Dear Cureality Members,

Niacin Side effect: Parkinson's Disease symptom

I was prescribed niacin (Enduracin 1500 mg) by a lipidologist. I began the niacin at the beginning of December 2014. Starting with 500mg raising to 1000mg and then by the middle of December 1500 mg per day. Toward the middle of December, I began noticing an occasional tremor in my left thumb. After a couple weeks it became more frequent. I also take B-12, L-methyl folate, Koncentrated K, D, metformin, CoQ10, aspirin, fish oil and magnesium. The B-12 and L-methyl folate and metformin were begun at the same time as the niacin. These were also prescribed by the lipidologist.

So I checked these medications in online drug checking programs, epocrates and medscape and the manufacturers websites. I saw no indication of any of these medications causing tremor. So I continued the medications. As time progressed the tremor in my left thumb became more than sporadic - it was even almost constant. Since the tremor nearly coincided with the beginning of new medications niacin, l-methyl folate, Vitamin B12, and metformin, I started digging deeper. I didn't see anything alarming about Vitamin B12, L-methyl folate, or metformin, but I did come up with problems with niacin on Feb 4.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2723628/pdf/12199_2008_Article_1013.pdf

From the abstract of that article:

“Epidemiological surveys suggest an important role for niacin in the causes of Parkinson’s disease, in that niacin deficiency, the nutritional condition that causes pellagra, appears to protect against Parkinson’s disease. “

And

“it is hypothesized that niacin is a causal substance in the development of Parkinson’s disease”

There are other references that implicate niacin in Parkinson's disease also.

So, I immediately quit taking the niacin and made an appointment with a neurologist for evaluation. For a few days, there was no change. Then gradually, day by day the tremor frequency in my thumb diminished so that a little over a week after I stopped the niacin, when I saw the neurologist, there was no tremor at the appointment on Feb 13. Neurological exam was normal. However there still remains an occasional brief tremor or unsteadiness. 

My mother and grandfather had parkinson's disease, so I perhaps have an enhanced vulnerability to toxins that may cause it. I am pretty upset that I had probably killed a bunch of dopamine producing brain cells with niacin increasing the probability of getting parkinson's disease sooner than I would have otherwise. All of this was to reduce LDL cholesterol which wasn't all that bad in the first place. Had I known there was any possibility that niacin was even a possible causal substance in the development of parkinson's disease, I definitely would not have taken it.

I post this information and my experience so others may be aware of this possible problem with niacin.