FoodBanter.com - View Single Post - Niacin

wrote:

> I just got a bunch of vitamins and took soem Niacin. Ten minutes
> later I felt like I was on fire. my skin burned all over. I heard
> that nicain can make a person feel warm, but this was more than warm,
> in fact is was more like painful. I was glad when it wore off in
> about an hour.
>
> Whats the reason for this? I dont know if I want to take them again,
> no matter how health they are.

My doctor told me to take niacin to lower my cholesterol; I'm taking it
twice a day. There are two things to do:

1. Gradually build up the amount you're taking. Week 1, I took 125 mg twice
a day. Week 2 brings it up to 250. Week 3 will be 500, Week 4 will be 750,
and I'll level off at 1000 mg at week 5 and thereafter.

2. To reduce flushing (and I'm told *not* to take the time-release niacin
because it can cause liver problems), the doctor told me to take a plain
aspirin (325 mg) or ibuprofen half an hour before taking the niacin. I've
followed his advice and had no problems with flushing.

Bob