You might take niacin to lower your cholesterol, or benefit from its many health benefits, like improved blood circulation, robust skin condition, enhanced brain function, better digestion and protection against arthritis. Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, can also lower your platelet count. The scientific term for low platelet count from taking too much niacin or other substances is drug-induced thrombocytopenia. According to the Platelet Disorder Support Association, drugs cause 20 to 40 percent of all instances of cytopenia, or low blood cell counts.
Niacin Therapy
Researchers have observed thrombocytopenia in patients undergoing niacin therapy, according to Wellness. These therapies typically combine niacin with aspirin or warfarin, an anti-coagulant blood thinner commonly known as Coumadin. Aspirin or ibuprofen relieves symptoms associated with niacin, like flushing of the skin. Additionally, there are cases of patients who developed clotting disorders after taking niacin in a sustained-release form.
Dosage
Niacin is a naturally occurring, water-soluble vitamin found in food, dietary supplements and prescription medicines. Your doctor may prescribe niacin tablets or capsules in regular, slow-release and extended-release forms. Prescription dosages range from 50 mg to 1,000 mg, according to Drugs.com. The recommended daily allowance, or RDA, for healthy men is 16 mg per day and 14 mg for healthy women. Physicians will start patients on 500 mg of niacin at bedtime and incrementally increase dosage up to 2 g each day in divided doses until the patient's hyperlipidemia, or high cholesterol, is controlled. Your physician may even increase the dosage to the maximum of 6 g for regular niacin or 2,000 mg per day for extended-release forms.
Prescriptions, Supplements and Food
You may accidentally decrease your platelet count by underestimating niacin consumption when you take nicotinic acid as prescribed by your doctor, along with vitamin supplements and eating foods high in niacin. Discuss your niacin therapy regimen with your doctor before having surgery or beginning anti-coagulation therapy. Tell your doctor about all your over-the-counter supplements and mention any vitamin supplement pills. Many foods contain niacin, including fortified breakfast cereals, beef, chicken, fish, mushrooms and pasta sauce.
Benefits
Lower platelet counts increase bleeding but nicotinic acid's effect on blood clotting has a variety of health benefits. Nicotinic acid positively affects the way your blood coagulates and decreases platelet aggregation in such a way that reduces your risk for cardiovascular disease associated with blood clots. Niacin also reduces your risk for suffering recurrent heart attacks if you have already had one. Your doctor may also prescribe nicotinic acid in conjunction with bile acid-binding resin to lower your risk for pancreatitis due to extremely high triglyceride levels. Your doctor will monitor your platelet count while you are on niacin therapy.
