NIACIN

[ladyjan]

A few weeks ago I bought some NIACIN tabs 100mgs, vit B3, was told they are good for AL recovery & the liver,

I took some before I found this MWO site,

but they made my heart race, felt dizzy and my face went a red as a beetroot.. is that normal..??

bit worried to try them again but I do know vit B is good for the liver, have I bought the wrong stuff ????????????

I am taking a vit B comlex with vit C , Bacoflen, Folic acid, Adiro (blood thinner), Epelexter (for seizures) & Pharmaton complex (multi vits & minerals).

LJ....:thanks:

[JackieClaire]

NIACIN

Hi Ladyjan,

Just googled Niacin and all the side effects. Far too many to mention here got a bit overwhelmed by all the information.( far too much for my little brain )

But I'm prescribed Thiamin (vit B1) by my doc and I get no side effects at all. It's also known as Tyvera. And you can get it over the counter here.

I also take Milk Thistle once a day as it's a good liver cleanser.

By the way :welcome:.

Hope that's been of some help.

Love Jackie xxx

AF since 7/7/2009 and loving it!

[Cinders]

NIACIN

LJ,

Have you read the MWO book yet? There is a very good, and I mean very good, vitamin/mineral/amino acid regimen in there. RJ did a huge amount of research on the nutritional needs of us alcoholics before posting it.

Well, actually, there is a link on the home page with an update to the regimen that you can access without ever reading the book.

B-Vits are very important.

There is also another book, Seven Weeks to Sobriety this discusses nutrional supplementation for alcoholics. If you can get your hands on that, and read RJ's recommendations, you will realize there is a lot to be said for the whole supplementation therapy.

Now, Kudzu and L-Glutamine do NOT diminish my cravings as posted by the books and many here. We are all different and our alcoholic impulses come from many different places. But, L-Glutamine is something I do use as it helps tremendously with the sugar cravings I experience when I quit drinking. But, unlike what Seven Weeks says, I did not lose my alcoholism by following the therapy suggested.

I really hope you can spend some time researching this. We have hindered our liver's ability to absorb and process the very necessary vitamins and minerals our bodies need to get and stay healthy. So, in our case, we kind of have to overdo it, at least for a while.

I do know that following a good supplementation regimen has helped me feel better much quicker when I quit drinking. It is a good way to get your physiology back to health quicker, which will make staying sober easier.

I applaud your efforts, btw. I read your other thread daily. I am extremely proud of you and what you are trying to accomplish. I reiterate, you must do this for yourself first and foremost, then the rest of the good things will follow.

Love,
Cindi

[peacenik]

NIACIN

you can get a non-flush niacin if you really want to take it.
i use l-glutamine and kudzu for cravings, and an herbal anti-depressant with st. john's wort (the brand name is Amoryn), and milk thistle for liver health.

hope that helps...niacin is weird stuff, eh?!

[greeneyes]

NIACIN

Thompson makes a flush- free niacin but isn't that really for cholesterol issues more than alcohol? Anyway, I think Thompson is a good comany in quality products

[beatle]

NIACIN

Do not use the no-flush. It is very bad for the liver and does not have the same benefits as plain Niacin.

The flush is an indicator that the niacin is doing its job-- which is to open up capillaries and increase circulation. I have experienced the same reactions as you, ladyjan, and this is not unusual at 100mg. Try taking 25 at a time, split up over a day. This will reduce the side effects. I often take 50mg at a time, and then I still get a brief flushing, but nothing too uncomfortable.

As for a full, heavy-duty supplementation, I agree mostly with Cindi -- you need tons of extra supps, as your body has not been absorbing nutrients for a long time, and will continue to not absorb well, even after quitting AL. It will also help you to stay sober. I know this from experience. When I have stopped taking supps while sober, it has invariably led to major setbacks.

It is important to get a good supp regime. I have made my own based on MWO, Seven Weeks to Sobriety, and my own extensive research. I am happy to share that regime, as I always have been. Just PM me if you want it.

[greeneyes]

NIACIN

Beatle, I swear your knowledge never ceases to amaze me. Never ever leave this site.

[ladyjan]

NIACIN

milk thistle

Thx guys,

is milk thistle a tablet or a liquid ?? also can I get it in the chemist or a herbal shop ??

Beetle thx for the advice about Niacin coz the non flush wouldn't be any good for me coz my liver is a big swollen mess..!! one of the reason which took me on my research about Baclofen that is it not hamrful to the liver which other anti.craving drugs are..

also it should be good for my blood, coz I have had angina twice quite bad, also an artery in my neck is curved and swollen and specialist said that chispas (bits) had come away and travelled to my brain causing a small blot clot, (thombosis) in turn caused the seizures...shit..!

I must be careful what I take, as like the majority of you I have done a good job on my body over the many years and never believed how hard,one day I would be paying for it..!:eeks:

also the L-Glutamine is that tabs or liquid ?? coz I sure have got the munchies for chocolate and sweet things, but luckily also fruit, I fill my fruit bowl every day and munch daily thru it..also it's my midnight snack as well. yummy..

Tiptronic, you are a rock, gonna reply in PM to u,
also gonna look up the book and the nutrients,

thx again guys, hope it's going good for you all or at least keeping the fight up.. :l

LJ
XXXX:h

[beatle]

NIACIN

Thanks greenie, and right back at you:thumbsup

ladyjan, milk thistle comes in capsules and also in a tincture. You can also get capsules with liquid in them. In general, mt is pretty pricey, so it's best to make sure you get a reputable brand, because there are a lot of companies wanting to make a quick buck on it. Some say the liquid is better absorbed, but I'm not at all sure about that -- and the liquid caps are much more expensive. I have researched this a lot (in terms of price and quality -- value for the money), and can tell you for sure that your best bet is the milk thistle from this site (MWO). It is of the highest quality, not as expensive as most good brands, and it combines the mt with synergistic herbs like dandelion root and artichoke leaves. It is really good stuff and a good value. (I buy supplements from all over the place based on the results of my own research, and MWO is just one of the many sites -- I have no affiliation with MWO, except as a dedicated member and worshipper of RJ:bow). But you should be able to get mt at a health store, and maybe at the apothecary (not sure about Canary Islands, though).

The best way to get l-glut is to dissolve it in powder form in water. Take it on an empty stomach, 5g dissolved in water 3xday. I get mine from Bio-Recovery -- this is a high-quality, reasonably priced supplement provider associated with the Seven Weeks to Sobriety program.

And yes, the niacin is good for your blood, and, as greenie says, it's also a major help with cholesterol.

[jeanieflan]

NIACIN

niacin

i can't take niacin - it does the same thing to me

[jeanieflan]

NIACIN

Hi Beatle

what do you take that helps wth sobriety? i new to this site. i just got the starter kit. is the power form of L-Glut better then the supplements? i'm taking the "kudzu" extract 3 times a day. what are the seven days to sobriety?

thanks for your help.

jean

[beatle]

NIACIN

try it in small doses. it should not have any side effects in 10mg or 20mg doses at a time.

[beatle]

NIACIN

sorry, our posts crossed. I meant to take the niacin in small doses.

[beatle]

NIACIN

jeanie, you can do a lot of research on this site. If you are interested in non-medication help with sobriety, the Holistic Healing forum here is perfect for you (actually, I think everyone should be checking in there regularly, since there is a lot of good info and interesting conversation going on there). This forum you are on now (Topomax, Campral...) is a specific forum for folks interested in medications. The General Discussion is, well, general discussion, and so forth.

If you are interested in medications for sobriety, peruse this forum. These days it is Naltrexone and Baclofen that seem to be most actively discussed. But all the others are here, too.

There are many other ways to help you with staying sober, including the Holistic forum, as well as the camaraderie you will find on General Discussion, and on the long-term abstainers/moderators, monthly abstainers/moderators, etc. There's even a Laugh out Loud forum and much more. I think they will all help with your sobriety. So, go pick and choose.

About L-glut: If you look at the last few posts on this thread, you will find the info there. Yes, I think the powder form is better. You have to swallow too many capsules to get enough L-glut and it takes longer to get absorbed in capsule form. Plus, it's more expensive. But it's good to have capsules for when you don't have an opportunity to mix it with water.

Seven Weeks to Sobriety is a program and a book for exactly what it says. You can go here to learn more about it:

Drug & Alcoholism Addiction Treatment, Alternative Alcohol Treatment

good luck to you, jeanie.

[UrbanFool]

NIACIN

WOW. The Niacin was a trip. I'm just glad my mom warned me of the side effects (which don't last long at all) because they would've freaked me out beyond belief as someone prone to burning rashes. The thought of one on my face makes my blood run cold. Mine are 250mg tablets. I just cant' afford the Seven Weeks to Sobriety program, but do have access to the book. The 100mg-3000mg recommendation isn't very precise, so I'm going to do some further research.