Other side effects identified in studies that may require further research included infections and bleeding, particularly in the gut and brain. Large studies of niacin have limitations. If you have high cholesterol, talk with your doctor about the best way to get your cholesterol under control. There are a number of medications that can help people with high cholesterol bring down their LDL numbers.
A cardiologist explains why niacin is used with caution and only in certain patients. Learn more about vaccine availability. Advertising Policy. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter.
Related Articles. Niacin is an important B vitamin that may raise your HDL, "good" , cholesterol. Find out if you should talk to your doctor about taking niacin alone or with cholesterol medications. Niacin, a B vitamin, has long been used to increase high-density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol — the "good" cholesterol that helps remove low-density lipoprotein LDL , the "bad" cholesterol from your bloodstream.
But niacin isn't for everyone. People who take niacin in addition to common cholesterol medications see very little additional benefit.
And niacin can cause uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous side effects. Niacin nicotinic acid is a B vitamin that's used by your body to turn food into energy. Niacin also helps keep your nervous system, digestive system and skin healthy. That's why niacin is often a part of a daily multivitamin, though most people get enough niacin from the food they eat.
When it's used as a treatment to increase your HDL cholesterol or correct a vitamin deficiency, niacin is sold in higher doses that are prescribed by your doctor. Prescription-strength niacin includes such drugs as Niacor and Niaspan.
Niacin is also available as an over-the-counter supplement. Supplements sold over-the-counter are not regulated like prescription medications. The ingredients, formulations and effects of over-the-counter niacin can vary widely. Don't take niacin without discussing it with your doctor first because niacin can cause serious side effects when taken in high doses.
Niacin can raise HDL cholesterol by more than 30 percent. There's currently some debate about the exact role HDL plays in the body and in the development of heart disease. But HDL has generally been thought to pick up excess "bad" cholesterol in your blood and take it to your liver for disposal, which is why HDL is dubbed the "good" cholesterol. Despite niacin's ability to raise HDL, recent research suggests that niacin therapy isn't linked to lower rates of death, heart attack or stroke.
High-dose niacin can cause stomach upset and make your skin flush or itch. More importantly, niacin can increase your risk of:. In the past, it was thought that HDL levels would increase even more if niacin was added to cholesterol medications called statins, such as atorvastatin Lipitor and simvastatin Zocor.
But recent studies indicate that niacin provides little additional benefit when compared with statins alone, and may increase the risks of serious side effects. Most doctors no longer recommend niacin for first line cholesterol control — except for people who can't tolerate statins. In those people, the benefits of niacin may outweigh the risk of potentially serious side effects.
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Nearest You. Before Your Visit. During Your Visit. After Your Visit. Search Menu. Nicotinic Acid Niacin for High Cholesterol. Topic Contents. How It Works. Why It Is Used. How Well It Works. Side Effects. What To Think About. Examples These medicines contain the nicotinic acid form of niacin. Why It Is Used Nicotinic acid is used to lower cholesterol and triglycerides.
Niacin may not be appropriate for some people who have: Gout. Active stomach ulcer. Oversensitivity to niacin. Type 2 diabetes and do not have their blood sugar levels controlled.
Clotting disorders, such as hemophilia. Active liver disease. How Well It Works Nicotinic acid can improve cholesterol levels, but it has not been proved to lower the risk of a heart attack or a stroke. Side Effects All medicines have side effects. Here are some important things to think about: Usually the benefits of the medicine are more important than any minor side effects.
Side effects may go away after you take the medicine for a while.
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