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Niacin Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of niacin include flushing, pruritus, and feeling hot, based on 49,945 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 1.8% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Niacin side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for niacin.

1
Flushing29.7%14,839
2
Pruritus11.2%5,594
3
Feeling Hot7.1%3,556
4
Paraesthesia6.2%3,106
5
Flushing5.5%2,733
6
Erythema5.4%2,677
7
Skin Burning Sensation3.6%1,796
8
Blood Glucose Increased3.2%1,614
9
Dizziness3.0%1,487
10
Nausea2.8%1,413
11
Headache2.5%1,258
12
Pruritus2.3%1,144
13
Burning Sensation2.2%1,092
14
Diarrhoea2.2%1,091
15
Rash2.0%975

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that niacin caused these reactions.

Report severity

24.5%Serious12,255 reports
12.1%Hospitalizations6,025 reports
2.5%Fatal1,266 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Niacin drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside niacin. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Rosuvastatin1.6%787
2
Atorvastatin-calcium1.5%739
3
Adalimumab1.4%722
4
Lenalidomide1.4%715
5
Simvastatin1.1%527
6
Aspirin1.0%507
7
Sodium-oxybate1.0%483
8
Esomeprazole1.0%482
9
Omeprazole1.0%475
10
Dabigatran-etexilate-mesylate0.8%409
11
Exenatide-synthetic0.8%388
12
Ezetimibe0.7%356
13
Metformin0.6%313
14
Rivaroxaban0.6%311
15
Lomitapide-mesylate0.6%289

Taken alongside

1
Aspirin39.7%19,832
2
Lisinopril13.1%6,520
3
Simvastatin13.0%6,488
4
Metoprolol12.8%6,399
5
Ergocalciferol12.3%6,143
6
Atorvastatin-calcium12.0%6,000
7
Fish11.9%5,956
8
Metformin11.5%5,757
9
Levothyroxine-sodium9.8%4,919
10
Rosuvastatin9.7%4,836
11
Hydrochlorothiazide8.2%4,075
12
Amlodipine8.1%4,024
13
Clopidogrel-bisulfate7.9%3,931
14
Omeprazole7.8%3,908
15
Acetaminophen7.0%3,509

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports niacin side effects

38.2% of niacin adverse event reports involve female patients and 58.4% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 50%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female38.2%
Male58.4%
Unknown3.4%

Age group

< 20.1%
2–11<0.1%
12–170.2%
18–6450.2%
65+49.5%

What is niacin used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking niacin when the adverse event was reported.

Abdominal DiscomfortAdverse Drug ReactionAdverse EventAlopeciaAnaemiaAndrogenetic AlopeciaAneurysmAngina PectorisAngina UnstableAngiogram Peripheral AbnormalAngiopathyAngioplastyAnticoagulant TherapyAntiphospholipid Antibodies PositiveAortic Aneurysm

Showing 15 of 402 indications

Niacin brand names and reporting trend

Niacin is sold under the brand name Wampocap.

Brand names

Wampocap12,761

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking niacin with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.