Is a Niacin Flush Dangerous?

Niacin (vitamin B3) is essential to your health. It has been used for years to treat high cholesterol levels, sometimes resulting in a characteristic flushing of the skin.

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Niacin (vitamin B3) deficiency, called pellagra, is characterized by diarrhea, mental confusion and scaly skin sores; it is often confined to people who have problems absorbing the vitamin from food

• Niacin flush, a common side effect in doses 100 mg and above, is harmless; it starts on your face and may travel to your chest and arms, dis…