Niacin and your liver
Common Questions and Answers about Niacin and your liver
niaspan
I'm 52 and have never have had high liver enzymes. Took 500 mg of Slo Niacin for about a month between 12/15/13 and 1/15/14 and ALT went from 36 to 60, AST from 39 to 63, and GGT from about low 30's to 110!! based on blood testing done 1/15/14. Previous normal liver bloodwork from chemistry profile was from physical back in late July of 2013. Only a social drinker (few beers on weekend).
I take 65mg Iron pills 2X/day, 250mg Niacin 3X/day. I also take a few other pills where liver and kidney functions must be watched. So far everything is working good! My Iron is still a bit low but we're waiting on the next blood test in three months before we adjust that again.
I take Niacin to lower my cholesterol. In three months my HDL dropped by two points and LDL dropped like a rock to half what it was.
I was told to avoid niacin, excess vitamin C, along with marijuana and alcohol by my liver clinic. Risk and the way liver handles excess niacin outweighed benefit though certainly getting adequate amounts by use of a NO iron multiple vitamin would be fine.
Statins have so many contraindications they will probably never pass muster for liver patients.
From this book, I learnt when the wbc and platelet count is low, it is a sign that the liver functioning is getting weak; i.e., your fibrosis is getting worse.
and that is the test my doctor has been monitoring every 3 months: wbc and platelet count. My trend is also going down: I'm at the low range right now. Hope this help.
I was told from friends that Niacin helps as well as fish oil. So, over the past 8 mths I took Niacin and fish oil and my new blood draw cam up with a perfect score in the cholesterol area but my Bilirubin total was elevated at 1.4, Iron UIBC low at 102, Iron serum high at 175 as well as Iron Saturation at 63, and my biggest concern was my TSH high at 5.08. I do not have any symptoms. I just received the second blood draw for a possible job in Antarctica.
The liver is a strong and self healing organ.
Mild elevations of liver enzymes AST, ALT, and GGT started sometime late 2013 or early 2014 and still are elevated. By mild, AST and ALT around 60 and GGT about 100. Never have had that problem before and hadn't had any alcohol since 1/24/14. Had full bloodwork and ultrasound from a hepatologist a month or so ago and everything was normal except the high enzymes. Note that high dose purified fish oil seems to lower the alt/ast about 10-15 pts but has little effect on GGT.
He paid, out of pocket (since he lost his health benefits) for an ultrasound on his lower abdomen. He was told he has a healthy liver, gall bladder and pancreas. Prior to losing his job, he was training vigorously for a marathon and an Ironman event. We're told that vigorous exercise can cause an elevation in ALT levels, but not that much. He is trying to restrict niacin, because he was told that might affect his ALT result if he's sensitive to niacin.
I have been doing some studying up and have learned that niacin/vitamin b3 can raise your good numbers by up to 35%. Im going to buy some supplements for him to see if we cant get him off the crestor, right now he is also taking omega 3 fish oil, but that hasnt helped the numbers much. He also takes milkthisel and dandelion which are both great liver cleansers, which I believe have kept his liver in fairly good shape since hes had the disease for so long and hasnt had much trouble.
There are plenty of natural ways to bring down your cholestral levels....are you taking flush free niacin? For your liver and pancrease take Alma - juice or pills. Also Ginger and tumeric are excellent to take also. A diabetic should be watching what they eat - are you? My father was diabetic and it was awful because he made it that way. Read...get online....look up these levels and what you can do homeopathically to take them down.
Niaspan is NOT standard treatment for fatty liver disease. NIASPAN® (niacin extended-release tablets), contain niacin, a B-complex vitamin and antihyperlipidemic agent.
What type of fatty liver disease do you have?
NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease), NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis).
AASLD Treatment Guidelines:
Recommendations
16. Weight loss generally reduces hepatic steatosis, achieved either by hypocaloric diet alone or in conjunction with increased physical activity.
17.
if you can try the slo release formula and make sure you take with food.. I use and research a lot of alternate treatments.. Niacin has the propensity to flare up causing those exacerbated feelings also your scalp may feel like its on fire too.. You should be ok and if it doesn't go away seek medical treatment ..
Hi all,
I have been trying to find an answer online but I didn't get a definitive answer. I am a hepatitis-b carrier I have been taking vitamin b complex and vitamin-C supplements. I was wondering if they are bad for my liver? It won't cause any damage to my liver, will it? This is the one i take:
Each tablet contains
Thiamin (Vitamin B1) 7mg 636% RDA
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 14mg 1,000%RDA
Niacin 4.
But my best lipid results ( raising HDL, lowering LDL and Lp(a) ) came from taking RX Niacin which I take with the 10 mg Crestor and 325 mg aspirin at bedtime.No problems with Niacin either.I take RX fish oil also as I am in big time prevention mode due to cardiac microvascular dysfunction.Fortunately my lipids have never been bad and my larger coronaries are clear but the lipids are only a piece of the total cardiac picture and the possible side effects of meds far outweigh my other risks.
Recommended
