4 replies to this topic

[Futurenow]

I've noticed over many years that even small doses of plain niacin tablets or capsules will cause a noticeable flush within minutes. I've even tried breaking a 50mg in 4ths and at 12.5mg still notice a slight flush. I have several high quality multivitamins (LEF, Garden of Life, Swanson Mix) which have at least 25mg niacin per dose, but never notice any type of flush even if I take several of them at once. I wonder why this is.

[kurdishfella]

I think they use the non-flush kind of niacin in multivitamins.

[Futurenow]

I did check, the LEF and Swanson multis include Niacin but don't indicate the specific amounts of each. I am guessing there is a tiny amount of niacin to prevent customers from panicking from a niacin flush.

I wonder if niacinamide actually fulfills the body's requirement for niacin.

[ironfistx]

related question, I sporadically take niacin, and i pierce the capsule so I take maybe rather than 50mg, just half of that.  It gives me a flush.  Recently, I took a whole serving, and did not get a flush.  Before this, I wasn't taking niacin for a month at least.  Does anyone know the cause of not getting a flush?

[Futurenow]

A tolerance to the niacin flush develops in days, requiring escalating doses to induce. Dr. Yu's and other protocols exploit the flush by utilizing escalating doses until massive supraphysiological doses (6g+, ~4000x RDA) can be tolerated without flushing. This explains why the small amount in a multi does not induce flush, I take them daily so the threshold is fairly high.

 

I have read many anecdotal reports and Pubmed reports of megadose niacin causing long term hepatic impairment and methylation issues (the cascade mops up methyl group). For this reason many naturopaths recommend avoiding synthetic B vitamins and only using whole food sources such as nutritional yeast. 

 

https://www.marekdoy...o-other-causes/