How much niacin should I take to reduce cholesterol?

People use prescription niacin (Niacor, Niaspan) to help control their cholesterol. The recommended daily amount of niacin for adult males is 16 milligrams (mg) a day and for adult women who aren't pregnant, 14 mg a day.

What is the best form of niacin to take to lower cholesterol?

The nicotinic acid form of niacin lowers cholesterol, but other forms of niacin do not. These other forms that do not lower cholesterol include nicotinamide and inositol nicotinate (also called no-flush niacin). Ask your doctor how much niacin you should take. You want to take a dose that will work.

Is 500mg of niacin daily too much?

Niacin in the form of nicotinamide has fewer side effects than nicotinic acid. However, at high doses of 500 mg/day or more, nicotinamide can cause diarrhea, easy bruising, and can increase bleeding from wounds. Even higher doses of 3,000 mg/day or more can cause nausea, vomiting, and liver damage.

Will 100 mg of niacin lower cholesterol?

How much niacin should I take to reduce cholesterol? The doses that have been shown effective for reducing cholesterol range from 500-2000 mg.

How long does it take for niacin to lower cholesterol?

Researchers have studied niacin either alone or in combination with statin therapy. One small 2020 study found that extended-release niacin therapy without any other cholesterol medication lowered total and LDL cholesterol and increased HDL over 16 weeks.

Niacin for high Cholesterol levels

Why is niacin no longer recommended?

The supplement has been linked with liver damage, can cause hypotension and might activate a peptic ulcer. Taking niacin also might worsen allergies, gallbladder disease and symptoms of certain thyroid disorders. If you have diabetes, niacin can interfere with blood glucose control.

Does niacin remove plaque from arteries?

Conclusion. The combination of niacin plus simvastatin decreases coronary plaque volume and attenuates the inflammatory response in patients with intermediate coronary artery stenosis.

How much niacin should I take to clean my arteries?

Adults and children older than 16 years of age—At first, 500 milligrams (mg) per day, taken at bedtime. After 4 weeks, your doctor will increase your dose to 1000 mg per day, taken at bedtime. However, the dose is usually not more than 2000 mg per day.

Is niacin as good as statins?

Research now suggests that niacin does not add to the benefit of a statin alone for reducing the risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and stroke. In addition, niacin can cause unpleasant and potentially dangerous side effects.

What should you not take with niacin?

Anticoagulants (blood thinners) -- Niacin may make the effects of these medications stronger, increasing the risk of bleeding. Blood Pressure Medications, Alpha-blockers -- Niacin can make the effects of medications taken to lower blood pressure stronger, leading to the risk of low blood pressure.

Why take niacin at bedtime?

Pharmacist tips for niacin

If you're taking the extended-release form of niacin, take the medication at bedtime after you eat a low-fat snack such as fruit, pretzels, or carrots. This lowers your risk of side effects like flushing and stomach upset.

Does niacin raise blood pressure?

Nicotinic acid (niacin) is a well-established treatment for dyslipidaemia – an important cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor. However, niacin may also reduce blood pressure (BP), which is another important CVD risk factor.

Is it good to take niacin everyday?

Therefore, it's important to regularly consume niacin-rich foods. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for this nutrient is 16 mg per day for men and 14 mg per day for women — enough to meet the needs of approximately 98% of adults ( 2 ).

Is niacin hard on your kidneys?

For people with kidney disease: Ask your doctor whether niacin is safe for you to take. Niacin is processed by your kidneys. If you have kidney disease, the levels of niacin in your blood can get too high. This could cause you to have more side effects.

Is a niacin flush good for your heart?

A niacin flush can be a temporary side effect of taking niacin; it's also a protocol used by some physicians to lower lipid profiles and boost heart health. Studies have shown that niacin flush benefits can include reduced LDL cholesterol, triglyceride levels and oxidative stress while increasing HDL cholesterol.

Is niacin hard on liver?

Because niacin has also been linked to liver damage and strokes, most doctors now recommend it only for people who can't take statins to treat high triglyceride levels. If you're concerned about taking niacin, talk to your doctor.

Why do cardiac doctors prescribe niacin?

Previous research has shown that lower levels of HDL cholesterol are independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and that use of prescription niacin could raise HDL cholesterol levels and may reduce cardiovascular events.

How long does it take for niacin to take effect?

Virtually all niacin users initially experience flushing,¹⁹ typically commencing 15 to 30 minutes after ingesting immediate-release niacin, 30 to 120 minutes after ingesting extended-release niacin, or at more variable times after sustained-release niacin ingestion.

How can I lower my cholesterol without taking statins?

Does anything dissolve plaque in arteries?

The key is lowering LDL and making lifestyle changes.

"Making plaque disappear is not possible, but we can shrink and stabilize it," says cardiologist Dr. Christopher Cannon, a Harvard Medical School professor. Plaque forms when cholesterol (above, in yellow) lodges in the wall of the artery.

How do you reverse plaque in arteries?

Is 100 mg of niacin a day too much?

The timed-release tablets and capsules may have fewer side effects than regular niacin. However, the timed-release versions are more likely to cause liver damage. Regardless of which form of niacin you are using, doctors recommend periodic liver function tests when using high doses (above 100 mg per day) of niacin.

Does B3 help unclog arteries?

HDL, on the other hand, helps protect against heart disease. Niacin, or Vitamin B3, is the best agent known to raise blood levels of HDL, which helps remove cholesterol deposits from the artery walls.

Does niacin prevent heart attacks?

The initial interest in niacin stemmed from the drug's ability to raise HDL cholesterol, once thought to protect against cardiovascular disease. But HDL is now considered more of a bystander than a helper when it comes to heart disease risk, according to current thinking.

What is the difference between niacin and vitamin B3?

Niacin (also known as vitamin B3) is one of the water-soluble B vitamins. Niacin is the generic name for nicotinic acid (pyridine-3-carboxylic acid), nicotinamide (niacinamide or pyridine-3-carboxamide), and related derivatives, such as nicotinamide riboside [1-3].