Also, I find the mention of fats and such interesting. Do I understand correctly, that fat in the body will be excreted through pores? Or that toxins are stored in fatty tissues. Flushing niacin can reach these fatty stores and remove the toxins? I guess this was the science behind niacin flush to flush out the toxins. And that non flush didn't have this effect?
I watched a Dr Oz episode that mentioned that you can use diet to flush stored fat out. It was in regards to weight loss, but I'm wondering if it might be beneficial in this sense? Basically, he said that certain foods calm the adrenals which in turn results in no cortisol rush (stress hormone). He suggested quinoa, oatmeal and such which are easy to digest and extract nutrients from. Apparently these foods put little to no stress on the body--stress can result in inflammation, etc. He said veggies and proteins cause a fat flush--from fat that has been stored. In my thinking, you flush the fat, that also means the toxins stored in there. The blood stream then carries this off--I suppose to be filtered through the liver.
I'm not 100% clear on this, but sounds interesting in the sense that perhaps you don't need that flush in order to achieve. This seems like it would be much safer than taking high doses of niacin which in the form that opens fat stores can be dangerous from what i have read online. That type of niacin should be in prescript form. Either way, i found it interesting enough to share and find out some thoughts!
Here is the episode online (5 parts, but put the 2 most relevant):
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/how-overcome-your-metabolism-slump-pt-3
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/how-overcome-your-metabolism-slump-pt-4
Topical niacinamide serum/cream is also supposed get rids pf acne fast
In one study, Niacinamide is also able to reduce the sebum excretion rate (SER) or the amount of oil that the glands pump out. The reduction in the sebum excretion rate also reduces the formation of clogged pores which causes blackheads and whiteheads. It also keeps the skin hydrated by preventing water loss thus niacinamide also acts like a moisturizer. Niacinamide is also a mild keratolytic agent which means that it also promotes mild shedding of the skin that prevents pore blockage. When skin is healthy, it usually doesn't feel the "need" to produce extra oils, and the whole balance is overall MUCH better.
Topical niacinamide serum/cream is also supposed get rids pf acne fast
In one study, Niacinamide is also able to reduce the sebum excretion rate (SER) or the amount of oil that the glands pump out. The reduction in the sebum excretion rate also reduces the formation of clogged pores which causes blackheads and whiteheads. It also keeps the skin hydrated by preventing water loss thus niacinamide also acts like a moisturizer. Niacinamide is also a mild keratolytic agent which means that it also promotes mild shedding of the skin that prevents pore blockage. When skin is healthy, it usually doesn't feel the "need" to produce extra oils, and the whole balance is overall MUCH better.
Indeed, I've had some good responses to my complexion/acne before, from taking 500mg of Niacin a day for approx. a month last summer. The only problem was once I grew a tolerance I didn't really flush anymore and the benefits started to recede. Kudos on the info though!
I tried 500mg niacin for a couple of weeks, but I didn't notice any help with my acne or wound healing and it was making me feel a bit sick, so I stopped. I tried it mostly because my skin healing after pimples had been poor for a while and I'd started to scar easily, and I thought that niacin may help the healing process by increasing circulation and thus help prevent scars. Since then, I've come to the realization that niacin supplements may not be a good idea for inflamed acne, even if it may improve acne on the whole by some unknown method. B3 causes an increase in histamine in tissues, which increases the permeability of capillaries and vasodilatation - this does increase circulation, but it also happens to be a major part of the inflammatory process. So it may be that niacin could worsen ongoing inflammation through this circulatory effect, rather than improve healing. It works in the opposite way of an antihistamine, which is what some doctors recommend to prevent acne scarring.
Anyway, long story short: I do believe that niacin could help acne in some way, but for me and for people that have healing or scarring issues, it may not work, and it could be even more harmful than good.
Now, what I'd like to do is cause facial flushing through exercise, but unfortunately I'm somewhat of a lazyass. Will hopefully improve though.
Topical niacinamide serum/cream is also supposed get rids pf acne fast
In one study, Niacinamide is also able to reduce the sebum excretion rate (SER) or the amount of oil that the glands pump out. The reduction in the sebum excretion rate also reduces the formation of clogged pores which causes blackheads and whiteheads. It also keeps the skin hydrated by preventing water loss thus niacinamide also acts like a moisturizer. Niacinamide is also a mild keratolytic agent which means that it also promotes mild shedding of the skin that prevents pore blockage. When skin is healthy, it usually doesn't feel the "need" to produce extra oils, and the whole balance is overall MUCH better.
This was interesting. Sounds like it could be worth a try. I wonder what the mechanism behind its effects are.
Anyone who suffers from acne should run to the store now and buy flusing niacin. It has CURED my acne completely. I am so happy. I take 500 mg in the morning before breakfast (taking it on an empty stomach gives me a much better flush) and 500 mg before dinner.
When I have a glass of wine before dinner, I make sure I eat and wait a few hours before I take my Niacin (right before bed).
Do not drink more than one alcoholic beverage and do not take Niacin within 2 hours before or after the alcohol as it is hard on your liver.
Niacin is the ONLY thing that helps my acne. I am 30 yrs old and have suffered from acne since I was 17. Birth control pill helped somewhat, but Niacin does a much better job keeping my skin clear and truly beautiful.
The non-flush or time released one does NOT do the trick. The time released one from nature's bounty made my throw up really bad, like 7 times on an empty stomach, it was horrible.
The 500 mg Niacin from GNC is very clean, very nice stuff, I swear by this brand. It is affordable, too.
Good luck, I hope you all have the same amazing, life-changing results I have been having with Niacin. Take it once and any pimple you have will immediately go away from the inside. And then take it for the rest of your life. It reduces cholesterol levels, gives energy, and even helps with metabolism!
Okay so I'm not even the type of person to post on forums like this, but it's been a week since I've started taking Niacin (as recommended by my dermatologist who I've realized is more holistic than I expected her to be and I'm thankful she is) and I needed to share the wealth! I started for the first two or three days with one 500mg dose daily and then upped it to 1000mg daily - one when I woke up and before I went to bed. I know it's only been a week, and I don't want to get anyone's hopes up, but it has been working amazingly!! The day I started, I also got a glycolic peel to help unclog my pores and help get rid of my acne scars, but since then, I've noticed that I have a lot less pimples coming up. It kind of dries out my skin and that may be because I also started a retinol cream a few days ago, but I can also feel the blood flow from the flush really helping my skin heal (for anyone nervous about it, I've grown to enjoy it. It feels hot and calming and I like being able to see that it's working) and any new zits that come up I've noticed have a shorter lifespan and they're like the easily poppable kind of pimples (not to be grossly specific) but yeah! They're not deep and they usually have a white spot where I can tell they're ready to extract.
I take the straight niacin version and I actually enjoy the flush, but if you don't like it, I would definitely take the niacin dose after a full meal or right before you fall asleep so you don't feel the flushing effect. Sidenote: I have bouts of moodiness and it's been incredibly helpful for that as well!! On about the sixth day, I woke up feeling so refreshed and positive and productive! Whereas, in the past and in the first couple of days I began taking the niacin, I was having some rough moments - those "lay all day in bed and be a vegetable" which is never fun. But - by the sixth day, i felt so much more like myself which I hadn't had in a long time! Upbeat, positive, I curled my hair, fixed myself a good meal, worked, had dinner and nice conversations with my family, worked out - no ominous cloudy feelings or overthinking whatsoever!
So I hope this post helps somebody out there! I've also read for all the skeptics who are nervous about liver damage or the safety of niacin - that the slow-release version that doesn't cause the flush can cause liver damage, but there has not been one single report about anyone overdosing on niacin - it's a vitamin for Pete's sake! - a naturally occurring substance in the human body! So I hope you all at least give it a try - it has so many different benefits you can read about (cholesterol, detoxing, skin, moods etc) and I hope more people start turning to vitamins as opposed to pharmaceutically prescribed drugs to treat anything they need help with because this is the future of affordable healthcare in our own hands!
Since your derm recommended niacin, please let us know which brand & dosage, and for how long. There are so many types out there, I even saw a "light flush" one.
Niacin is something everyone should try to incorporate into their diets...many energy/health drinks have some niacin in them (e.g. vitamin water, energy drinks...), and the sugarfree kinds are not that bad.
I've been taking Niacin for many many many months..and yes, the kind that "flushes" and I still break out. I started out slow..worked my way to 500mg. I take the Solgar brand. I was so hopeful this would work for me, but alas...like many other things I've tried...Failure. I'm stumped as to what to do with my skin. Birth control was the only thing that ever controlled my oil and breakouts..wasn't perfect..but certainly better. I've been taking hormone balancing supplements with no success either. I hope Niacin works for some folks, but it really doesn't work for everyone. I may consider trying niacinamide in place of my niacin..because, yes...I'm desperate. I'd like to hear if anyone's ever experimented with the different types of B-3..if it actually makes any difference. And also..if anyone knows how to make a niacinamide serum..most of them have ingredients I'd rather not put on my acne prone/oily face. Thanks.