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Niacin overdose can cause serious side effects such as dizziness, skin reddening, nausea, and abdominal pain. Rapid heart rate and liver damage are also possible. Symptoms can be alleviated by consuming soft foods, but prolonged overdose can lead to irreversible liver damage. Doctors recommend no more than three grams per day.
While it is very difficult to ingest too much vitamin B3 or niacin, it is possible to experience a niacin overdose from taking an overabundance of vitamin supplements. Thanks to the fact that vitamin B3 is water soluble and very little is stored in the body at any one time, the chances of overdose are relatively low. Unfortunately, serious side effects such as dizziness, reddening of the skin, nausea and pain in the abdomen can occur when too much niacin is consumed. Prolonged overdose of the nutrient can even lead to hepatotoxicity or permanent liver damage.
While skin flushing is relatively common when niacin is consumed as nicotinic acid, the flushing is normally short-lived, but a slight tingling may also occur. This is due to the dilating effect the supplement has on the veins within the body. When too much niacin is consumed, the flushing can be extremely intense and may be accompanied by dizziness and prolonged periods of tingling that progress to itching. Some people have reported that attempting to consume more than one gram of niacin at a time also causes numbness in the lips, dizziness, and a prolonged bout of flushing.
Rapid heart rate is another common sign of niacin overdose. The change in heart rate may occur alongside other symptoms or emerge as the only apparent symptom of the overdose. Of all the outward manifestations of a niacin overdose, this is the one that often causes the greatest degree of alarm. If increased palpitations continue for more than a short time, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.
Pain in the abdominal area can also occur due to a niacin overdose, especially if the supplement is taken on an empty stomach. Doctors who prescribe larger doses of niacin as a treatment for cholesterol problems sometimes recommend that patients take niacin with or after a meal, rather than between meals, in order to avoid potential cramping and discomfort in the stomach area. In some cases, the cramps are accompanied by diarrhea. Fortunately, consuming certain types of soft foods often helps ease an upset stomach and counteract a niacin overdose to some extent.
While many of the signs of a niacin overdose are quickly resolved, there is one potential side effect that has a lasting impact. Continued use of exceptionally high dosages of niacin can result in liver damage, known as hepatotoxicity. This condition can be treated, but is considered irreversible. While there is no consensus on what constitutes a risk level of niacin consumption, many doctors recommend no more than three grams per day. However, niacin supplements in excess of the amounts usually found in multivitamins should not be taken without consulting a physician, and such dosage should never exceed the amount determined by a physician to be safe for the individual patient.
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