Re: Niacin heptatoxicity

"hawki63" <hawki63@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:FZ14e.15087$zl.8104@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> exactly what is says
>
> that "sustained release" niacin...as opposed to immediate release
> niacin....can adversely affect the liver
>
> unfortunately....many if not most folks cannot tolerate the immediate
> release...due to the flushing except..

FWIW, you can build up a tolerance to the flushing effect, but it requires
that you raise the dosage slowly over several months, and take the niacin
every day without fail. Taking aspirin a half hour beforehand, and taking
your initial doses just before going to sleep (so you're asleep when the
flush hits), also helps.

I've been taking 3000 mg / day of standard niacin for the last 4 or 5 years
(1000 mg in the morning, and 2000 mg before bed in the evening). As long as
I take it religiously, the flushing does not occur.

But, if you stop taking it for even a few days, you'll lose your tolerance
to the flushing effect. I found this out the hard way a few years ago. I'd
run out of niacin for about a week before I could get resupplied, and when I
took my standard evening dosage, I flushed badly, and turned bright red. I
had an important business meeting the next morning, and was very glad I
didn't discover the problem then :-). Within a few days, the problem went
away as I reacquired my tolerance.

GG


> your doc should be checking your liver function on a regular basis if you
> are taking sustained release..
>
>
> "Robin H" <robinh@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:fd14e.889681$Xk.464441@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > Can anybody explain to me what this means. I read it in J Fam Pract.
2005
> > Mar;54(3):265-8.
> >
> > Because [sustained-release/long-acting] niacin has an active metabolite
> > (nicotinamide), hepatotoxicity is more likely to occur with the
> > [sustained-release/long-acting] formulation than with
[immediate-release]
> > niacin.
> >
> > The article references Clin Liver Dis. 2003 May;7(2):415-33 but I dont
> have
> > this journal in my library.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Robin
> >
> >
>
>


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