Does Niacin Cause Side Effects When Used To Lower Cholesterol?

Niacin side effects are relatively mild for the most part when taken in proper dosages. However, it is important that you learn the best ways to take this vitamin and what effects it has on your body.

What is niacin exactly?

Also known as Vitamin B3, is an important member of the B family of vitamins that is essential for the metabolism of fat in the body. As you may know vitamins are important compounds that are necessary for many body processes, and are not found naturally within the body.

Therefore it is necessary to get all of your vitamins from outside sources. (One slight exception to this rule is vitamin D, which your body actually produces through exposure to the sun)

It's interesting to note that niacin and cholesterol are closely linked, and Vitamin B3 is often recommended to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels within your body. Because of its ability to break down fats it is essential for heart attack prevention, as well as treating diabetes and cataracts.

Where can you get niacin from?

Although food is a major source of B3 (meats, beans and dairy), the problem is most of the time vitamins are diluted or eliminated during the processing of the food we eat. Also, most of us do not follow a healthy diet and eat a lot of fast food and junk food, rendering us vitamin deficient.

Vitamin deficiencies can lead to many diseases and medical problems. Therefore it is necessary for most people to supplement vitamins to make sure they are getting the amounts that they need to maintain proper health.

Are there any side effects to content with?

When taken in recommended dosages, there are very few niacin side effects. When they do occur, they tend to be mild and may include flushing and itching among other slight allergic reactions.

In very high doses however, niacin can be toxic. It can cause irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). It should not be taken by anyone with kidney or liver disease.

Should you take niacin on its own or as part of a more comprehensive product?

It is always better to take vitamins and minerals together rather than on their own. This has been shown to be the best way to yield the optimal health benefits for your body, for many reasons:

1) Many vitamins and minerals work synergistically together, and in fact some cannot work at all without each other.

For example, Vitamin E must be taken with Vitamin C in order to work. Vitamin E and Vitamin C are powerful antioxidants that rid the body of toxic chemicals, and work together much better than they do separately.

2) Many vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can enhance the benefits of each other.

For example, niacin can help lower cholesterol much more effectively with other natural cholesterol lowering nutrients such as policosanol, ginger extract and green tea.

Finding a High Quality Multivitamin Supplement

Most multivitamins on the market do not contain natural vitamins, but rather the synthetic versions. Avoid these vitamins at all costs. Synthetic versions are not nearly as beneficial as their natural counterparts.

Here's an example:

In a clinical trial, natural beta carotene (from which Vitamin A is derived) was tested against synthetic beta carotene. The natural beta carotene was shown to eliminate tumors; the synthetic had absolutely no effect.

Most store-bought multivitamins are manufactured from synthetic sources because they are much cheaper to produce. But these supplements do not offer the same therapeutic benefits.

More importantly, synthetic vitamins can be dangerous to your health because many of them are made from unhealthy sources and could contain harmful contaminants. You can minimize serious potential niacin side effects with natural vitamins.

So what should you look for?

The ideal supplement will have a balance of important vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients, all drawn from natural sources. The ingredients will be formulated synergistically to offer the maximum therapeutic benefits.

We have found a health supplement that meets all of these requirements. It is called Total Balance and it contains natural niacin (Vitamin B3) as well as all of the other essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients. Many of these nutrients help niacin with fatty acid metabolism as well as reduce body cholesterol levels.

Many of our staff as well as our visitors have been taking Total Balance for years as their core multivitamin supplement. It ensures a daily supply of all of the important B vitamins and other nutrients that are essential for proper body function and optimal health.

As with all health supplements, be sure to consult your physician or qualified medical professional before taking any niacin or vitamin supplement.

more on our nutritional supplements page

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