You should only take niacin as a cholesterol treatment under the care of your health care provider. You should always take the dose prescribed by your doctor. You should not attempt to treat your medical condition by yourself with over-the-counter vitamin supplements. The amount of niacin needed to treat cholesterol is much higher than off-the-shelf doses. Taking excessive amounts of niacin can also be harmful. As a prescription drug, your dosage will depend on the treatment goals identified by your doctor, and the prescription may come with additional medications and lifestyle changes.
Nicotinic Acid
Niacin is one of the vitamins in the B complex. It contains nicotinic acid, used since the 1950s as a treatment in improving blood lipid profiles. Authorities with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute say that when taken in doses well above the vitamin requirement, niacin lowers total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Why Niacin is Prescribed
There are several types of cholesterol drugs. Your doctor may prescribe niacin based on your particular cholesterol problem, or if you don't tolerate other medications well. Niacin is most helpful in patients with low HDL levels and elevated triglycerides. It may reduce LDL cholesterol by 5 to 15 percent, and up to 25 percent in some patients, but other drugs may produce better results with LDL cholesterol. The University of Maryland Medical Center says nicotinic acid is more effective at raising HDL cholesterol than any other drug. It is also among the cheapest cholesterol-lowering drugs available. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute says niacin can lower your triglycerides by up to 50 percent.
Dosing Requirements
Niacin comes in immediate-release and slow-release formulas. The standard dose for immediate release tablets and capsules provide between 1.5 and 3 g daily. You may receive a prescription requiring that you take a 500 mg pill up to three times daily. The extended-release version of the medicine usually comes with dosage instructions that gradually build you up to 1 to 2 g daily. You may have a few weeks' worth of medicine with doses containing 375, 500, 750 or 1,000 mg in each pill.
Side Effects
Some people don't tolerate niacin well. It can cause uncomfortable side effects, and it can cause adverse health effects, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. For example, you may experience skin flushing, dizziness, vision problems and stomach troubles. Your doctor may give you the slow-release version for this reason. However, long-term use of slow-release niacin can cause liver damage.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin B3 (Niacin); Steven D. Ehrlich; June 18, 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Cholesterol Medications; Harvey Simon; May 5, 2009
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; High Blood Cholesterol: Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III); May 2001
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; Your Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol With TLC; December 2005
- Cleveland Clinic: About Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs
