Risks The risks of high dose ascorbic acid have been reviewed extensively but these refer to doses such as 10g daily and the present dose of 3g daily is associated with minimal risk eg diarrhea. Doses greater than 3gm daily can cause increases in ALT and uric acid but risk of kidney stones has not been substantiated (Russel, 2005). Niacin at 3g daily is now widely used as a cholesterol lowering agent (Alpers, Stenson, & Bier, 2002) and is associated with minimal side effects or dangers eg, up to 5% increased glucose, elevations of liver enzymes and exacerbation in peptic ulcer, but these effects are rarely if ever seen with the derivative nicotinamide (Guyton, 2005). The other B-vitamins in the doses given would not be associated with any side effects.