Guest guest Posted January 21, 2003 Report Share Posted January 21, 2003 Does this also hold true for people with hypoglycemia? (blood sugar spike when taking niacin) - " Alobar " <alobar Tuesday, January 21, 2003 2:16 PM Re: Question > > - > " Marianne " <mschulz10 > > Tuesday, January 21, 2003 12:46 PM > Question > > > > Hello Everyone, > > > > > > > > I have type 2 diabetes, and a fatty liver!! Would it be alright to > start > > taking Niacin. Anyone know?? > > > > > > > > Thanks for your help > > > > > > > > Marianne > > I was getting ready to pose nearly the same question to this > list. I have been pondering the niacin question now for over a year. > I have heard conflicting reports about use of niacin for diabetics > (see below). I know nothing of fatty livers, so can't guess about > that one. Niacin does indeed raise blood glucose levels. > However, taking niacin does supposedly does not negatively impact > long-term blood glucose levels as measured by glycosylated hemoglobin > A1c (HbA1c). > > Back before I fired my doctor I asked her about this very > topic & showed her the info I have placed below. I asked her if it > would be ok for me to take niacin but just adjust the blood glucose > aim points I was looking to achieve (which she had informed me should > be under 127 for fasting glucose measurement, and under 200 for post > prandial). And if so, how much should I adjust the aim points. My > doc told me not to take niacin & I should in *no* circumstances > adjust the aim points higher. > > I have recently been reading the really good stuff about > niacin posted to this list & am now re-thinking the niacin question. > But I have no answers. I have no money to purchase HbA1c blood > testing. So I am nervous about taking niacin. Back last year, I > did some experimentation. Niacin does indeed spike my blood sugar & > keeps the blood glucose readings high for several days after a single > 500 mg dose. The raised blood sugar appears to be cumulative (the > readings keep climbing if I take niacin daily). I have only taken > niacin for 7 days in a row, but so no plateau in my fasting glucose > readings, so I stopped. Also, the readings take nearly a week to > return to " normal " after I stop taking niacin if I have taken 500 mg > a day for a week. > > Alobar > > > Niacin is relatively contraindicated in diabetic patients because it > can worsen blood sugar control. In selected patients, Niacin may be > used, but blood sugar control must be monitored closely. > http://www.aboutdiabetes-endocrinology.com/1_dia/dm09_cholesterol.htm > > > The ADMIT Study: A Randomized Trial > JAMA. 2000;284:1263-1270 > There are concerns regarding the use of niacin in patients with > diabetes because of the potential negative effect on glycemic > control. In this report, Elam and colleagues describe results of a > study to assess the effect of niacin treatment on plasma lipoproteins > and glycemic control in patients enrolled in the Arterial Disease > Multiple Intervention Trial (ADMIT). The ADMIT is a prospective, > placebo-controlled trial of patients with peripheral artery disease > to evaluate the effect of niacin, antioxidant vitamins, and low-dose > warfarin on risk factors for atherosclerosis. Of the 468 participants > enrolled in the ADMIT, 125 had diabetes. > > During a 12-week run in period, all patients received niacin at doses > that were increased at 4-week intervals. Subjects were then > randomized to receive either 3000 mg/d or a maximally tolerated > amount of niacin or placebo for 48 weeks. > > Compared with placebo, treatment with niacin resulted in a > significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and > significant decreases in triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein > cholesterol in subjects with and without diabetes. Niacin treatment > resulted in a small but statistically significant increase in glucose > in patients with and without diabetes, respectively (0.4 and 0.3 > mmol/L). Treatment with niacin was not associated with an increase in > glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in patients with diabetes. > > The investigators concluded that for diabetic patients who cannot > tolerate or do not adequately respond to statin or fibrate drugs, > niacin might provide a therapeutic alternative. > www.diabetesincontrol.com/issue30/item9.htm > > > Getting well is done one step at a time, day by day, building health and well being. > > list or archives: Gettingwell > > ........ Gettingwell- > post............. Gettingwell > digest form...... Gettingwell-digest > individual emails Gettingwell-normal > no email......... Gettingwell-nomail > moderator ....... Gettingwell-owner > ...... Gettingwell- > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2003 Report Share Posted January 22, 2003 - " Emily Bradford " <emilyjoeb Tuesday, January 21, 2003 5:31 PM Re: Question (sugar spike) > Does this also hold true for people with hypoglycemia? (blood sugar spike > when taking niacin) I would imagine it is true for everyone. More like a gradual rise which keeps getting higher. Spike right after taking niacin, but does not drop back down like a spike. Now, as I pointed out in my earlier post, the long term blood glucose levels -- glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) -- do not appear to be adversely affected. So (guessing here) if you do not monitor your blood glucose levels, it probably won't harm you. But I sure can't say that for sure. Alobar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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