Flushing from Niacin..how to stop?
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free skin care · Fri Jul 06, 2012 2:25 pm

I started taking 1000 mg of niacin for newly-diagnosed high cholesterol (under a doctor's supervision) and wow!, the flushing is not only annoying, but painful!I feel as if I have sun burn and look like it! I am also extremely itchy! It hit like a ton of bricks right after I took a shower.

Two questions: 1. I'm going to drop to a lower dose of niacin taken more times per day (500mg taken 3x daily instead of a higher dose taken 1 time). Should this help with the flushing?

2. IS non-flushing niacin as effective for high cholesterol as regular niacin?

I have also heard that taking aspirin helps.

HELP!!!!!

free skin care · Fri Jul 06, 2012 2:57 pm

Honestly, you should ask only your doctor, especially prior to adding aspirin, since niacin was prescribed to you for a medical condition.

free skin care · Fri Jul 06, 2012 3:25 pm

DH takes 1500 mg three nights/wk just prior to bed so he flushes in his sleep. Or you could begin at a low dose and gradually increase the dose as recommended by your physician, and take it following a meal may reduce some flushing. Reportedly the no-flush type does not offer the benefits of improving cholesterol levels. DH's levels dramatically improved within a few months... his dr. wanted to put him on statins & poo pooed when dh said he wanted to try niacin - then his bloodwork was great, then we later learned (from the doc's wife) that the doc had started taking it!

free skin care · Fri Jul 06, 2012 7:38 pm

mogulicious wrote:

DH takes 1500 mg three nights/wk just prior to bed so he flushes in his sleep.

This made me laugh. I pictured a man sleepwalking and flushing the toilet over and over.

free skin care · Fri Jul 06, 2012 7:44 pm

EthelM wrote:

Honestly, you should ask only your doctor, especially prior to adding aspirin, since niacin was prescribed to you for a medical condition.

I agree especially when not only flushing but itching is involved, you may have a sensitivity to taking it in a pill form, there are alternatives but that should be between you and your doctor to decide.

free skin care · Fri Jul 06, 2012 8:15 pm

SoftSkin wrote:

mogulicious wrote:

DH takes 1500 mg three nights/wk just prior to bed so he flushes in his sleep.

This made me laugh. I pictured a man sleepwalking and flushing the toilet over and over.

LOL!

And yeah, omg talk with your doctor! Niacin flushes can be quite dramatic but that sounds excessive. I remember being shocked that they sold it over the counter though.
A paramedic we know told us he estimated at least one call a week from people who thought they were having strokes after taking niacin.

free skin care · Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:26 am

This from healingdaily.com:

It's important to note that this niacin flush is not harmful or dangerous. Some people worry about it, but it is actually a sign of improved blood flow.
When you get the niacin "flush", it's an indication that the niacin is causing small blood vessels in your body to be expanded in size. Many of your small blood vessels, called "capilaries" are so small that blood cells can only go through them in single file. Sometimes, in fact, that small capilary passageway is clogged and blood doesn't get through at all.

While the large organs of the body all have blood supplied from large arteries, a great deal of your body, particularly the parts near the skin, get their ONLY supply of blood (therefore also of oxygen and nutrients) from these small capillaries.

The niacin causes these small capilaries to expand - so they might be able to carry 2 or 3 blood cells at the same time. This is a tremendous increase in blood flow.

You experience this as a "flushing" of the skin, simply because there is more blood close to the surface of the body. As the blood flows in these areas, the cells of the small capilaries will also be getting rid of their waste products, and often they produce 'histamine' as part of this process. That histamine is another natural substance produced by every cell in the body when a cell is under attack, or is eliminating toxins. Histamine causes an 'itchy' feeling.

free skin care · Sat Jul 07, 2012 8:38 am

My doctor has suggested that I take an antihistamine for the itching. I'm going to try that because I'm scratching a lot. Supposedly the flushing stops after a couple of weeks. I hope so!

free skin care · Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:12 pm

I know a lady who wanted a facelift but had a difficult time finding a surgeon to give her one because she was a smoker. She found a dr. in a different state, and just prior to her anesthesia he administered a huge dose of niacin, said that was his key to successful surgeries on smokers.

free skin care · Sat Jul 07, 2012 3:46 pm

I guess that the flushing is good for the skin then...though, the itching causes me to scratch!

free skin care · Sat Jul 28, 2012 8:07 am

My doctor told me years ago to take Niacinamide and not Niacin because the Niacin would cause flushing but the Niacinamide would not....

You would have to confirm that the Niacinamide would still give you the same benefit for the issue you are treating, but thought it was worth mentioning.

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