Research
Hormonal
High-dose niacin (1,500 mg/day) improves the atherogenic lipoprotein profile in type 2 diabetes but may worsen glycemic control, whereas lower doses (1,000 mg/day) have minimal impact on glycemia.
If your doctor prescribes Niacin for your cholesterol, be aware that higher doses might raise your blood sugar levels. Lower doses (1,000mg) seem to have less impact on blood sugar control. Monitor your glucose closely, especially if you are on higher doses, and report any changes to your doctor.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
Changes in glycemic control were minimal with the 1,000 mg dose, although higher doses of niacin appeared to disrupt glycemic control and worsen insulin resistance. In the group who received 1,500 mg extended-release niacin, glycosylated hemoglobin levels increased slightly from 7.2% at baseline to 7.5% at week 16
Why this rating
Based on a single 16-week double-blind placebo-controlled study cited in the review.
Source
Lipids and Lipoproteins in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Ronald M. Krauss · Diabetes Care · 2004
DOI 10.2337/diacare.27.6.1496
narrative_reviewCited 758×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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