There are many different vitamins that people are taking more and more often to help their health. Vitamins are available in many different forms, from pills to powdered drink mixes. The body's need for different vitamins has been proven by medical studies thousands of times. This leads people to buy daily vitamins. Some vitamins are targeted toward women, some are for men, and others are made just for kids. Depending on what vitamins you are looking for, there are plenty of different brands and flavors to choose from.

One vitamin, niacin, which is also known as vitamin B3, can be used in a high dosage to help lower a person's cholesterol levels. But there are some side effects of niacin that you should know before taking this particular vitamin. Niacin will make your body flush. This means that you are going to get red and warm, usually in the face, but it can spread over other parts of your body. Itching is another common occurrence involved with the use of niacin. You may experience an upset stomach and some dizziness, along with a headache. Normally, if you are going to be taking niacin for an extended period of time, these side effects will gradually lessen in severity.

Niacin has been known to make some health problems get worse. These include diabetes, gout, and ulcers. In rare cases, liver damage has occurred, but this only happens when abnormally huge amounts of the vitamin are consumed. If you are taking niacin on a regular basis and you notice a yellow tint to your skin or noticeably dark urine, you should seek some medical treatment as soon as possible, as these are both signs of liver problems.

If you wish to take niacin and your doctor gives you his approval, you can combat some of the side effects by taking the niacin with food. You can also use an anti-inflammatory, like ibuprofen, to reduce the flushing. Again, make sure that your doctor has given you the okay before mixing this vitamin with any other medications, prescription or over the counter. If you take care not to drink alcohol and hot beverages, like hot coffee, while you are taking niacin, this will also help to minimize the feel of the side effects.