[Turk]

My doctor told me to take 1.5 grams of niacin a day to help with my cholesterol.

Let me first say I started off taking the no-flush kind of niacin. I never experienced the "niacin flush" even when I was taking all 1.5g at once so I just "figured" the no-flush stuff was just a gimmick and that I didn't react too bad to niacin in general.

But, then I read on here how the "no-flush" niacin can be bad for the liver. After I finished my first bottle I got me a bottle of pure niacin that was 500mg a pill. So the first time I took the pure niacin I just downed two pills for a total of 1000mg.

WOW what a mistake. You know how you read on here how everyone gets these red blotches on their skin from the nicain flush from like only 75mg or such? Well I didn't have any blotches, my ENTIRE body was RED. ALL of it! And it felt exactly like sun burn all over! I quickly poped a asprin and was in the shower for the next 20mins with the water temp set to COLD.

Anyway, since then I have been taking one pill three times a day with meals. But have also read on here that is rough on the liver as well. My tolerance has gone way way up after the first day though. I barley feel a thing now. So I'm starting to experiment with taking two doses a day. One 1000mg and one 500mg. I would like to eventually go to 1500mg in one dose. Has anyone on here built their tolerance up so they can with stand that or even more? If it helps the doc may up the dose so I'm curious if the body can adjust to even higher doses as well. Thanks for the help everyone!

[Steveoph]

Theres an interesting related thread at Niacin Product Request . Perhaps I need to pick up some Niacin for my old man.

[poacher]

I got 2 bottles of Niacin one in front of me now. 500mg. The kind that makes yiou turnn red. I try and split it into quarters and some times still get blotchy red.

[Turk]

Originally Posted by poacher

I got 2 bottles of Niacin one in front of me now. 500mg. The kind that makes yiou turnn red. I try and split it into quarters and some times still get blotchy red.

Yea when I took the big dose at first I thought nothing of it. Then my shoulders started burn like when you get sun burn there. I was just relaxing in my computer chair wonder wtf was going on b/c I long forgot I even took those pills. That feeling eventually spread everywhere and thats when I remembered I took the pills! Luckly I was already informed from reading on here about the niacin flush so I didn't panic. Otherwise I might have made someone take me to the emergency room.

[Turk]

Originally Posted by Steveoph

Theres an interesting related thread at Niacin Product Request . Perhaps I need to pick up some Niacin for my old man.

Oh yea! I already posted in there asking that NP start carrying the pure niacin

[Xodus]

I take high doses of Niacin as well. Used to do the regular stuff but always have a hard time finding it in pills larger than 100mg.

I have since switched to the No-Flush stuff (inositol hexaniacinate) as I remember reading its actually more efficient for cholesterol control. Plus I can find it in higher doses.

Seems to be a lot of differing opinions on whether it even works. I need to go get mine checked again to see which helped more.

I actually enjoyed the flush. I just made sure I wasn't going anywhere for 30 mins after popping them. If it is uncomfortable, take them with a meal.

[PumpDogg]

I take Niaspan ed 1000mgs as well as Zetia to keep my stuff in check.. You should look into the Niaspan.. Its a time released niacan and you will flush, be splotchy and get hot, so take it at bedtime so you sleep thru the sides..

[Xodus]

Originally Posted by PumpDogg

I take Niaspan ed 1000mgs as well as Zetia to keep my stuff in check.. You should look into the Niaspan.. Its a time released niacan and you will flush, be splotchy and get hot, so take it at bedtime so you sleep thru the sides..

Seems kind of annoying to have to get a script for Niacin.

How much do they rape you(or your insurance company) for it?

[Turk]

Yea I'm anti-prescription if I can help it. From what I read pure Nicotinic acid is the way to go. The other forms are either not as effective and/or bad for your liver.