NOW Supplements, Niacin (Vitamin B-3) 500 mg, Essential B-Group Vitamin*, Nutritional Health, 100 Capsules (Pack of 3)

I read reviews after I bought this while waiting for it to come in and I was worried about taking this because people where saying they had to go into the hospital over it. I'm taking this trying to lower my cholesterol levels and I was worried about the flushing but honestly it just feels like a sunburn (but not sensitive with touch like a normal sunburn) on face, ears, nose, arms, belly and in my case other sensitive areas. The flush only last 30 mins to an hour on me after that I'm fine. I do notice slight nausea after taking it during flush but not like I'm going to get sick from it. Sometimes I get a weird aftertaste that last awhile. The capsule is about the size of extra strength tylenol.

I have been a consumer of this product/brand for more than 2 decades.

I bought NOW Foods Niacin 500 mg hoping to support my heart health, but my experience was far from positive. After taking just one 500 mg capsule on an empty stomach, I started feeling intense itching all over my body within 30 minutes—it was unbearable and lasted for over an hour. This is clearly the ‘niacin flush’ mentioned in reviews, but I wasn’t prepared for how severe it would be, especially spreading to my shoulders, back, and even my arms. On top of that, I also felt bloated and uncomfortable in my stomach, which made me hesitant to take it again.I understand niacin can cause flushing, but for a first-time user like me, the 500 mg dose felt way too high right out of the gate. The product description doesn’t emphasize enough how intense these side effects can be for beginners, and there’s no guidance on starting with a lower dose. I’ve since learned I should’ve taken it with food or started with a much smaller amount, but that information wasn’t clear on the bottle or packaging.While NOW Foods is a reputable brand, this product wasn’t a good fit for me due to the overwhelming side effects. I’m returning it and looking for a lower-dose or flush-free alternative. If you’re sensitive or new to niacin, I’d recommend skipping this or consulting a doctor first—otherwise, you might end up as uncomfortable as I did.”Pros:• Reputable brand, made in a GMP facility.• Vegetarian capsules, free of common allergens.Cons:• Extremely high 500 mg dose caused severe itching (flush) and bloating.• No clear instructions for beginners or sensitive users.• Side effects outweighed any potential benefits for me.UPDATE: Flush became worse during warm weather conditions and caused hypotension and become unconscious for few minutes. Very scary. Be careful if you are new to this.

Affordable price and good for health. Essential vitamin. The flush feeling is endurable.

It's getting cold outside. My joints were aching and cold. I bought this brand specifically for the flush and it delivered. My knees, shoulders, face, neck are all very warm now. This sure beats them being cold and aching. If you buy this product, know how to use it ahead of time. Don't leave bad reviews if it makes you hot. It's supposed to.

Great product!!

I’m not even sure how to give stars to this product. It was NOT defective, it was what it said it was..BUT OMG you better chiickety check yourself before you take one of these. I bought them to see if they would help my liver..not that there is anything wrong with my liver, but drinking alcohol can take it’s toll...so kinda like preventative maintence. These bad boys are 500 mg. That is a F ton of Niacin. I had to call poison control after taking just one! Man I had the hot heat flash reaction that is common but also my face swelled so much I had no wrinkles. Which was kinda nice, but my eyes looked like I changed my race to Asian. And all this weird prickly pain! Oh man..so, this is a fine product if you know what you’re doing. Obviously I didn’t. I have since learned a lot about Niacin. So know your shi# before you go putting stuff in your body. Including vitamins. There should be a little more about that in the description- It was a bad ride for a few hours. Again, not the fault of the manufacture... it a heads up would have been nice.