This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

hi i searched this forum for niacin/b3 and got no results. is anyone taking niacin as an alternative to, or in combination with, prescription statins?

Jimmylegs,
I've tried unsuccessfully to find out whether niacin is as effective as a statin in decreasing inflammation. As it turns out, I'm taking niacin, rather than statins, because I think its "vasodilation" effect might help that neurological micro environment, and its easier to get as well, and maybe also helps depression. I take 100 mg x 3 times per day. Unfortunately I'm feeling rather crappy so I'm not a real testimony for its effectiveness. And, I think niacin shares the risk of statin in long term use/liver damage.
LJM

I was taking a prescription niacin/statin combo last fall, called Advicor. I felt pretty good overall. I got sick one night and threw up. It may or may not have been the medication, as there was a bug circulating the workplace and I was only sick one night, but it made me nervous because I wasn't getting the liver function monitoring (a long story about health insurance). So I stopped taking it.

I have been working on my diet, and want to work on my exercise and get blood lipids repeated this fall. If they are still not quite up to par, I want to started again on the medication for both MS and lipid purposes, and get liver function tests.

There are both sustained and immediate release niacin formalations - the kind in the prescription was sustained release.

Lisa

Actually it's Nicotinamide (B3) that worked in this mouse study:

http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/127/116752.htm

And of course...further study is needed.

wow, this is so old. missed the feedback at the time, obviously. i was doing a little random searching in google which led me to this old thread.
related interesting info:
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopicp-45529.html#45529

hear that about possible long term liver impacts. i think that's why they offer the -amide version? also, there's always milk thistle for those pesky livers who won't behave nicely under assault