I started taking niacin (500mg) maybe a month and a half ago, as I saw it was something on the vitamin sticky I've neglected. The first time I took it I didn't know what a niacin flush was and thought I was having an allergic reaction or something, but soon discovered it's a common effect. I thought it might diminish as I continued taking it, but I still get a pretty significant flush that lasts 45-60 minutes. It's not really that big of a deal, but I have sort of reddish skin to begin with, and look like an oompa loompa with the flush, so much so that I've startled some co-workers, haha.

I'm wondering what the benefit of niacin is for PCS folks, and whether taking a "no-flush" version, or taking it every few days, would be as beneficial? Thanks.

I have been taking a no-flush version for over 2 weeks now and haven't had any issues despite having sensitive skin.

For the major benefits, no flush is fine. But, the cardio and cholesterol benefits are less from the no-flush. Niacin/nicotinic acid is the flush type and helps with cholesterol. Niacinamide is no-flush. Inositol Hexanicotinate is a no flush.

My wife takes the same niacin as I do. She has no flush issues. I turn red like a tomato. My skins burns. My backside burns. The back of my neck burns. My skin temp elevates to 95 degrees.

For those of you who ever get a sunburn, niacin will burn like blazes but your sunburn will heal very quickly.

The first time I took niacin, my doctor gave me a half tablet to chew. Whooooow. What a surprise. He also gave me a shot of B-12 and started me on the full vitamin and supplement regimen. It changed my life over the next 8 weeks.

So is taking the flush version every other day a good a alternative to taking a no-flush version everyday? Do you know specifically how it supports healing? I'm just curious, I'm taking so many supplements I feel like a crazy person, knowing what they do makes me feel a little less crazy, haha.

I know niacin is good for capillary blood flow.

Isn't 500mg per day a LOT of niacin?

I was just reading something that mrsD left on a thread in the Vitamins forum. Way down the bottom of the page it has info about dosage... down where it says

Safety
Toxicity

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/niacin

>>>> just a warning... it's a difficult page to read for some I imagine. It's fllled with bright red highlighted links.... just so you know.

I found this site , a mention of memory & depression dosages as well as other conditions.-
http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/niacin-benefits/

Thanks for the info. I just picked up the only niacin bottle I saw at my local co-op, which was 500mg, so I figured that was the standard dosage.

I'm not sure and that's why I posed the question.

It seemed too high to me and I was concerned.
Worth investigating.

Hopefully others will chime in with how much they're taking.

And a counterpoint to the higher dosages suggested on the above link -
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-su...t-guide-niacin
(article Reviewed by David Kiefer, MD on May 01, 2015)


So it seems it is a case of be aware , do your own checking on various sites before trying higher doses ...

https://www.google.com/search?q=niac...fits+%26+risks