However, "a much wider population is at risk than what is implied there," Dr. Mittal and colleagues said, because any government job, all big employers, and those who participate in sports, among others, require urine screening.
"Health care providers should be aware of these potential adverse effects of niacin and of the misguided use of this vitamin by patients seeking to interfere with urine drug screening," they added..
When reviewing their poison center's records for an eight month period in 2006, Drs. Heard and Mendoza found that 15% of niacin-related were due to the use of niacin to mask drug abuse or to "purify or cleanse their system."
In addition to these 16 callers, 12 callers reported adverse reactions under "circumstances?suspicious for use related to masking drug screens." Only half of all these individuals were treated in a healthcare facility.
