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Is niacin the key to MCAS?

MCASMike

Senior Member
Messages
126
After I read this article (which someone posted in this forrum):

https://nkalex.medium.com/the-team-...who-seem-to-have-solved-long-covid-5f9852f110

I decided to try niacin in the nicotinic acid form. In less than a week I notice that I don't need my usual 9 to 10 hours sleep, I have more energy, and my legs are not nearly as weak. I then did some research and found this:

https://www.researchgate.net/public...pochlorhydria_Re-analysis_of_Two_Case_Reports

What's really interesting to me is that around 2000, I had GI issues, including bloating and wasting (the wasting usually occurred after food poisoning type symtops, which usually occurred after I ate at a restaurant). After doing a lot of research, trying different diets, and different supplements (including digestive enzymes), I decided to try Betaine HCl (I think I was taking at least 2 grams a day, for around a year and a half, tapering off in the last 3 or 4 months). Since then I have had no major symptoms, but I did have some acid reflux (likely due to beta blockers, which I stopped and then the acid reflux stopped several months later).

Taking nicacin, I notice that I sometimes I have a bit of a burning sensation in the stomach but t here's no reflux. I've had GI issues on and off over the years since I was an infant, so I wonder if there is a kind of niacin syndrome different from pellagra. However, I have also been wearing a mask during the day and sleeping with a blanket or sheet over my head (trying to raise the humidity level, as it's been unusually dry here), and when I take the mask off (such as to eat or brush my teeth), the runny nose comes back and the eyes can start to feel dried out, so I'm thinking that's not related to niacin.

Has anyone who has been diagnosed with McAS or who strongly believes they have MCAS tried niacin?
 

dave11

Senior Member
Messages
158
I have MCAS/histamine intolerance. I tried nicotinic acid, and found I am allergic to it. This is consistent with my being allergic to all B vitamin supplements. The cause must be in the manufacturing process.

This PR post links a youtube poll focusing on nicotinic acid as part of a stack for covid and/or MCAS. The youtube video has several favorable comments on the effectiveness of nicotinic acid.
https://forums.phoenixrising.me/thr...-control-in-lyme-or-covid.82834/#post-2339525
 

MCASMike

Senior Member
Messages
126
I have MCAS/histamine intolerance. I tried nicotinic acid, and found I am allergic to it. This is consistent with my being allergic to all B vitamin supplements. The cause must be in the manufacturing process.

This PR post links a youtube poll focusing on nicotinic acid as part of a stack for covid and/or MCAS. The youtube video has several favorable comments on the effectiveness of nicotinic acid.
https://forums.phoenixrising.me/thr...-control-in-lyme-or-covid.82834/#post-2339525

Yes, that's the one that led me to look into this possibility. I'll update my experiences over the next several days or weeks.
 

MCASMike

Senior Member
Messages
126
Updating to say that things are going very well with the niacin/mask wearing combination, though I'm also still taking luteolin, Vitaming D3, aspirin, loratidine, etc. I don't need as much sleep as I used to and I sleep more soundly. My legs feel a lot better too, not nearly as weak, and I don't seem to be heat or cold intolerant any more. However, I did get quite a bit of itchiness yesterday (after taking pure nicotinic acid powder or two days) in the left arm and front of the neck (a lot less itchy today), and it doesn't seem to do anything for the runny nose, post nasal drip, dry throat/cough (since when I take the mask off those symtpoms come back.
 
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xebex

Senior Member
Messages
840
I am not diagnosed with MCAS but I do have some kind of histamine issues going on. I've been doing Dr Wetzels stack (niacin, Vit c and quercetin, zinc, and Vit d, for a couple of weeks and have noticed an improvement, it's brought my functioning from a 40% to 50% and my cognitive ability is now excellent - I'm composing music again, I attribute most of the improvement to the niacin, the other supps I've tried before and not go much from them, It doesn't seem to be improving me any further than this 50% but we'll see how the next few weeks go.
 

MCASMike

Senior Member
Messages
126
I am not diagnosed with MCAS but I do have some kind of histamine issues going on. I've been doing Dr Wetzels stack (niacin, Vit c and quercetin, zinc, and Vit d, for a couple of weeks and have noticed an improvement, it's brought my functioning from a 40% to 50% and my cognitive ability is now excellent - I'm composing music again, I attribute most of the improvement to the niacin, the other supps I've tried before and not go much from them, It doesn't seem to be improving me any further than this 50% but we'll see how the next few weeks go.

The itchiness has been gone for two days now, and I am still doing well with the nicotinic acid. I have more "mental alertness," I sleep better, I don't have temperature intolerance (including a "hot head" at night if the temperature isn't below 68 degrees or thereabouts), my legs feel stronger, and I don't need as much sleep. I got some of relief of these symptoms from other things (luteolin, loratidine, etc.), so to get even more relief with nicotinic acid is quite surprising to me.
 

xebex

Senior Member
Messages
840
That’s great news! sounds like similar improvements to me, the heat tolerance is nice I’m not waking up in the night feeling as if I’m on Mars or something.