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Understanding What Happens During a Niacin Flush

A niacin flush is common in those with vitamin B3 deficiencies, even when the vitamin is taken in very small doses. For those taking large amounts of niacin as a way to lower cholesterol or to detoxify the body, especially those fatty tissues that don’t often get cleansed by the blood, the flush may become harder to achieve over time. Either way, the flush is one way to tell that the vitamin is working for you.

What Is It?

When you take the vitamin B3, or niacin, the result is that capillaries become enlarged. The enlargement allows more blood to flow through these small capillaries, resulting in the flush that is noticeable by the red skin that accompanies it. In most, the redness, itching and heat that accompanies the flush is only felt on the arms and torso. Some people can adverse reactions to using niacin that leads to severe, long lasting itching and discomfort, sweating, or even passing out.

Most can successfully use a niacin flush to help lower cholesterol and detox the body, however. The small portion of people that are sensitive to niacin should keep their doses lower, and use the product on a regular, consistent schedule to avoid the more severe side effects. The vitamin can also be prescribed when treating cholesterol or as a preventative measure against heart disease.

Using Niacin

Anytime that you use more niacin that your body is accustomed to, you will experience a niacin flush. You may want to start with a low dosage of the vitamin, and increase it over time to keep the flush. After a while, you will need more niacin to achieve the vessel dilation that causes the flush. If you are working with a physician, they can advise you on how to use the vitamin successfully in your health regimen.