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What should you not take niacin with?
Avoid drinking alcohol or hot drinks or eating spicy foods around the time you take niacin. Taking aspirin or another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) 30 minutes before niacin may reduce the flushing.
How long does niacin flush last?
When niacin flush occurs, symptoms typically set in about 15–30 minutes after taking the supplement and taper off after about an hour.
Is it OK to drink alcohol while taking supplements?
However, if you take supplements, it is important not to exceed recommended doses of these vitamins as high supplemental doses may lead to liver damage. Alcohol combined with high doses of these vitamins may theoretically lead to or worsen liver damage.
Can niacin cause liver damage?
Niacin can cause mild-to-moderate serum aminotransferase elevations and high doses and certain formulations of niacin have been linked to clinically apparent, acute liver injury which can be severe as well as fatal.
What time of day should you take niacin?
Niacin should be taken with food. The extended-release form of niacin should be taken at bedtime.
What happens to the body during a niacin flush?
Everything You Need to Know About Niacin. A ‘Niacin flush’ is a side effect of taking high doses of supplemental niacin (Vitamin B3). The flush happens when niacin causes the small capillaries in your skin to dilate, which increases the flow of blood to the surface of the skin.
What vitamins should not be taken with alcohol?
As you probably already know, chronic alcohol inhibits the absorption and usage of vital nutrients, including folic acid, zinc, vitamin B12 and vitamin B1, or thiamin.
What vitamins do you lose when you drink alcohol?
Vitamins B-1, B-3 and B-6, or thiamine, niacin and pyridoxine, are directly or indirectly involved in alcohol metabolism, and they are among the first nutrients to be depleted by excessive alcohol consumption.
What happens if you drink alcohol while taking niacin?
If you drink alcohol while taking niacin supplements, you increase your chances of suffering from skin flushes, a harmless but uncomfortable side effect. No-flush and timed-release formulas of niacin can prevent or alleviate flushing, but they also increase the risk of liver damage.
How to prevent side effects of niacin-Verywell?
Studies have shown that taking an aspirin first can decrease the flushing and itching associated with niacin. If you are having trouble with these side effects, you may try to take a 325-milligram aspirin dose at least 15 to 30 minutes prior to taking the niacin.
What foods should you avoid when taking niacin?
Hot beverages like coffee and tea as well as alcohol may increase the likelihood of flushing. 4 Try to avoid drinking any of these around the time that you take your niacin.
Can you take niacin if you have liver damage?
If alcohol has damaged your liver, do not self-medicate with niacin. People who abuse alcohol may develop niacin deficiencies. Most people get enough niacin — about 14 mg to 16 mg a day — in their diets, from sources such as: nuts, beef, chicken, beets, yeast. You can purchase niacin without a prescription.