Ask the doctor: Is niacin okay for people with diabetes?
Ask the doctor
In the mid-1980s, a few small studies showed that high doses of niacin increased blood sugar levels among people with diabetes or prediabetes. This work prompted the American Diabetes Association to recommend that the drug be used cautiously, at doses under 2 grams a day, and with frequent blood sugar monitoring. Many doctors took this to mean that niacin shouldn't be used by people with diabetes.
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