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Niacinamide Safety

Sometimes called nicotinic acid amide or nicotylamidum, niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3. Despite its use by natural medical practitioners to treat conditions like high cholesterol and vitamin B3 deficiency, niacinamide has the potential to cause some side effects.

  1. Types of Side Effects

    • Possible side effects of niacinamide include headache, lightheadedness, diarrhea, vomiting, upset stomach, muscle pain, tenderness, weakness and vision changes, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center.

    Features

    • Side effects are most common when patients take more than 3g of niacinamide per day, reports RxList.

    Drug Interactions

    • Niacinamide has the potential to slow down the rate at which the body processes seizure medications like carbamazepine, which could increase the side effects of the drug. When taken with blood pressure medications like propranolol or verapamil, niacinamide can cause dangerously low blood pressure, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center.

    Risks

    • Infrequently, niacinamide use results in liver dysfunction, warns RxList. Other risks associated with the vitamin include blindness, gout, digestive ulcers, high blood sugar and arrhythmia.

    Considerations

    • If you are pregnant or nursing or have a history of allergies, gout, gallbladder disease, angina, hypotension, kidney or liver disease, or stomach ulcers, it may not be safe for you to take niacinamide, cautions RxList.

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