Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Niacin is a form of vitamin B, specifically B3 nicotinic acid. It is a water-soluble vitamin important for proper cell function in the body.
Niacin has been studied for its potential to treat an array of diseases including Alzheimer's disease, cataracts, erectile dysfunction, and sickle cell disease with little success. At one time, healthcare providers prescribed niacin to help manage cholesterol in people with cardiovascular disease. However, after a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that niacin provided no benefit to people with high cholesterol, the practice was stopped.
Today, niacin is used mainly to treat niacin deficiency, which if severe can lead to pellagra , a disease characterized by diarrhea, skin lesions, and dementia.
Niacin deficiency is most likely to develop as a result of malnutrition, poverty, or chronic alcoholism. Most people get enough niacin in their diets to prevent a deficiency, particularly from foods like yeast, meat, fish, milk, eggs, green vegetables, and fortified cereal.
However, if your healthcare provider or nutritionist says you need more vitamin B3 in your diet, there are things to consider in order to choose the appropriate niacin supplement. The U. Department of Health and Human Services recommends 14 milligrams mg of niacin per day for women and 16 mg of niacin day for men from all sources. Immediate-release IR nicotinic acid, also known as "fast-release" nicotinic acid, empties the entire dose into the bloodstream as soon as it's swallowed.
For this reason, IR nicotinic acid is more likely than other forms of the vitamin to cause side effects. If the label doesn't say which form of nicotinic acid is in the bottle, it's safe to assume that it's an IR product. This form of nicotinic acid is available by prescription under the brand names Niaspan or Niacor, as well as generically. There also is a controlled-release version called Slo-Niacin that's sold over the counter and may be less expensive.
Extended-release ER nicotinic acid is released into the body more slowly than the IR type. Extended-release nicotinic acid may cause side effects but these are likely to be less severe than those associated with the IR form.
Sustained-release SR nicotinic acid, also known as "timed-release" nicotinic acid, releases nicotinic acid into the body over a period of time rather than all at once. It may still cause side effects, but they're likely to be milder than those brought on by immediate-release supplements. An SR nicotinic acid supplement will take longer to clear the body than either an IR form or an extended-release ER form.
Niacin helps:. Niacin works by blocking how your liver makes cholesterol. Cholesterol can stick to the walls of your arteries and narrow or block them. Your health care provider will work with you to lower your cholesterol by improving your diet. If this is not successful, medicines to lower cholesterol may be the next step. Statins are thought to be the best drugs to use for people who need medicines to lower their cholesterol. Research now suggests that niacin does not add to the benefit of a statin alone for reducing the risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and stroke.
In addition, niacin can cause unpleasant and potentially dangerous side effects. Therefore, its use has been declining. However, some people may be prescribed niacin in addition to other drugs if they have very high cholesterol or if they do not tolerate other medicines. There are different brands of niacin medicines.
Most of these also come in a less expensive, generic form. Niacin may be prescribed along with other medicines, such as a statin, to help lower cholesterol. Combination tablets that include nicotinic acid plus other medicines are also available. Niacin is also sold over-the-counter OTC as a supplement.
You should not take OTC niacin to help lower cholesterol. Doing so could have serious side effects. Take your medicine as directed. The medicine comes in tablet form. Do not break or chew tablets before taking the medicine. Do not stop taking your medicine without talking with your provider first. You take niacin 1 to 3 times per day. It comes in different doses, depending on how much you need. Read the label on the pill bottle carefully. Menopause and memory: Know the facts.
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