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Nicotinic acid

  • Plant preparation
  • Prescription only
  • Identity checked
  • Sources last checked 2026-09-04

This page shows what was measured, who it was measured in, and what that does not settle.

What Nicotinic acid does in the body

Elevated TC, LDL-C, Apo B and TG levels, and to increase HDL-C

From the FDA-approved label: The mechanism by which niacin alters lipid profiles has not been well defined. It may involve several actions including partial inhibition of release of free fatty acids from adipose tissue, and increased lipoprotein lipase activity, which may increase the rate of chylomicron triglyceride removal from plasma. Niacin decreases the rate of hepatic synthesis of VLDL and LDL, and does not appear to affect fecal excretion of fats, sterols, or bile acids.

What happened in people

RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.

A fixed RNAWiki sentence

Where this came from

Wording RNAWiki always uses, not a finding about this substance.

No reviewed claim names a result for any goal on this record.

No source is stored against this line.

The limit that matters most

Not recorded.

Where it acts
Not recorded.
Kind of result
No result is published, so no kind of result applies yet
Supervision
Not usually supervised: sold as a supplement or food ingredient where recorded. That is a legal category, not a safety judgement.

What the registries record it as

  • The substance registry classes this as chemical.

    FDA substance registry · 2679MF687A · read 2026-08-29

  • The supplement label database classes it as vitamin, under the name Niacin (Vitamin B3).

    NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database · 204 · read 2026-08-29

Where each sentence above came from

No recorded sentence describes the change this makes in a way that stands on its own. The page opens with what it is taken for instead, and the recorded explanation follows below.

Shown as the opening line on this page.

No statement of the main limit is recorded.

The four opening statements run to 100 words.

Words this page uses

Four words worth knowing first

Chosen from what this page shows, with each one explained before the word it depends on.

Stand-in result

A stand-in result is a number measured because the real result takes too long.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

It is like judging a journey by the speedometer rather than by arriving.

Where that stops being true. Speed does predict arrival. Many stand-in results do not predict the real one.

What people get wrong. A stand-in result is often reported as the result itself.

A surrogate endpoint substituted for a clinical endpoint, valid only where the substitution has been shown to hold.

Formulation

A formulation is the exact made-up form a substance comes in.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

It is like the difference between a whole bean and instant coffee.

Where that stops being true. Coffee tastes different. A formulation can change how much reaches the blood.

What people get wrong. Two products with the same name are assumed to behave the same. They often do not.

The specific composition and physical form of a product, including salt, excipients and release profile.

Receptor

A receptor is a part of a cell that a signal fits into.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

A receptor is like a lock waiting for one key.

Where that stops being true. A lock either opens or does not. A receptor can be half-triggered, or worn out.

What people get wrong. Fitting a receptor is read as causing a benefit. It causes a step, and nothing more.

A protein that binds a specific ligand and converts that binding into a cellular response.

Pathway

A pathway is a chain of steps inside a cell, each one setting off the next.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

A pathway is like a row of dominoes.

Where that stops being true. Dominoes fall one way. Pathways loop back and can switch themselves off.

What people get wrong. Changing one step is read as changing the outcome. Other steps often absorb it.

An ordered series of molecular interactions producing a defined cellular change.

What happened in peopleRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What was measured, goal by goal

One row for each goal a registered study measured something for. One column for each kind of thing that could be measured.

Registered studies list 40 outcome measures that RNAWiki could read. A registered study says what someone planned to measure. It does not say what they found. 0 of the matched studies tested this substance, and 0 posted a result.

There is no single score. A strong test result and a weak life result are different facts.

Goals down the side, kinds of measurement across the top. Each cell says what kind of thing was registered, not what was found.
GoalLife outcomeWhat a body can doHow a person feelsA test resultA step in the bodyHarmsHow longWho was studied
CholesterolNothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a life outcome for this goal.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a performance measure for this goal.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a symptom measure for this goal.Only a number moved10 registered test measure.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a body-step measure for this goal.Not recordedHarms were not a registered measure for this goal.Not recordedNo finished study window is recorded.Waiting for a reviewerWho was studied is listed further down the page.
Blood sugarNothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a life outcome for this goal.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a performance measure for this goal.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a symptom measure for this goal.Only a number moved3 registered test measure.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a body-step measure for this goal.Not recordedHarms were not a registered measure for this goal.Not recordedNo finished study window is recorded.Waiting for a reviewerWho was studied is listed further down the page.
MoodNothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a life outcome for this goal.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a performance measure for this goal.Waiting for a reviewer3 registered symptom measure.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a test result for this goal.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a body-step measure for this goal.Not recordedHarms were not a registered measure for this goal.Not recordedNo finished study window is recorded.Waiting for a reviewerWho was studied is listed further down the page.
Which registered measures put each goal on this table
Cholesterol
ldl c from baseline to week 12; ldl goal attainment; triglycerides; non hdl c; hdl c; total cholesterol; total cholesterol hdl c; effect of treatment on peak ldl particle size
Blood sugar
hepatic insulin sensitivity index; adipose tissue insulin sensitivity; skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity
Mood
anxiety; hads anxiety; state trait anxiety inventory state

Sorted by fixed word lists, version v1. A name the rules do not recognise stays unsorted rather than moving to the nearest column.

What each mark on this table means
Nothing in the sources checked
No registered study lists a life outcome for this goal.
Only a number moved
10 registered test measure.
Not recorded
Harms were not a registered measure for this goal.
Waiting for a reviewer
Who was studied is listed further down the page.

What happened in peopleRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What happened in people

Each card is one study: the exact question it asked, who was in it, and whether it showed what it set out to show.

Infant Mortality Through 6 mo of Age

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00860470
How many people
44567
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
Living longer, or avoiding a major event
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Major Vascular Event

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00461630
How many people
25673
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Anemia status

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT03287882
How many people
25447
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Perinatal mortality, i.e., the number of stillbirths (fetal deaths of 28 weeks or more of gestation) and the number of deaths within the first 0-6 days of life per 1000 births (live births and stillbirths)

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00133744
How many people
18962
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
Living longer, or avoiding a major event
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Fetal loss, low birth weight and pre-term birth.

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00197548
How many people
8468
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Composite of CV Death, Nonfatal MI (Including Silent MI), Nonfatal Stroke, Coronary Revascularization, or Unstable Angina Determined to be Caused by Myocardial Ischemia by Invasive / Non-invasive Testing and Requiring Emergent Hospitalization.

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT01492361
How many people
8179
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
Living longer, or avoiding a major event
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
What we know
RNAWiki holds 6 written-up human studies for this substance, each with the question it asked.
How we know it
Each card names the study, the number of people and what the study set out to measure.
What this does not prove
These summaries were written by a person and have not been signed off as reviewed claims.
Why it matters
A study that failed is as informative as one that worked, and both are here.
What we still do not know
No reviewed claim exists, so no exact population, effect size or interval is published yet.

What happened in peopleRead from sources, not yet reviewed

How close this is to real life

The top step is something a person would feel or care about. The bottom is a guess from software. Filled steps are where evidence exists for this substance.

  1. Living longer, or avoiding a major event No evidence recorded. Death, a heart attack, a stroke, a hospital stay.0 registered measures of this kind. 2 written-up studies measured this and did not show a benefit.
  2. What a body can do day to day No evidence recorded. Walking, dressing, breathing, recovering.No registered study measures this.
  3. Measured performance No evidence recorded. How much was lifted, how far was run, how fast.No registered study measures this.
  4. Symptoms and quality of life Evidence recorded. Pain, tiredness, mood, sleep, as the person rated it.3 registered measures of this kind.
  5. A number that stands in for health Evidence recorded. Cholesterol, blood sugar, bone density. A stand-in, not the thing itself.16 registered measures of this kind.
  6. A step measured inside a person Evidence recorded. Something measured in human tissue or human cells.A human record sits on the stored organism ladder.
  7. Animals Evidence recorded. Mice, rats, dogs. Useful for ideas, not proof about people.Stored records in Yeast, C. elegans (roundworm), Mouse. A result in animals says what to test next. It does not say what happens in people.
  8. Cells in a dish Evidence recorded. Cells or chemistry on a bench, far from a whole body.Stored mechanism abstracts describe steps measured in cells or tissue.
  9. A guess from software No evidence recorded. Nobody measured it. RNAWiki never publishes one as a finding.RNAWiki stores no prediction for this record. Software can suggest a link. RNAWiki does not publish one as a finding.

Higher on these steps means closer to something a person would feel. It does not mean better done.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Felt, measured, or meaningful

Three different things that get called the same word. Registered studies measured all three, and mixing them is how a blood test becomes a health claim.

Felt

Things a person could notice without a test.

  • anxiety
  • hads anxiety
  • state trait anxiety inventory state

Measured

Things only a test, a scale or a device shows.

  • ldl c from baseline to week 12
  • ldl goal attainment
  • triglycerides
  • non hdl c
  • hdl c
  • total cholesterol
  • total cholesterol hdl c
  • hepatic insulin sensitivity index
  • adipose tissue insulin sensitivity
  • skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity

and 6 more.

Meaningful

Things that change how a life goes, not only a number.

No registered study measured anything of this kind.

A registered study says what someone planned to measure. It does not say what they found. A number moving is not the same as a life going better. The two are shown apart here.

Felt, but not shown to help. A person notices a change. No study showed it leads anywhere good.

Measured, but not felt. A number moves. The person notices nothing. Both can be true.

Measured, but not shown to matter. A number moves in the good direction. Nobody showed that lives went better.

Matters, but takes years. The result that counts may take longer than anyone would keep watching.

Names that fit none of the three (21)
  • severity of proximal stenosis
  • proteinuria
  • hepatic fat content for fenofibrate and niacin groups
  • relative effect on flow mediated dilatation of radial artery
  • adiponectin
  • hscrp
  • fast test retest reliability maximum flushing severity
  • fast longitudinal construct validity mean flushing severity
  • fast responsiveness mean flushing severity
  • fast responsiveness maximum flushing severity
  • apolipoprotein a i fractional catabolic rate
  • apo a1 production rate
  • serious adverse events
  • stai state
  • flow mediated vasodilation
  • plaque lipid composition in carotid arteries assessed by mr
  • relative fmd
  • endothelial function
  • evolution of metabolic parameters in postprandial state
  • pharmacokinetic of niacin and its metabolites

These are harms, study-process measures, or names the rules did not recognise. They are shown rather than dropped.

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Were people like you studied?

RNAWiki cannot tell whether a study fits you. It can show who was in it, and where the result stops carrying.

Who was studied

People similar to this profile were included.

  • Therapy with lipid-altering agents should be only one component of multiple risk factor intervention in individuals at significantly increased risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease due to hyperlipidemia. Niacin therapy is indicated as an adjunct to diet when the response to a diet restricted in saturated fat and cholesterol and other nonpharmacologic measures alone has been inadequate.

Who is missing from the studies

  • Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.

What the label states about particular groups

  • On pediatric, the label states: “Safety and effectiveness of niacin therapy in pediatric patients (≤16 years) have not been established.”

    US prescribing information · 52ad4a6a-81cc-4b03-b8b1-3bd9a1d4064e · read 2026-08-30

  • On older people, the label states: “Of 979 patients in clinical studies of niacin extended-release tablets, 21% of the patients were age 65 and over.”

    US prescribing information · 52ad4a6a-81cc-4b03-b8b1-3bd9a1d4064e · read 2026-08-30

  • On people who are pregnant, the label states: “Risk Summary Discontinue niacin extended-release tablets when pregnancy is recognized in patients receiving the drug for the treatment of hyperlipidemia.”

    US prescribing information · 52ad4a6a-81cc-4b03-b8b1-3bd9a1d4064e · read 2026-08-30

  • On people who are breastfeeding, the label states: “Risk Summary Niacin is present in human milk and the amount of niacin increases with maternal supplementation.”

    US prescribing information · 52ad4a6a-81cc-4b03-b8b1-3bd9a1d4064e · read 2026-08-30

  • On people with reduced liver function, the label states: “No studies have been performed in this population.”

    US prescribing information · 52ad4a6a-81cc-4b03-b8b1-3bd9a1d4064e · read 2026-08-30

Where the result stopped carrying

  • This is a scope explorer, not a diagnosis engine.
  • It shows who was studied so you can see whether people similar to you were included.

RNAWiki cannot tell whether a study fits you. It can show who was in it.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Why it might seem to do nothing

A real effect and a noticed effect are different things. These are the recorded reasons the two come apart.

It was studied for a different goal

The studies measured something else entirely.

On this record: Some registered studies measured things that match no goal on this page.

It was studied in different people

The people in the studies were not much like the reader.

On this record: Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.

A different form was studied

The studied form is not the form on the shelf.

On this record: This record is linked to 1 related forms. Evidence does not carry across all of them.

The evidence may simply be wrong

Small early studies often do not hold up.

On this record: RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.

Other reasons RNAWiki checked and found nothing for (9)
There was nothing to correct
Where a level is already normal, topping it up may change nothing. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Something else had to happen too
In the studies it was paired with training, a diet or another treatment. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
The change is too small to feel
A real change can still sit below what a person notices. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Day-to-day swing hides it
Sleep, food, stress and time of day move most numbers more than this would. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Not enough time yet
The studies ran longer than the person has waited. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
It was not taken as studied
Missed days change the result, and studies count them. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Something else changed at the same time
Two changes at once cannot be told apart afterwards. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
The product may not be what it says
Contents of a sold product are not always what the label states. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
No recorded reason
RNAWiki has nothing stored that would explain it. Nothing in this record points to this reason.

None of these is a reason to take more. Taking more is not a step this page ever suggests.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What taking it involves

The recorded facts about getting hold of it and using it. Nothing here is a suggestion about what you should do.

How it is supplied

Prescription only

Quoted from a source

Where this came from

Copied from a source RNAWiki stored, with the source named.

Read from the recorded approval status.

No source is stored against this line.

Form and route

Oral

Source-linked record

Where this came from

A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.

The form and route recorded on this substance.

No source is stored against this line.

Who oversees it

Not usually supervised: sold as a supplement or food ingredient where recorded. That is a legal category, not a safety judgement.

Quoted from a source

Where this came from

Copied from a source RNAWiki stored, with the source named.

The identity record classes it as a supplement ingredient; no medicines register records an approval.

No source is stored against this line.

What is in the pack

Sold as tablet, tablet, extended release, capsule, pellet, given by the oral, sublingual route.

Source-linked record

Where this came from

A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.

Recorded notes on how this is sold and what that means for what is in the pack.

No source is stored against this line.

Where it is registered

Regulatory records are listed in the technical disclosure at the foot of this page.

Counted from records

Where this came from

A count of rows RNAWiki holds. It describes our records, not your body.

Register entries are stored per jurisdiction and shown with their dates.

No source is stored against this line.

Why people stop

Not recorded.

Nothing recorded

Where this came from

RNAWiki holds nothing here and says so rather than guessing.

No record of why people stopped taking it is stored for this substance.

No source is stored against this line.

What it would be like to takeNothing found in the sources checked

What can go wrong

Sorted by where each line came from. A regulator's label and a report somebody sent in are not the same kind of fact.

Nothing found in the sources checked

No harm is recorded against this substance in the sources RNAWiki checked. Finding nothing is not the same as showing there is nothing.

The sources listed were searched and held nothing. That is not the same as nothing existing.

Over a long time. No completed tested study window is recorded, so long-term effects are not established by the registry record.

Groups the studies covered thinly. Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Does the exact form matter?

Evidence belongs to the exact thing that was tested. A different salt, a different mixture or a different preparation is a different question.

The form that was studied

Oral

Source-linked record

Where this came from

A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.

The form used in the studies cited on this page.

No source is stored against this line.

What is sold

Not recorded.

Nothing recorded

Where this came from

RNAWiki holds nothing here and says so rather than guessing.

Nothing further is recorded about which forms are sold.

No source is stored against this line.

What is recorded as being sold

  • 70 products list this as an active ingredient in the United States drug directory. 28 of them contain it and nothing else.

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 47335-613 · read 2026-08-29

  • They are sold as capsule, capsule, gelatin coated, capsule, liquid filled, liquid, pellet and powder, taken oral and sublingual.

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 47335-613 · read 2026-08-29

  • The regulator's established pharmacologic class for it is nicotinic acid [epc] and nicotinic acids [cs].

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 47335-613 · read 2026-08-29

  • 56 published labels name it as an active ingredient. 14 of them describe this substance alone, which is where its own label text on this page comes from.

    US prescribing information · 377f4a5b-bcbb-47b7-b4f4-d198b98c8427 · read 2026-08-29

  • Those labels are classed as human otc drug and human prescription drug.

    US prescribing information · 377f4a5b-bcbb-47b7-b4f4-d198b98c8427 · read 2026-08-29

  • 12906 marketed supplement labels list this ingredient, classed as other combinations, single vitamin and mineral and vitamin.

    NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database · 201207 · read 2026-08-29

  • Those labels carry all other, nutrient and structure/function claims. A claim of that kind is written by the manufacturer and is not assessed by any regulator, so its presence says nothing about whether it is true.

    NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database · 201207 · read 2026-08-29

  • Niacin is oral at 3 DOSAGE FORMS & STRENGTHS • 500 mg Orange, oval shaped, biconvex, film-coated tablets debossed with “L 55” on one side and plain on the other side • 1000 mg Orange, oval shaped, biconvex, film-coated tablets debossed w…, recorded as fda label in effect 2025-01-10 in the United States.

    US prescribing information · 52ad4a6a-81cc-4b03-b8b1-3bd9a1d4064e · read 2026-08-30

Evidence carries across two names for one substance. It does not carry across a salt, a mirror form or a mixture.

Names and forms linked to this record

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What you could measure

This one is decided with a clinician, so this section holds questions to ask rather than a plan to run.

A single-person plan is offered only as a structure for observing yourself. It never calculates an amount to take, and it cannot prove cause.

Questions worth asking

  • Which of the trials of Nicotinic acid studied people like me?
  • What was measured, and for how long?
  • Was the result a laboratory value or a health outcome?
  • What would we watch for, and when would we stop?

Tracking can show whether something changed for you. It cannot show what caused it.

RNAWiki records evidence. It does not say whether this substance is right for you.

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What nobody knows yet

Open questions, each with why it is open and what would close it.

Missing populations

Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Missing long-term data

No completed tested study window is recorded.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

No reviewed conclusion

RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Missing interaction studies

No interaction was found in the registers checked. Not finding one is not the same as showing there is none.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Formulation uncertainty

Several salts, forms or products of Nicotinic acid are recorded. Results from one form may not transfer to another.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Mechanism not reviewed

No reviewed mechanism story exists for this substance.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

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Check any of this yourself

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  • 14 documents were read for this substance.

    RNAWiki source record

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FDA substance identifier (UNII)
2679MF687A
RxNorm concept
1098134

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Kept near the foot of the page. A historical event moves up only when it changes something about this substance today.

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  • 36 approved applications cover products containing this substance. The earliest was NDA011073, approved 19570724 to MEDPOINTE PHARM HLC.

    Drugs@FDA application register · NDA011073 · read 2026-08-29

  • Marketing status on the register: discontinued and prescription.

    Drugs@FDA application register · NDA011073 · read 2026-08-29

  • The earliest marketing start date recorded for a listed product is 19840815.

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 47335-613 · read 2026-08-29

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Recorded evidence blocks (11)

What did Nicotinic acid's largest trial (3414 people) and its longest (20 years) measure?


3414 people in Nicotinic acid's largest registered study, 20 years in its longest registered window, measuring The GSK256073 Area Under Concentration-time Curve (AUC) and High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDLc) Data to Evolve the Exposure-response Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) Relationship for… ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

35 phase2, 24 na, 22 phase3, 18 phase4, 13 phase1, 9 early phase1, 6 na or unstated; NCT00000482; 1985-03; no ageing endpoint recorded. Last human test completed 2025, NCT05092945.

Interpretation These counts include studies where Nicotinic acid was a comparison treatment, a background treatment or an exposure in an observational study, and the longest window may be a planned end date. Trial roles have not yet been classified for this record.

Show the evidence
  • phase2
    35
  • na
    24
  • phase3
    22
  • phase4
    18
  • phase1
    13
  • early phase1
    9
2 more recorded rows
  • na or unstated
    6
  • Last recorded human test NCT05092945
    2025-08-18

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

From yeast to human: where has Nicotinic acid shown lifespan?


C. elegans: lifespan, yeast: lifespan, mouse: lifespan and human: biomarker (120): the rungs where Nicotinic acid has a recorded finding. Europe PMC and ClinicalTrials.gov · organism ladder · 2026-09-01

The GSK256073 Area Under Concentration-time Curve (AUC) and High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDLc) Data to Evolve the Exposure-response… — the recorded outcome words.

Yeast lifespanC. elegans lifespanDrosophila Mouse lifespanRat Dog Non-human primate Human biomarker
Show the evidence
  • C. elegans
    lifespan
  • yeast
    lifespan
  • mouse
    lifespan
  • human NCT00903617
    biomarker; The GSK256073 Area Under Concentration-time Curve (AUC) and High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDLc) Data to Evolve the Exposure-response Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) Relationship for Changes in HDLc Levels; 120

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

11 of Nicotinic acid's trials stopped: safety, accrual/recruitment, funding/business, other?


safety (1), accrual/recruitment (3), funding/business (4) and other (3): Nicotinic acid's stop wording, clustered. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

"Unable to recruit sufficient study subjects"; 11 of 120 registered studies

Show the evidence

Trial

  • NCT00108485
    terminated; "Unable to recruit sufficient study subjects"
  • NCT00120289
    terminated; "AIM-HIGH was stopped on the recommendation of the DSMB because of lack of efficacy of niacin in preventing primary outcome events."
  • NCT00500045
    terminated; "The PI retired/left the institution. Efforts were made to contact the PI but were unsuccessful."
  • NCT00796887
    terminated; "Study was stopped early due to limitations in funding. As a result, the sample size was insufficient for meaningful exploration of functional outcomes"
  • NCT01159054
    terminated; "The funding source is not going to fund this anymore. Only two subjects completed the study therefore meaningful analysis not possible."
  • NCT01450410
    terminated; "Study terminated (halted prematurely) as recomended by the drug supplier and medical agencies"
5 further recorded trials
  • NCT03685773
    withdrawn; "Permanently terminated due to COVID-19 given the poor vaccine penetrance in liver transplant recipients. This is not a suspension of IRB approval."
  • NCT03752918
    withdrawn; "Funding ended."
  • NCT03808961
    terminated; "Not enough recruitment"
  • NCT04424225
    terminated; "Could not secure additional funding to continue the study. Pilot phase of study completed."
  • NCT04677049
    suspended; "Recruitment has been placed on hold to determine evaluability of currently enrolled patients. Recruitment will remain on hold until evaluability is confirmed. If fewer than 48 evaluable patients are achieved, the study will be re-opened to…"

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

Human studies of Nicotinic acid used Niacin 600 mg — over how long?


Human studies of Nicotinic acid used "Niacin 600 mg". ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

7 recorded entries; human; also "Nicotinic Acid 50 MG Oral Tablet", "Niacin 100mg", "Nicotinic Acid 500 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet"

Show the evidence

human

  • NCT01275300
    Niacin 600 mg
  • NCT04242927
    Nicotinic Acid 50 MG Oral Tablet
  • NCT05398484
    Niacin 100mg
  • NCT05846373
    Nicotinic Acid 500 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet
  • NCT05846373
    Nicotinic Acid 1000 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet
  • NCT06406140
    Niacin 500 mg
1 more recorded row
  • human NCT06760533
    Niacin 100 mg

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

Could one person measure Nicotinic acid's effect on severity of proximal stenosis?


Severity of proximal stenosis: measured in Nicotinic acid's trials.

Interpretation severity of proximal stenosis is the recorded endpoint.

Show the evidence

biomarkers

  • severity of proximal stenosis; 2026-09-01
  • ldl c from baseline to week 12; 2026-09-01
  • proteinuria; 2026-09-01
  • ldl goal attainment; 2026-09-01
  • triglycerides; 2026-09-01
  • non hdl c; 2026-09-01
14 more recorded rows
  • biomarkers
    hdl c; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    total cholesterol; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    total cholesterol hdl c; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    hepatic insulin sensitivity index; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    adipose tissue insulin sensitivity; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    hepatic fat content for fenofibrate and niacin groups; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    serum tg; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    relative effect on flow mediated dilatation of radial artery; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    anxiety; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    effect of treatment on peak ldl particle size; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    adiponectin; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    hscrp; 2026-09-01
  • biomarkers
    fast test retest reliability maximum flushing severity; 2026-09-01
  • human trials at or under30
    46
  • Not recorded for this substance
    a recorded half-life
  • smallest human trial
    0; NCT03685773; PHASE2; the smallest recorded human enrolment at or below 30; the registry states no direction of its result; WITHDRAWN

Which of adiponectin, adipose tissue insulin sensitivity and anxiety did Nicotinic acid's trials measure?


adiponectin, adipose tissue insulin sensitivity and anxiety lead 40 outcome terms across Nicotinic acid's trials. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

Interpretation ldl goal attainment, triglycerides, non hdl c, hdl c, total cholesterol and total cholesterol hdl c follow.

Show the evidence
  • severity of proximal stenosis
    1
  • ldl c from baseline to week 12
    1
  • proteinuria
    1
  • ldl goal attainment
    1
  • triglycerides
    1
  • non hdl c
    1
14 more recorded rows
  • hdl c
    1
  • total cholesterol
    1
  • total cholesterol hdl c
    1
  • hepatic insulin sensitivity index
    1
  • adipose tissue insulin sensitivity
    1
  • hepatic fat content for fenofibrate and niacin groups
    1
  • skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity
    1
  • serum tg
    1
  • relative effect on flow mediated dilatation of radial artery
    1
  • anxiety
    1
  • effect of treatment on peak ldl particle size
    1
  • adiponectin
    1
  • hscrp
    1
  • fast test retest reliability maximum flushing severity
    1

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

Which of Nicotinic acid's 18 ongoing trials reports first?


18 registered trials of Nicotinic acid are open; earliest completion 2026-07-15. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

Change in Endogenous glucose production (EGP) rate; Plasma norepinephrine levels; latest 2030-07

Show the evidence

Trial

  • NCT03540758
    "Regulation of Endogenous Glucose Production by Central KATP Channels"; n 100; "Change in Endogenous glucose production (EGP) rate"; 2027-04
  • NCT04234217
    "Mechanisms of Prediabetic States in Sleep Apnea"; n 300; "Plasma norepinephrine levels"; 2026-07-15
  • NCT04464070
    "Pathways of Eicosanoid Metabolism"; n 10; "prostaglandin metabolites"; 2027-08-31
  • NCT05119166
    "International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium"; n 1000; "Create an international consortium of 4 birth cohorts in Tanzania, Pakistan, Burkina Faso and Canada (Field Site Partners), human milk scientists (Laboratory Partners), and data scientists and biostatisticians (Data Science Partners)."; 2026-10-30
  • NCT05398484
    "Psilocybin Therapy in Advanced Cancer"; n 200; "Change in Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A): SIGH-A Score"; 2027-01-01
  • NCT05452772
    "5-HT2A Agonist Psilocybin in the Treatment of Tobacco Use Disorder"; n 66; "Potential Efficacy (Smoking Cessation)"; 2027-05
12 further recorded trials
  • NCT05702398
    "Pilot Trial of Supplemental Vitamin A and Nicotinamide"; n 30; "Change of Blood Vitamin A and Nicotinamide Levels"; 2028-03-01
  • NCT05934409
    "Adipose Tissue Storage in the Rapid Remission of Hepatic and Cardiac Metabolic Dysfunction After Bariatric Surgery"; n 40; "Change in white adipose tissue dietary fatty acid (DFA) trapping and partitioning"; 2028-05-01
  • NCT06175403
    "A Study of Niacin Regulation"; n 32; "Change in plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations"; 2027-05-31
  • NCT06200155
    "Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy in Patients With Advanced Cancer on Maintenance Therapy"; n 48; "Safety and adverse events (AEs)"; 2026-12-31
  • NCT06760533
    "Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy in Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)"; n 10; "Change in Abdominal Pain Severity Numeric Rating Scale (APS-NRS) Score"; 2026-12
  • NCT06843148
    "Stimulating Fat Tissue Storage With Niacin to Reduce Fat Accumulation in the Liver."; n 36; "Prolonged small-dose niacin treatment does not lead to desensitization of the niacin-induced reduction in hepatic total fatty acids flux."; 2030-07
  • NCT06858332
    "Lipoprotein(a) Levels in Patients With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases in Russia"; n 2382; "Percentage of patients (%) with Lp(a) ≥125 nmol/L"; 2027-09-30
  • NCT06983730
    "The Kidney's Response to Exercise in Heat, and the Impact of Vitamin B3 on This Response"; n 28; "Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin"; 2028-06
  • NCT06991712
    "Comparisons of NAD Precursors for Neuroenhancement in Glaucoma Patients"; n 138; "Change in visual field sensitivity"; 2026-12-31
  • NCT07119996
    "Clinical Trial on the Protective Role of Vitamin B3 in Enhancing Immunotherapy for Bladder Cancer Patients"; n 12; "Phase I: The DLT dose of the Vitamin B3"; 2027-02-01
  • NCT07306364
    "Psilocybin-Assisted Physical Therapy in Chronic Low Back Pain"; n 45; "Change in interoceptive awareness as measured by the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness-2 from 4 weeks post-dose to 8 weeks post dose"; 2029-06
  • NCT07732166
    "Changes in Self-awareness Induced by Psychoactive Substances: an Experimental Study With Psilocybin."; n 100; "Changes in global metacognitive judgment using the Computerized Success-Failure Manipulation Paradigm."; 2027-12-01

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

Which 42 trials of Nicotinic acid posted no result?


Posted no result
42 of 42 completed trials
Registrations
NCT00000482, NCT00000483, NCT00000512, NCT00000461, NCT00000599 and NCT00000539, and 36 more
Completion dates
oldest 1985-03; newest 2024-07-25
Show the evidence

Trial

  • NCT00000482
    1985-03
  • NCT00000483
    1985-03
  • NCT00000512
    1989-08
  • NCT00000461
    1992-11
  • NCT00000599
    1994-11
  • NCT00000539
    1999-03
14 further recorded trials
  • NCT00000553
    2001-02
  • NCT00304993
    2005-02
  • NCT00079638
    2005-05
  • NCT01921010
    2005-06
  • NCT00590629
    2005-11
  • NCT00378833
    2007-03
  • NCT00652431
    2007-07
  • NCT00152893
    2008-02
  • NCT01104519
    2008-07
  • NCT00302744
    2008-12
  • NCT00298909
    2009-06
  • NCT00930839
    2010-02
  • NCT01071291
    2010-09
  • NCT01083329
    2012-06

At the median, Nicotinic acid's trials enrolled 40 people — anything larger?


Median enrolment
40
Largest enrolment
3414
Registered trials counted
114

Was Nicotinic acid studied with fasting and exercise?


fasting and exercise are named in Nicotinic acid's label sentences: "Studies were done under normal, fasting conditions (control trial: CON) and following administration of a nicotinic acid analogue (low plasma non-esterified fatty acid trial: LFA)." openfda-label+europepmc · 2018-06-23

2 recorded statements; fasting, exercise

Show the evidence
  • fasting
    Studies were done under normal, fasting conditions (control trial: CON) and following administration of a nicotinic acid analogue (low plasma non-esterified fatty acid trial: LFA).
  • exercise
    Fourteen male type 2 diabetes patients (age 65 ± 2 years, HbA<sub>1c</sub> 6.7 ± 0.1% (50 ± 2 mmol/mol)) participated in a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized cross-over study in which subjects performed endurance-type exercise after being administered 250 mg of a nicotinic acid analogue (acipimox; ACP) or a placebo (PLA).

recorded 2018-06-23 · last checked 2026-09-04

What is recorded about Nicotinic acid and NAD+?


"We previously showed that nicotinic acid riboside (NAR) sustains NAD biosynthesis in vivo and compensates for NAMPT inhibition in SCLC models." — where Nicotinic acid and NAD+ appear together. Europe PMC · pathway abstract search · 2026-07-28

NAD+, sirtuin; PMID 42521252, 41592801, 38946587, 41409579

Show the evidence

NAD+

  • PMID 42521252
    "We previously showed that nicotinic acid riboside (NAR) sustains NAD biosynthesis in vivo and compensates for NAMPT inhibition in SCLC models."
  • PMID 42521252
    "Here, we evaluated combining NAMPT inhibition with dietary nicotinic acid (NA) restriction to suppress NAR-dependent NAD biosynthesis."
  • PMID 41592801
    "Loss of nicotinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase (NAPRT) has been associated with an increased vulnerability to NAMPT inhibition in specific metabolic contexts."

sirtuin

  • PMID 38946587
    "Nicotinic acid (NA) is a precursor to nicotinamide dinucleotide (NAD+) which is exhausted in cachectic muscle and is a direct activator of sirt1."
  • PMID 41409579
    "In the current study, we report the identification and characterization of a SIRT5 modulator, reduced nicotinic acid riboside (NARH)."

recorded 2026-07-28 · last checked 2026-09-04

Where it is registered
Identifiers, relations and other names

The exact record

ChEMBL id
CHEMBL3707287
PubChem CID
16098
CAS number
1976-28-9
RxCUI
7393
InChIKey
PVNIIMVLHYAWGP-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Relations

Also called
ALUMINIUM NICOTINATE, Aluminum nicotinate, Niacin aluminium, NIACIN, Acide nicotinique, Acido nicotinico, Acidum nicotinicum, Niacin extended release, Nicotinate, Vitamin b3, active placebo, controlled-ileal-release nicotinic acid
Trade name
Micalex, Niacin component of advicor, Niacin component of simcor, Niacin td, Niacor, Niaspan, Niaspan er, Niaspan titration starter pack, Nicangin, Nicolar, Wampocap, Pretrate
Development code
NSC-169454
Sources (10)

Sources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov ·
  • ClinicalTrials.gov ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 snapshot 2026-09-01T09:00:05 ·
  • this record's own fields 2,3,5 ·
  • Europe PMC dose-response search ·
  • Europe PMC pathway abstract search ·
  • Europe PMC search ·
4 more sources

ClinicalTrials.gov — US Government work · Europe PMC — metadata only, under the recorded legal gate · derived from this page's own recorded fields; no external licence · mixed register set; per-register licences in docs/specs/corpus-20k-sources.md · openFDA / DailyMed — US Government work

How these records are assembled · Which registers were checked

Index-quality checks
  • identity passed: no open identity hold
  • required summary fields resolved: 4 required field(s) not terminal: Why people use it, Best-supported result, Biggest unanswered question, Human evidence
  • public claims reviewed: 0 reviewed claim(s); drafts are never rendered
  • source coverage passed: 10 source rows
  • no critical contamination: no quarantine open
  • canonical metadata passed: slug and display name present
  • no raw internal fields: enforced by the copy-contract test over the rendered page

This is a record of evidence. It is not medical advice, and it does not say this substance suits you. Nothing here says any substance on RNAWiki is appropriate for a child.