NOW Foods Supplements, Niacin (Vitamin B-3) 500 mg, Essential B-Group Vitamin*, Nutritional Health, 100 Capsules

Some days I take these and I'm out of commission for at least 10 mins, due to all the itching n scratching. Some days it barely itches when taking. I'm going to assume that those days of intense itching is the days when I need it most. I usually feel be/er on days that I take them. But I do not take them on a regular basis. Also NOW brand are ny most dependable brand when purchasing supplements.

NOW makes reliable supplements and I am an avid flusher with Niacin and I have been using NOW brand regularly for 15 years. They are reasonably priced and usually cheaper and more reliable than most competitors. There are some really good companies in the nutritional supplementation industry.

I'm sure the product is great, but I'm apparently in the percentage of people who experience "niacin flush" from taking a B-3 supplement. Intestinal distress, heat flashes, and skin rash! Buy a small quantity if you've never tried it before.

I bought NOW Foods Niacin 500 mg hoping to support my heart health, but my experience was far from positive. After taking just one 500 mg capsule on an empty stomach, I started feeling intense itching all over my body within 30 minutes—it was unbearable and lasted for over an hour. This is clearly the ‘niacin flush’ mentioned in reviews, but I wasn’t prepared for how severe it would be, especially spreading to my shoulders, back, and even my arms. On top of that, I also felt bloated and uncomfortable in my stomach, which made me hesitant to take it again. I understand niacin can cause flushing, but for a first-time user like me, the 500 mg dose felt way too high right out of the gate. The product description doesn’t emphasize enough how intense these side effects can be for beginners, and there’s no guidance on starting with a lower dose. I’ve since learned I should’ve taken it with food or started with a much smaller amount, but that information wasn’t clear on the bottle or packaging. While NOW Foods is a reputable brand, this product wasn’t a good fit for me due to the overwhelming side effects. I’m returning it and looking for a lower-dose or flush-free alternative. If you’re sensitive or new to niacin, I’d recommend skipping this or consulting a doctor first—otherwise, you might end up as uncomfortable as I did.” Pros: • Reputable brand, made in a GMP facility. • Vegetarian capsules, free of common allergens. Cons: • Extremely high 500 mg dose caused severe itching (flush) and bloating. • No clear instructions for beginners or sensitive users. • Side effects outweighed any potential benefits for me. UPDATE: Flush became worse during warm weather conditions and caused hypotension and become unconscious for few minutes. Very scary. Be careful if you are new to this.

The flush from these is absolutely unbelievably intense and painful. I had to lay down and simply let the full-body convulsions ride their course, after taking a single capsule. I probably burned some calories, but mostly I was happy not to have chipped any teeth from the rigors and waves of chills and spasms. Definitely potent stuff!

Niacin (in the form of nicotinic acid) has been used for 50 years to lower cholesterol, but was never very well understood. Then statins came along - a highly profitable alternative to niacin because statins can be patented... niacin cannot. Statin researchers have tried time and again to dismiss niacin. In clinical trials in which nicotinic acid was used ALONE (not in combination with statins and not in the form of slow-release niacin), niacin lowered LDL (especially LDL particle count), raised HDL, and lowered Lp(a). When researchers tried COMBINING niacin with statins, numerous patients suffered severe side effects... because the statin and niacin were working at cross purposes. Most critically, these studies FAILED to test niacin ONLY vs placebo vs the niacin-statin combo. When the niacin-statin combo blew up, the researchers blamed... the niacin. When the results were presented, many methodologists cried foul: to blame niacin simply ignored decades of research that had repeatedly shown positive results and generally minor side effects (mainly flushing and dry skin). I decided to go with the larger body of research and at least try it - and two physicians have monitored my results and possible side effects. FOR ME it has worked extremely well. I have lowered my LDL-P from over 2000 to under 1000, have cut my triglycerides to under 75, raised my HDL from 40 to over 60, and lowered my Lp(a) from over 40 to less than 30. Meanwhile, my blood sugar has been stable (one possible side effect of niacin is an increase in blood sugar, so you MUST monitor that and ALL possible side effects). NOW Niacin was effective FOR ME. There are several side effects that you MUST be aware of and you should DEFINITELY work with a physician who is willing to order appropriate lab work to monitor your progress or complications. Niacin will NOT counteract a bad diet and lack of exercise... if you want low cholesterol while treating your body like a garbage can, good luck. If you take control of your diet, keep your percentage of body fat / BMI in the lean range, and exercise regularly, you might surprise yourself at how healthy you become - and how great you feel. I really appreciate NOW niacin and how it has helped as part of my overall healthy lifestyle. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR EFFORTS!!

I read reviews after I bought this while waiting for it to come in and I was worried about taking this because people where saying they had to go into the hospital over it. I'm taking this trying to lower my cholesterol levels and I was worried about the flushing but honestly it just feels like a sunburn (but not sensitive with touch like a normal sunburn) on face, ears, nose, arms, belly and in my case other sensitive areas. The flush only last 30 mins to an hour on me after that I'm fine. I do notice slight nausea after taking it during flush but not like I'm going to get sick from it. Sometimes I get a weird aftertaste that last awhile. The capsule is about the size of extra strength tylenol.

The best niacin ive ever tried!

初めて飲んだ時15分位したら首から下がどんどん真っ赤になってきてびっくりしました！アレルギー反応かと。それが全身に広がっていきましたが、湿疹が出る様子はなく体がぽかぼかして血行が良くなったのがわかりました。ダイエットを初めて立ちくらみがひどくなってしまったので、改善されるのを期待しています！

良かった。

不安感の緩和目的で購入。これ飲むようになってから、 メンタル的に安定してるような気がします。

フラッシュきました。いいと商品だと思います。