Translations:Vitamin B3/22/en

As a dietary supplement

In the United States, niacin (the acid) is sold as a non-prescription dietary supplement with a range of 100 to 1000 mg per serving. These products often have a Structure/Function health claim allowed by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA). An example would be "Supports a healthy blood lipid profile." The American Heart Association (AHA) strongly advises against the use of non-prescription dietary supplement niacin rather than prescription niacin because of potentially serious side effects. For this reason and because the manufacture of dietary supplement niacin is not as well-regulated by the FDA as is prescription niacin, the AHA advises that supplemental niacin only be used under the supervision of a health care professional. More than 30 mg niacin consumed as a dietary supplement can cause skin flushing. Face, arms and chest skin turns a reddish color because of vasodilation of small subcutaneous blood vessels, accompanied by sensations of heat, tingling and itching. These signs and symptoms are typically transient, lasting minutes to hours; they are considered unpleasant rather than toxic.