According to the Nation Institutes of Health, approximately 50 percent of men and 30 percent of women will develop heart disease sometime during their lives. Lowering cholesterol can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Healthy lifestyle changes and medications can help lower cholesterol to normal levels. Niacin is a B vitamin that may help lower total cholesterol levels with relatively few side effects when taken in prescribed doses and under a doctor's care, notes MayoClinic.com.
Function
Niacin can lower LDL, or "bad," cholesterol and triglycerides, and raise HDL, or "good" cholesterol by 15 to 35 percent, making it one of the most effective drugs available for raising HDL. Because it is prescribed at higher doses to treat cholesterol than when used as a vitamin supplement, a doctor should monitor anyone taking niacin to lower cholesterol, states the NIH.
Hot Flashes and Gastrointestinal Problems
Common side effects of niacin include hot flashes, which usually go away with continued use. Using the extended-release form or taking niacin after meals can also stop the occurrence of hot flashes. Other side effects can include gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea; peptic ulcers may also occur, states the NIH.
Liver Damage
Serious side effects of taking niacin at high doses can include liver damage, gout and raised blood glucose levels, states the NIH. Niacin may also increase the potency of high blood pressure medications.
