niacin vs rosuvastatin

According to this portal's Publishing Organization, this page was last reviewed in August 2026 against our methodology. Figures and extracts on this site, including tables above 1,000 rows when the corpus is that large, are the publisher's responsibility.

Side-by-side comparison of niacin and rosuvastatin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

moderate Known Drug Interaction

Niacin Clinical Impact: Cases of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis have occurred with concomitant use of lipid-modifying doses (≥1 g/day) of niacin with rosuvastatin. Intervention: Consider if the benefit of using lipid-modifying doses (≥1 g/day) of niacin concomitantly with rosuvastatin outweighs the increased risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis.

Drug Class
niacin Vitamin B3 (Lipid-Modifying)
rosuvastatin HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin)
Type
niacin Over-the-Counter
rosuvastatin Prescription
Summary
niacin

This medicine is a multivitamin with fluoride. It helps prevent tooth decay and provides essential vitamins.

rosuvastatin

Rosuvastatin is a drug that lowers cholesterol. It helps to reduce the risk of heart problems and stroke.

What It Treats
niacin

This medicine is for children ages 4 and up who don't get enough fluoride in their drinking water. It helps prevent tooth decay. It also gives you ten important vitamins to avoid vitamin deficiencies.

rosuvastatin

Rosuvastatin is used to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) in adults and children. It can also slow down the hardening of arteries in adults. This medicine also treats high triglycerides and certain inherited cholesterol disorders.

How It Works
niacin

The fluoride in this medicine strengthens your teeth to protect them from decay. The vitamins help your body work properly and stay healthy.

rosuvastatin

Rosuvastatin belongs to a class of drugs called statins. It works by blocking a substance your body needs to make cholesterol. This helps to lower your cholesterol levels.

Common Side Effects
niacin

No common side effects listed.

rosuvastatin
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Muscle pain
  • Weakness
  • Constipation
FAERS Reports
niacin
  • Fatigue 750
  • Nausea 671
  • Diarrhoea 630
  • Dizziness 546
  • Dyspnoea 530
rosuvastatin
  • Fatigue 11,700
  • Nausea 10,039
  • Dyspnoea 9,208
  • Diarrhoea 9,198
  • Myalgia 8,784
Serious Warnings
niacin

There are no serious warnings listed for this medication.

rosuvastatin

Rosuvastatin can cause muscle problems, including muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. Tell your doctor right away if you have these symptoms, especially if you also have a fever or feel sick. Rosuvastatin can also cause liver problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before and during treatment.

Pregnancy
niacin

This medication is for children. Consult a doctor for information about vitamin and fluoride supplements during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

rosuvastatin

Do not take rosuvastatin if you are pregnant. It can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about other ways to control your cholesterol during pregnancy. Breastfeeding is not recommended while taking rosuvastatin.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This niacin vs rosuvastatin Comparison

niacin is classified in the Vitamin B3 (Lipid-Modifying) drug class, while rosuvastatin sits within the HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, niacin has 3,127 submissions while rosuvastatin has 48,929. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to using high doses of niacin with rosuvastatin can lead to serious muscle damage. both drugs can affect your muscles, and the combination makes a toxic reaction more likely.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for niacin or rosuvastatin.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.