ask your pharmacist

back to: pharmacy | ask your pharmacist

How do I choose a niacin product?

Niacin is a vitamin used in high doses to help lower cholesterol in the blood. Also called vitamin B3, niacin products are available in both regular and slow-release forms. Slow-release niacin may cause less flushing and upset stomach than regular niacin. Unfortunately, slow-release niacin has been found to cause liver damage more often than regular niacin. For this reason, only people who experience bothersome side effects while taking regular niacin should use slow-release niacin. Niacinamide ( also called nicotinamide), another form of niacin, causes fewer side effects but is not effective for lowering cholesterol.

Niacin should only be used to lower cholesterol under the direction of a doctor.

References: Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, Appleton and Lange, 1999.USP-DI Advice for the Patient: Drug Information in Lay Language, Micromedex, Inc., 1998.Micromedex Healthcare Series. Micromedex, Inc., 1999. Silverman, H.M, J.A. Romano, G. Elmer. The Vitamin Book, Bantam Books, 1999.

This answer prepared 7/9/99.