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Inositol hexanicotinate is a form of inositol bound to nicotinic acid that is said to eliminate the “niacin flush” associated with traditional niacin supplements.
There are two main forms of Vitamin B3: niacin (aka nicotinic acid) and niacinamide (aka nicotinamide). Inositol hexanicotinate is a form of nicotinic acid that releases over a longer period of time than standard niacin supplements.
Inositol is a pseudovitamin sugar alcohol that is involved in the transportation of fats through the body and helps to supply energy to your cells. It also increases Serotonin activity which can help to improve mood and lessen signs of stress and sleep disorders.
Niacin is very important to the body for ensuring the efficient functioning of over 50 enzymes as well as accommodating the synthesizing of fats from carbohydrates.
Deficiencies of niacin are rare in developed countries as it can be derived from L-Tryptophan, an essential amino acid. However, there are some circumstances where taking a niacin supplement may be beneficial to your health.
It is integral to normalizing blood lipid levels by removing LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as increasing levels of HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol in the bloodstream. Niacin is used to produce certain chemical signaling compounds, including sex hormones.
Heart Health
Blood Lipids
Energy- Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
- Supports proper metabolic functioning
- Promotes heart & nervous system health
Top 5-HTP Products* ❯What is the Niacin Flush?
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Many people experience the “niacin flush” when they begin increasing their intake of Vitamin B3.
This occurs when blood vessels dilate and create a sensation of warmth along with blushing of the skin.
While not dangerous in most cases, symptoms include heated, sometimes itchy-feeling skin from head to toe. Many times, it is accompanied by headaches.
This flushing effect intimidates a lot of people who would otherwise use niacin supplementation.
What is inositol hexanicotinate (IHN)?
Inositol hexanicotinate is a special form of niacin (scientifically referred to as the exanicotinic acid ester of meso-inositol). This combination allows users to experience the benefits of this vitamin without having to endure the niacin flush.
This supplement compound combines niacin with the pseudovitamin Inositol, which is one of nine isomeric alcohols commonly found in both animal and plant tissues.
The supplement has 70% bioavailability and is absorbed from the stomach intact, where it gets hydrolysed into free nicotinic acid and inositol. The result is a slower release of niacin into the bloodstream which may avoid the skin flushing side effect.
In chemical terms, inositol hexanicotinate is created when 6 molecules of niacin attach to a single molecule of inositol. When IHN is introduced into the bloodstream, it releases niacin.
The inositol acts to slow down the absorption of the niacin, elongating its anticholesterolemic functioning. The following advantages are experienced without the niacin flush, and without overtaxing the liver:
- Enhanced peripheral glucose utilization
- Reduction in by-products of glycolysis found in serum
- Strengthened inhibition of lipolysis
It’s important to note that there are also “timed release” niacin supplements available that are not the same as inositol hexanicotinate. These timed-release pills also help users to avoid the flushing, but they can be quite taxing on the liver.
Clinical testing has shown that these “slow-release” niacin supplements increase fatty acids in the liver and can lead to liver toxicity.
Inositol Hexanicotinate Benefits
Inositol, Niacin and their derivatives have been clinically studied since the 1950s and are very well documented. In fact, vitamin B3 may be the most researched vitamin in history.
There are a host of healthful benefits strongly correlated with niacin and IHN. In addition to their biological, psychological and biochemical roles, niacin and/or Inositol Hexanicotinate have been found to:
- Significantly improve the cholesterol profile, lowering LDL cholesterol, lowering triglycerides and raising HDL cholesterol levels
- Lower lipoprotein levels
- Reduce probability for death due to cardiovascular disease
- Safely treat cholesterol abnormalities in persons with diabetes
- Improve walking ability of personas suffering from intermediate claudication
It’s notable that the National Heart, Blood, And Lung Institute states that niacin is very rare in its anticholesteroletic properties. No other anti-cholesterol treatments have the triple action like vitamin B3: lowering LDL levels, lowering triglyceride levels. and simultaneously elevating HDL levels.
In one German clinical study, inositol hexanicotinate was shown to be even more effective than niacin at reducing free fatty acids during nighttime sleep. This makes IHN a superior supplementation option for generating a long-term reduction in blood lipid levels.
Reasrch on inositol hexanicotinate and inositol in general has been very promising, but is quite limited, and more research is still needed. At this time, inositol hexanicotinate is available as a dietary supplement only, and the FDA has not approved inositol hexanicotinate as a drug to prevent or treat any conditions.
Niacin-Rich Foods
For people who prefer to increase their niacin levels through food instead of supplements, niacin is commonly found in a variety of plant and animal-based dietary choices.
Consider the following foods for ensuring adequate vitamin B3:
- Liver, hearts and kidneys
- Lean cuts of chicken, beef and pork
- Various fish including tuna, halibut and salmon
- Peanuts and almonds
- Beans and legumes
- Avocados, dates, figs and tomatoes
- Asparagus, broccoli, carrots and sweet potatoes
- Mushrooms and yeast
Inositol Hexanicotinate Safety
Inositol hexanicotinate is a relatively safe supplement to take. It is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding as safety information in these groups is limited.
If you are taking any medications, talk with your doctor about possible contraindications before beginning IHN supplementation.
Although flushing is not common with IHN, some who are hypersensitive may still feel flushing effects. Niacin and inositol supplements should not be taken on empty stomachs.
Increasing intake of niacin and/or inositol hexanicotinate offers an array of health necessities and benefits. Always consult with your physician before beginning any vitamin supplementation program.
Article last updated on: June 4th, 2018 by Nootriment
12 Comments
No-flush niacin (inositol hexanicotinate) has no “free” nicotinic acid, so it has little or no effect on cholesterol.
Hi Joseph,
Thanks for your comment. There is evidence of an effect on Cholesterol and it may be more effective than niacin itself. Here’s a quote from an IHN Monograph by Alternative Medicine Review:
“Hyperlipidemia: Studies report significant lipid-lowering effects of IHN at doses of 400 mg 3-4 times daily.6 Welsh and Eade found IHN more effective than niacin in its hypocholesterolemic,antihypertensive and lipotropic effects.2”
Hi, Joseph
I took the full dose of “Lipid Control – Blood Lipid Support Complex1” (Niacin as Inositol hexanicotinate), 334 mg (1670% of daily requirement), 3 times per day with meals, starting on the first day. I had no side effects.
After the first year, my Cholesterol went from 355 to 262. After the second year, it went from 262 to 221. I stopped taking it for a year, and my cholesterol went back up to 340.
Joseph,
In my Comments on 10/6/17, I forgot to add that the Niacin I took was made by ProThera, Inc.and sold by Complimentary Prescriptions at cpmedical.net, 1-888-401-0967.
They stopped making it (perhaps due to economic reasons or lack of money for more research studies).
To the Nootriment Staff:
Can you recomment something similar.to what I was taking?
Thanks for the article , really informative!
Here is a tricky question :
Supplementing tryptophan has been recommended for insomnia
but
Most tryptophan is converted by the body into NIACIN , and only about 1% of it is used by the body for the synthesis of serotonin and therefor melatonin.
Niacin has been shown to aid sleep , but it is unclear why .
it appears that low niacin levels disrupt the firing of brain neurons and, therefore, affects the sleep-wake cycle.
(perhaps the body uses the tryptophan when it has such high bio availability niacin?)
Will Inositol Hexanicotinate , function as a sleep aid differently than Nicotinic acid?
THanks!
I’ve tried the inositol-hexanicotinate vs. regular full flush B3, both at 3 Grams a day. With respect to HDL, inositol-hexanicotinate did nothing while B3 raised it. With respect to LDL particle size, inositol-hexanicotinate was a complete waste of money while B3 increased my profile from very small to larger healthy LDL particle size including better HDL subfractions. There may be “statistically” significant effects from inositol-hexanicotinate but they pale when compared to regular B3 the research when I dug into it 10 years ago, such as it was, show almost none of the benefits that B3 provides: No LDL particle size benefits and no raised HDL benefits and minimal lowering of Trigs. There is also the cost, B3 is both much lower in cost and way better from a cost effective point of view. After having a heart attack 10 years ago and my research then with self quantification on this, I haven’t acquired any inositol-hexanicotinate since as cardiovascular health is what I was aiming for. There are other supplements that have a much better benefit/cost trade off for that like K2-MK4/7, D3, DHA/EPA, and some others. It’s the research that needs to be looked at as most sites assume both have the same effect when in fact they are very very different.
Your article starts out with the erroneous statement:
“Inositol hexanicotinate is a form of inositol (vitamin B6) and niacin (vitamin B3) that eliminates the “niacin flush”.”
Newsflash: Inositol is not vitamin B6.
sigh…
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for catching the typo! Inositol is sometimes referred to as Vitamin B8, not Vitamin B6.
The negative dissenters here are in a different boat than I am. Havebeen using Niacin Inositol hexanicotinate for years and it definitely lowers my LDL, When I forget to get more for a few months, then my LDL goes up noticeably. Fish oil really raises my HDL; but now fish are so likely full of mercury and come from unsafe countries, that my doc says to use avocados instead of fish oil. .
What is a Good supplement to help lower Cholesterol?
NKO Krill Oil
I’ve been using inositol hexanicotinate for about 10 years and my blood glucose levels are normal, homocysteine normal, cholesterol normal, triglycerides normal.
10 years ago cholesterol, homocysteine and triglycerides were all high.
It definitely brought them all down.
I take 500 mg/day along with a multi which contains another 100 mg of niacin.
I’ve tried the B complex by itself and it seems to be insufficient.
I’ve tried the normal B3 but it makes me flush like a fire truck… and it’s very uncomfortable.
I can find no evidence that the inositol form of B3 is a problem. Every reference I can find about Vitamin B3 referring to the inositol form when checked did not contain any mention of the inositol form.
Nicotinamide does absolutely nothing for me.
Slo-niacin (a slow release B3 that contains no inositol) uses hydrogenated vegetable oil (means it contains trans fats)… and that has put me off… even though most doctors recommend the stuff. I think I did once try it and didn’t like it.
Inositol is generally considered good for insulin and blood glucose.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5108849/
However inositol B3 tends to be under investigated… so it could bear a bit more scrutiny?
:-)