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What Are the Effects of Niacin?

Niacin belongs to the family of B vitamins and is often called B3. An essential nutrient, it is required by the body for healthy functioning. Niacin has a number of beneficial and potentially harmful effects on the body.

  1. Regulates Cholesterol Levels

    • Niacin is highly effective in increasing levels of high-density cholesterol (HDL or "good" cholesterol) in the body, which it can raise by up to 35 percent, according to Dr. Gerald Gau of the Mayo Clinic (see link in Resources). What's more, this vitamin also lowers levels of low-density cholesterol (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) and triglyceride levels, known to increase the risk of heart disease. Gau attributes this dual benefit to the fact that the higher the levels of HDL cholesterol in the body, the lower the levels of bad cholesterol there will be in the bloodstream.

    Drug Interaction

    • Niacin is even more effective in lowering LDL cholesterol when used in combination with drugs called "statins," reports Gau. Statins are pharmaceutical drugs that are formulated to lower cholesterol. Together, niacin and statins can raise the levels of HDL in the bloodstream by more than 50 percent, while lowering the LDL cholesterol.

    Flushing

    • One of the most common side effects of taking niacin is called "flushing." Studies conducted by the Linus Pauling Institute say that the flushing is caused by taking relatively high doses of the vitamin, in excess of 1,000 mg. To avoid the flushing associated with large dosages, it is recommended that you begin with a low dose and gradually increase the amount taken to the higher desired dosage. Other common side effects are high doses of niacin that include itching, gastrointestinal upset, nausea and vomiting.

    Toxicity

    • An upper limit of 35 mg daily for adults was set as the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine in 2002 (see link in Resources). The U.S. Ministry of Health lists hyperglycaemia, jaundice and abdominal pain as a few side effects that result when this vitamin is taken in amounts that exceed 3,000mg a day over a long period.

    Pellagra

    • Meeting the daily required allowance for niacin prevents the development of pellagra, a nutritional disease caused by an insufficient intake of the vitamin (see link in Resources below). There are multiple symptoms caused by this condition, which include diarrhea, dermatitis and dementia, as well as apathy, memory loss, fatigue and disorientation. In the extreme, the deficiency can result in death. Niacin is also used in the treatment of pellagra.

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