niacin used for? At significantly higher doses it is used to treat hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol and lower the risk of cardiovascular health concerns.
Vitamin B3 is one of eight B vitamins. This B3 vitamin is also commonly known as as niacin or nicotinic acid. There are also two other forms of the vitamin, niacinamide and inositol hexanicotinate, but these versions have different effects from niacin.
Niacin, or vitamin B3, can naturally be obtained in the diet. Foods high in niacin include things like grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, lamb, salmon, sardines, sunflower seeds and tahini. This B vitamin can also be obtained by supplementing with niacin pills. Like the other B vitamins, niacin is water-soluble rather than fat-soluble, which means that the body does not store it.
What does niacin do? Like the other B vitamin, niacin or B3 helps our bodies convert the food we eat into usable fuel. More specifically, niacin also helps the body to produce key sex hormones as well as stress-related hormones in the adrenal glands and other parts of the body. Niacin benefits also include the vitamins ability to decrease inflammation and boost blood circulation.
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Is Niacin Good Or Bad For The Liver
Niacin, also known as vitamin B-3, provides numerous health benefits when obtained from dietary sources such as peanuts, salmon, eggs, chicken and beets. It improves the health of your skin, eyes and hair helps you convert carbohydrates to glucose for energyl and helps you metabolize fats and proteins. Dietary niacin also helps improve liver function, but taking niacin in prescription or over-the-counter formulas may damage your liver.
Niacin: Myths And Facts
by Health Professional
For a simple, available treatment that can dramatically reduce risk for heart attack, niacin has suffered more than its share of knocks, insults, and undeserved criticisms.
Is it deserved? Does this simple nutritional supplement, B vitamin, and component of food deserve this barrage of snubs? Or, can it be used intelligently to advantage-safely and effectively?
Niacin myths- From a health website:** A Cholesterol-Busting Vitamin?**
Niacin is safe – except in people with chronic liver disease or certain other conditions, including diabetes and peptic ulcer. . . It has numerous side effects. It can cause rashes and aggravate gout, diabetes, or peptic ulcers. Early in therapy, it can cause facial flushing for several minutes soon after a dose, although this response often stops after about two weeks of therapy and can be reduced by taking aspirin or ibuprofen half an hour before taking the niacin. A sustained-release preparation of niacin appears to have fewer side effects, but may cause more liver function abnormalities, especially when combined with a statin.
Strange. After a headline designed to pull readers in, the article then proceeds to scare the pants off you by articulating a litany of side-effects. Most readers would understandably be frightened of giving niacin a try after reading that list of dangers.
Are these warnings warranted? Is niacin as dangerous as they make it sound?
Niacin facts
Despite the fact that niacin is:
A vitamin-vitamin B3
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More Research Is Needed
Large studies of niacin have limitations. For example, they studied niacin on top of statins, rather than alone, so its difficult to distinguish which effects may have been caused by which drug.
For now, doctors are using it cautiously and sparingly.
Statins are our first line therapy and now there are other safe and effective agents that also lower LDL, Dr. Cho says.
Its also important that people do not try to treat themselves with niacin supplements. If you have high cholesterol, talk with your doctor about the best way to get your cholesterol under control.
What Is Niacin Flush
Niacin flush is a common side effect of taking high doses of niacin supplements. Its uncomfortable, but its harmless.
It appears as a flush of red on the skin, which may be accompanied by an itching or burning sensation .
Niacin is also known as vitamin B3. Its part of the B complex of vitamins that play an essential role in turning food into energy for the body .
As a supplement, niacin is primarily used to treat high cholesterol levels. Nicotinic acid is the supplement form people usually use for this purpose.
The other supplemental form, niacinamide, doesnt produce flushing. However, this form isnt effective at altering blood fats, such as cholesterol (
There are two main forms of nicotinic acid supplements:
- immediate release, where the whole dose is absorbed at once
- extended release, which has a special coating that makes it dissolve more slowly
Niacin flush is a very common side effect of taking the immediate-release form of nicotinic acid. Its so common that at least half of people who take high doses of immediate-release niacin supplements experience it .
High doses of nicotinic acid trigger a response that causes your capillaries to expand, which increases the flow of blood to the skins surface (
SUMMARY
Niacin flush is a common reaction to high doses of niacin. It happens when capillaries expand, increasing blood flow to the skins surface.
The symptoms mainly affect the face and upper body, and include :
5 ).
19 ).
Niacin flush is harmless.
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Non Flush Niacin Vs Regular Niacin
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What’s The Difference Between Regular Niacin And No
Products that are simply labelled as “niacin” contain nicotinic acid. This is the substance that, at doses higher than those needed for its vitamin effect, has been shown to have benefit in people with high cholesterol. Nicotinic acid is known to lower two types of “bad” cholesterol as well as increase levels of “good” cholesterol . In fact, it is able to increase HDL more than any other medication.
The nicotinic acid is the substance that causes the flushing side effect of niacin. The flush normally begins as a deep red in the face and then spreads to the rest of the body. Intense warmth and itching usually accompany the flush and this lasts for about 30 minutes. Other side effects of niacin include increased blood sugar levels, increased uric acid levels , dry skin, stomach irritation, or heartburn.
Products labelled as “no-flush” niacin generally contain no nicotinic acid. The main component in these products is inositol hexanicotinate . While inositol hexanicotinate works as other B vitamins work to promote energy metabolism and nervous system health, it has not been shown to have any effect on cholesterol levels. This product does not cause flushing because it does not work the same way as niacin.
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How To Follow A Niacin Flush
If youre wondering how long or how often to do a niacin flush as well proper dosage, always speak to your health care provider. Typically, doctors advise taking niacin with food and gradually increasing niacin dosage over the course of several weeks. Niacin extended-release supplements are often recommended. This version of niacin is designed to reduce the chance of skin flushing.
Heres an example of recommended dosing for a niacin flush with an extended-release niacin supplement:
- Weeks 14: Daily dose of 500 milligrams of niacin extended-release taken at bedtime
- Weeks 58: Daily dose of 1,000 milligrams of niacin extended-release taken at bedtime
After eight weeks, a doctor will typically evaluate the patients response to the niacin. Female patients have been known to require lower doses than male patients to see a desirable response. If the response to 1,000 milligrams is not adequate, the dosage may be increased to 1,500 milligrams and then 2,000 milligrams each day if needed. Niacin doses over 2,000 milligrams daily are usually not recommended. Its also recommended not to raise niacin dosage more than 500 milligrams over the course of four weeks.
What Are Some Side Effects That I Need To Call My Doctor About Right Away
WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:
- Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash hives itching red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever wheezing tightness in the chest or throat trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking unusual hoarseness or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Signs of high blood sugar like confusion, feeling sleepy, more thirst, more hungry, passing urine more often, flushing, fast breathing, or breath that smells like fruit.
- Signs of liver problems like dark urine, feeling tired, not hungry, upset stomach or stomach pain, light-colored stools, throwing up, or yellow skin or eyes.
- Muscle pain or weakness.
- Not hungry.
- Upset stomach or throwing up.
These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088. You may also report side effects at https://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
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How Is This Medicine Best Taken
Use Niacin Flush Free as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.
- Take with a meal.
- Avoid alcohol, hot drinks, or spicy foods when it is time to take Niacin Flush Free .
What do I do if I miss a dose?
- Take a missed dose as soon as you think about it, with a meal.
- If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
- Do not take 2 doses at the same time or extra doses.
About Niacin As A Sleeping Aid
Insomnia can affect your overall health and well-being and can negatively impact your ability to function on a daily basis. A good nightâs sleep where you wake feeling fully rested is something approximately 30 million Americans find elusive. People who suffer from insomnia can suffer from fatigue, difficulty paying attention, and difficulty with focusing, mood swings, and irritability. Those who opt for pharmacologic sleeping aids may become dependent on them as they believe they cannot fall asleep without their continual use â in these situations non-pharmacologic interventions are preferred.
There are four stages to a typical sleep cycle, with stages one and two occurring as you begin to fall asleep and progress into a light sleep when your breathing and heart rate slow down. The following two stages are known as deep sleep, and this is the stage where the most restorative sleep occurs, when the brain is active and dreaming and the body is immobilized.
In general, 90 minutes is required from the time of falling asleep to the time of entering into the deep or rapid eye movement sleep. Every 90 minutes the body will cycle through these stages and enter in and out of REM. REM sleep is necessary as this is where the body enters into deep slumber and is energized, helping one stay focused and active during the waking hours.
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Don’t Be Fooled By No
Niacin can help you lower your levels of bad cholesterol while increasing good cholesterol. When used with lifestyle changes such as losing weight, eating healthy, and increasing physical activity, niacin helps to lower high cholesterol, Many doctors recommend their patients to take niacin in addition to their other cholesterol-lowering therapy. But beware – not all products that have the word “niacin” on their label will actually benefit your cholesterol health.
Decreases The Risk Of Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is common for all ages. This autoimmune disorder attacks cells and causes insulin levels to drop very low. Niacin works to protect these cells and stabilize insulin levels.
Nicotinamide can sometimes cause a spike in blood sugar levels, justifying why it may not be a useful treatment for type 2 diabetes.
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Promotes Metabolism Health With No Flush
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Overview
No-Flush Niacin contains a special form of niacin, inositol hexanicotinate, consisting of six molecules of niacin chemically linked to an inositol molecule. It is hydrolyzed in the body to free niacin and inositol, which is a very slow process. Its novel properties allow for true niacin activity without the characteristic niacin flush.
Ask The Doctors Does Niacin Help Lower Cholesterol
Dear Doctor: Ive been taking niacin for years to lower my cholesterol. Do you think it really helps?
First, lets look at niacin and its role in the body. Niacin is a B vitamin that the body needs to create the compounds NAD and NADP , both of which are crucial to cellular function.
A shortage of niacin, also known as vitamin B3, can lead to diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, rash and, when severe, neurologic conditions that manifest as confusion and dementia. Fortunately, because of our varied and plentiful diet, not to mention supplementation of foods, niacin deficiency is rare in this country. Foods high in niacin include meat, mushrooms and potatoes the recommended daily allowance is 15 milligrams.
As for cholesterol, some research does support niacins ability to improve cholesterol levels. In 1955, in one of the earliest studies of niacin, researchers found that doses of 1,000 to 3,000 milligrams significantly lowered total cholesterol levels in men. Niacin has also been found to lower levels of LDL, the so-called bad cholesterol, while raising levels of HDL, the so-called good cholesterol.
Such research suggests that niacin would be a great therapy to decrease the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The science, however, is less than conclusive.
Overall, niacin is certainly better than not addressing high cholesterol levels, especially if its been working for you, which your doctor should be able to tell you.
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Benefits Of Niacin For High Triglycerides Condition
Interestingly enough, even though supplements and vitamins for triglycerides have been proven to be quite effective at reducing the levels of lipids in the blood, they are still not as widely used as they could be. Prescriptions of higher doses of fish oil have been used in the management of high triglycerides levels with great success, but there are also some vitamins for triglycerides that can be incredibly effective at lowering their levels as well. One of these is vitamin B5. But, it is not the only B vitamin that can positively impact the amount of the blood fats circulating throughout the body. Vitamin B3, better known as niacin, is also an effective at lowering triglycerides.
The benefits of niacin on triglyceride levels are related to the vitamins effects on the liver. Niacin actually reduces the VLDL and LDL producing abilities of the organ. VLDL cholesterol is comprised primarily of triglycerides, which is why the benefits of niacin are so valuable for this purpose. As such, both over the counter and prescription strength niacin are readily available and used for this purpose. However, associated side effects seem to be less prevalent with prescription forms of niacin.
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