Niacin Flush and Transdermal Effect>

[stat1951]

For those of you not familiar with it, taking higher doses of niacin (a B vitamin) results in a "niacin flush" and is due to the capillaries dilating and bring more blood into the given area... and then back out again as the flush subsides. Many people take higher doses of niacin for a number of helth reasons (mega supplementation advocates). I believe that as a diabetes preventative and also for positive effects on cholosterol levels are a couple of the reasons.

Question.....

Does the niacin flush effect T levels in the blood in transdermals?

The transdermal gel goes through the skin barrier and into dermal layers under the skin where a certain proportion of it slowly leaches into the bloodstream and is used as testosterone.

So does the niacin flush "enhance" that process? Does it cause a higher percentage to get from the dermal layers into the blood?

Would taking the niacin (and getting the niacin flush) several hours after initial application of transdermal give the levels a "boost"?

Or does it have the negative where it speeds up the process so that the flush causes a higher immediate level in the blood but then lower amounts leach into the blood later in the day?

Could this also effect testing results depending on when the transdermal was applied and when the niacin was taken as compared to the blood draw time frame?

Any technical experts out there want to take a swing at this one?

Larry

[SWALE]

That's an interesting thought and shows you are really thinking about this stuff. I wish I had an answer for you now. Perhaps once I have given it more thought...