Natural Factors Niacin 475 mg 60 tablets

Since the 1950s, niacin (vitamin B3) has been known to lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In fact, in numerous clinical studies niacin has demonstrated better overall results in reducing risk factors for coronary heart disease than other cholesterol-lowering agents, including statin drugs. Nonetheless, many people are reluctant to use niacin because at the dosing levels recommended to lower cholesterol, it causes a hot, itchy skin reaction known as the “niacin flush”. In an attempt to combat this reaction, manufacturers developed sustained-release (also called timed-release or slow-release) niacin products. These formulations allowed the niacin to be absorbed gradually, over a period of 12 hours or more, thereby reducing the flushing reaction. Unfortunately, these earlier timed-release preparations were shown to be more toxic to the liver than regular niacin. This problem has now been overcome with the development of “intermediate release” preparations that achieve a similar therapeutic effect with significantly lower doses, released over a shorter 6-8 hour period. Very large clinical trials have shown intermediate-release niacin preparations to be extremely well tolerated, with no liver toxicity or serious side effects noted.