What is Vitamin B3 (Niacin)?
Category: Supplements
Most popular types: Niaspan Niaspan ER Slo-Niacin Show all
Vitamin B3, niacin, is used with diet changes (restriction of cholesterol and fat intake) to reduce the amount of cholesterol and certain fatty substances in your blood.
| Purpose | Patients | Evaluations | Perceived Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| General health | 42 | 14 | |
| Multiple sclerosis | 16 | 12 | |
| High cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) | 9 | 7 | |
| High triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia) | 5 | 4 | |
| Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis | 4 | 0 |
- Major
- Moderate
- Slight
- None
- Can't tell
Side effects
Side effects as an overall problem
| Severity | Evaluations | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 6 | |
| Moderate | 14 | |
| Mild | 19 | |
| None | 38 |
Commonly reported side effects and conditions associated with Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
| Side effect | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Flushing | 13 | |
| Burning sensation in skin | 2 | |
| Facial flushing | 2 | |
| Hot flashes | 2 | |
| Unbearable stinging all over | 2 | |
| Burning sensation | 1 |
Why patients stopped taking Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Multiple reasons could be selected
| Reason | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 15 | |
| Side effects too severe | 15 | |
| Doctor's advice | 13 | |
| Did not seem to work | 8 | |
| Expense | 5 | |
| Personal research | 3 | |
| Change in health plan coverage | 2 | |
| Course of treatment ended | 2 |
Duration
Stopped taking Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
| Duration | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 month | 7 | |
| 1 - 6 months | 11 | |
| 6 months - 1 year | 7 | |
| 1 - 2 years | 13 | |
| 2 - 5 years | 10 | |
| 5 - 10 years | 6 | |
| 10 years or more | 3 |
What people switch to and from
Patients stopped taking Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and switched to:
| Treatment | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Pravastatin (Pravachol) | 1 | |
| Rosuvastatin (Crestor) | 1 |
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