Possible Interactions with: Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Also listed as: Inositol Hexaniacinate; Niacin; Niacinamide; Nicotinamide; Nicotinic Acid; Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Interactions
If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use niacin without first talking to your healthcare provider.
Antibiotics, Tetracycline
- Niacin should not be taken at the same time as the antibiotic tetracycline because it interferes with the absorption and effectiveness of this medication. Niacin either alone or in combination with other B vitamins should be taken at different times from tetracycline. (All vitamin B complex supplements act in this way and should therefore be taken at different times from tetracycline.)
Aspirin
- Taking aspirin before taking niacin may reduce flushing associated with this vitamin. This should only be done under the advice of a healthcare practitioner.
Blood Pressure Medications, Alpha-blockers
- When niacin is taken with certain blood pressure medications known as alpha-blockers (such as prazosin, doxazosin, and guanabenz), the likelihood of side effects from these medications is increased.
Cholesterol-lowering Medications
- Niacin binds bile-acid sequestrants (cholesterol-lowering medications such as colestipol, colesevelam, and cholestyramine) and may decrease their effectiveness. For this reason, niacin and these medications should be taken at different times of the day.
As described earlier, recent scientific evidence suggests that taking niacin with simvastatin (a drug that belongs to a class of cholesterol-lowering medications known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors or statins including atorvastatin and lovastatin as well), appears to slow down the progression of heart disease. However, the combination may also increases the likelihood for serious side effects, such as muscle inflammation or liver damage.
Diabetes Medications
- People taking insulin, metformin, glyburide, glipizide, or other medications used to treat high blood sugar levels should monitor their blood sugar levels closely when taking niacin supplements.
Isoniazid (INH)
- INH, a medication used to treat tuberculosis, may deplete levels of niacin and cause a deficiency.
Nicotine Patches
- The use of nicotine patches with niacin may worsen or increase the risk of flushing reactions associated with this vitamin when used medicinally.
Drug Interactions
Alpha-blockers
Aspirin
Cholesterol-lowering Medications
Glipizide
Glyburide
Insulin Preparations
Metformin-containing Medications
Smoking-cessation Products
Tetracycline
