290 replies to this topic

[Jaka]

I guess Niacin has been helping for me, but I still get hormonal breakouts.... I think it's improved my skin it's hard to say since I am still using RAM....

Edited by Jaka, 18 November 2009 - 04:49 PM.

[AcnePwns]

After using Niacin for a month, I can say that it does nothing for my acne. Sorry to bust anybody's bubble.

[Johnny199r]

I've taking 500 mg of niacin daily for 2 weeks and have had absolutely no results

Edited by Johnny199r, 16 December 2009 - 08:09 AM.

[.JacktheLad.]

the reason niacin can help some people is because >>

niacin is is an absolutely essential nutrient in 2 critical co-enzymes within the energy cycle of
the mitochondria. Without enough of it available your mitochondria simply cannot process the glucose into ATP.

By supplementing this vital nutrient you can assure your body and its skin of improved cell respiration, reduced risk of cancer, and increased ATP production.
up the conversion of glucose into energy in the mitochondria of the cell. As this happens, the surplus sugar in the skin cells will disappear, and the bacteria in the skin pores will
find themselves starving for a lack of food.

(taken from an online source)

[Johnny199r]

does taking flushing vs. non flush niacin make a difference?

[ctbo]

I been taking niacin for 5 months or more and I still break out so it doesnt work for everyone.but I had to try it.I took 500 mg a day of the non flush.I got a little red even on the non flush at first but after a few weeks that stoped.So I guess it doesnt work for everyone.just give it a try and see.

Edited by ctbo, 18 December 2009 - 02:09 AM.

[PLONKER]

niacinamide is for acne and skin problems, niacin is for lowering cholesterol. Make sure you're taking the correct one.

[mtlguy]

I found this forum last night when i was researching on accutane. I am 29/M and i've been having mild to medium acne for the last 15 years or so. Every now and then i'll have clear skin for 2-3 days and all of a sudden 10-15 whiteheads will ruin my happiness for a few weeks ... I've tried every freaking thing and nothing works. Finally i was considering accutane and was hooked on to this thread last night.

I went to walmart this morning and got myself niacin 500 mg the flushing type. Just had my dinner and my first dose. Have'nt exp flushing yet ..i took some pics last night so that i can compare my progress every week.

Thanks to everyone for contributing to this thread and providing input regarding your exp.

[databased]

Just to let you know what kind of stuff I'm taking it's "Sundown Naturals" Time Release 500MG Niacin.

This is nicotinic acid, used in larger doses to affect cholesterol, not tested against acne, comes with a risk of liver damage (consult your doctor on whether 500mg/day indefinitely represents significant risk). It is not niacinamide which has been studied with acne, is not relevant to cholesterol, and has a safety record of being used in large doses.

the surplus sugar in the skin cells will disappear, and the bacteria in the skin pores will
find themselves starving for a lack of food.

Can't find any actual research to support that scenario.

IMHO, it's more likely that people live in dim light, leads to carb malabsorption, which interferes with tryptophan digestion needed to make melatonin. Large amounts of tryptophan can be used up to manufacture niacin in the body, so by overdosing with niacin, you ensure that more tryptophan is available to make up for the fact you're not digesting it properly. Won't work for everybody because the tryptophan (and there may still be insufficient amounts due to the digestion problem) still has to cross the blood-brain barrier so the pineal gland can turn it into melatonin. The anti-oxidant that melatonin stimulates cells to create requires zinc, which is also harder to digest when living in dim light. That's why the Nicomide folks include zinc with their formulation of niacinamide. This theory predicts that even people having success with taking some form of niacin can increase their acne by simply disrupting their sleep cycle (lots of caffeine in the evening, sleeping in lots of light pollution, sleeping few hours, going to bed at vastly different times every few days). Conversely, people not having success with niacin might have more success by tending their sleep cycle. It would be interesting to know if anybody working a swing shift has the slightest success using niacin to treat acne. I would expect not much.

Roll your own Nicomide.

[mtlguy]

just an update...no immediate results after taking niacin. I've been taking it for just 5 days. I know its too early...i'll continue for 2 months and see if it helps.

[cinnacracker]

Hello. This is my 1st post. I registered just due to this topic. I am very glad to hear of all of you who have been helped by Niacin. However, I just want to warn you to all be CAREFULL with Niacin! Even though it is a natural vitamin, Niacin can be very dangerous if taken in the wrong dosage.

My husband was told to take Niacin by his doctor to help with his high cholesterol. Im sure the doctor advised a safe dosage, but my husband decided "Its natural, and if some if good, more must be better" (duh). Well, to make a long story short, his liver is damaged now and he literally has an ultrasound tomorrow to determine the condition of his liver. We cant say for sure its due to the niacin yet, but suffice it to say when he told his Dr. the dosage he was taking, the Dr. actually looked scared. (and no, it didnt help the cholesterol either grrrrrr).

Please, please be careful with this stuff and talk to your Dr about recommended dosage! I am afraid folks will see some benefit and up the dosage. I dont want to say what is safe and what is not as far as dosage, and flushing vs non-flushing makes no difference. Please be careful!

Best of luck !
Cinnacracker

[lister_dar]

Hi people.
Pretty strange topic, i have to say. first 10 pages of lots of people with great results, and now 5 pages of people with practically no results. can someone comment on this?? i find it quite hard to understand ..
especially after reading a bit about no flush niacin on web.


how all this add together? people have great results with drug that has no effect on humans? anyone?? from first 10 pages?

[lister_dar]

Hi people.
Pretty strange topic, i have to say. first 10 pages of lots of people with great results, and now 5 pages of people with practically no results. can someone comment on this?? i find it quite hard to understand ..
especially after reading a bit about no flush niacin on web.


how all this add together? people have great results with drug that has no effect on humans? anyone?? from first 10 pages?

sorry, dont know why links dont work...?
but you can find these articles, just type "no flush niacin" in google and read first three results.

Edited by lister_dar, 28 December 2009 - 10:58 AM.

[Reboiy]

I dunno why everyone HAS so many DOUBTS on NIACIN!!!

Let me tell you guys.. IT DOES WORK!!! I was almost at the verge of commiting suicide last couple of days.. and i totally mean it.. I thought there is NO MEANING in LIFE anymore with acne losing my personality and everything!!

But guess what..? I gave myself a second chancee... and i have to thank the poster for this NIACIN recommendation.. It worked for ME! i was having BIG PAINFUL ITCHY BUMPS/CYSTS a couple of days ago.. and now.. its been about 4 days? Its been drying up and healing at quite an impressive pace..

I thought I would just cancel off my plans for tmrw's NEW YEAR's PARTY.. But i think no longer have to... I just do this with a goood healthy diet.. AND my FACE FEELS normal again!! THANK YOU everyone!! I hope it continues to show improvement and amaze me!!

[databased]

My husband was told to take Niacin by his doctor to help with his high cholesterol.

Then in that case, his doctor should have given him a prescription for extended-release niacin, that has an impressive safety record, and that would be unavailable to most of the folks here since it is not sold OTC. Are you saying he actually decided to up the dose on a prescription med without asking his doctor?

Or, if the doctor just said "go buy some niacin and take it", well... I guess I would be looking for a different doctor at that point. I'm having a hard time imagining a scenario in which a competent doctor would point somebody to OTC niacin for cholesterol control, knowing that a widely tested and fairly safe prescription form is available, a formulation that simply can't be purchased OTC.

but suffice it to say when he told his Dr. the dosage he was taking, the Dr. actually looked scared. (and no, it didnt help the cholesterol either grrrrrr).

If he really upped the dosage, one wonders that the Doc didn't notice him using up his prescription early.

I dont want to say what is safe and what is not as far as dosage, and flushing vs non-flushing makes no difference.

Research seems fairly clear on this point. If you want to take "niacin" for acne, you should be taking it in the form of nicotinamide, which has a safety record with large doses (and is actually sold in 750mg/day pill for treating acne). If you want to take "niacin" for cholesterol control, you should be getting the relatively safe extended release prescription nicotinic acid from your doctor, not taking OTC forms of nicotinic acid, which are associated with increased risk of liver damage.

I hope you'll post again and reveal whether he was actually taking extended release prescription nicotinic acid or, if not, exactly what form of niacin he actually was taking on the questionable advice of his doctor.

[Chikorita]

What's nician?

[TimNiceButDim]

We cant say for sure its due to the niacin yet, but suffice it to say when he told his Dr. the dosage he was taking, the Dr. actually looked scared. (and no, it didnt help the cholesterol either grrrrrr).

So what was the dosage?

Hi people.
Pretty strange topic, i have to say. first 10 pages of lots of people with great results, and now 5 pages of people with practically no results. can someone comment on this?? i find it quite hard to understand ..
especially after reading a bit about no flush niacin on web.

I've been taking No-Flush Niacin (Inositol Hexanicotinate) 500mg for over 5 months and noticed a definite improvement. Everything in my original post still applies:
http://www.acne.org/messageboard/ACNE-CURE...49#entry2728349



I've no solid idea of how it works but it seems to be doing something. My only slight concern is my alcohol intake and the combined effect on my liver. I never drink within several hours of taking Niacin.

[Axxith]

Niacin has does wonders for me. I use the GNC brand 500mg (flush kind). Yeah the flush is interesting (haha), but I find it clears me up best.

[konichiwa5]

Wow. I wrote the original posting on this topic and I cannot believe that it is still active and is one of the longest discussions on the website. I never expected more than three or four people to even read this and I have not been back here since July because I thought interest would quickly fade away. You are all long overdue for an update, so I will write a comprehensive one. I have some exciting new information for everyone. Sorry for taking so long. I will be sure to check in when I can from now on. Please go back to the beginning and read my new update.

[TheStrongWillPrevail]

right about now everybody sells off their stock in niacin and the vitamin goes bankrupt, op is on antibiotics ...cooool