I personally believe that most vitamins are helpful and beneficial, of course everything in moderation.
It's not mentioned in this article, but I also read somewhere that garlic is helpful even against bacteria resistant to antibiotics, of course in larger doses.
The problem, of course, is that a high dose of niacin produces a bad side-effect in about two-thirds of those who try to use it. Fortunately, I'm in the one-third that tolerates it well, though I had to ramp to to that dose (3000mg) over a period of a couple of months.
Google these words to get further information: niacin cholesterol
And not to overlook magnesium and B12.
Garlic has impressive antibiotic properties when fresh cloves are crushed. I don’t think the heart benefit is proven.
It sure is confusing out there. One group says these vitamins are good for you, another group says they do you no good, and another group says they can harm you.
Although I have tried long periods of high intake of vitamin C, laevo-ascorbic acid, of both natural and manufactured sources, I have found that it gives little advantage over the benefits of a balanced diet with vitamin C-containing foods.
Throughout my studies toward advanced degrees, I came to mistrust the conclusions of Linus Pauling in every area that his self-promoting (but persuasive) theories touched. Particularly, he concluded and endorsed the concept that everyone would be benefitted by large and regular superdoses of vitamin C, and it became a widely accepted recommendation.
However, medical literature showed that elevated blood acidity could, and did, affect the onset of seizures for individuals experiencing ideopathic epilepsy, hence I was very sure that extremely large doses of ascorbic acid--which shows up in the blood--could be a very unacceptable result of following Pauling's advice that such overdosing would be beneficial for everyone, which he offered without any demurrers.
To my thinking. Linus Pauling was one of the biggest and most damaging B(aloney) S(hoot)ers found in the annals of post-Einstein modern quantum chemistry.
Foods (oranges, apples, cabbage, sauerkraut) bearing enough nutrients to prevent scurvy is enough vitamin C intake, IMHO.
(And be a bit leery of the resveratrol content of Concord-type grape juice beverages, for some reason not mentioned here, though currently a popular topic. Ordinary non-alcoholic blood of the vine ought to supply enough that you will ever need.)
Garlic keeps vampires away.
I've actually found it works better for me to take them about three times/week (Phillips Colon health). Taking them every day seem to do bad things to my colon after about three months. Found that with another formulation as well.
I don't think the dietary form is of any use with respect to colds. It has to be a form that can be distributed to the nasal mucosa. Even then it hasn't seemed very useful to me vs. rhinovirus.
Niacin in prescription strength? Just take more of the OTC. Easy, cheap, and the flush is good for you. Start with 500 mg and work your way up. Less if you're afraid of the flush.
I’m doing Niacin, Zinc and Vt D. All three work for me as reported.
Niacin---Rugby brand about $21 / 500mg --- buy at Swansons
Vit C --Now Foods --- buy at Swansons
Vit D---Now Foods --- buy at Swansons
B 50 complex----Swansons house brand---- --- buy at Swansons
Lugols -- from ebay seller http://www.ebay.com/sch/the_full_orchestra/m.html