Niacin is supposed to lower your cholesterol not turn you red. whats the deal?

It's called flushing: This reaction to Niacin (nicotinic acid) is due to prostaglandin release (chemical mediators), which gives you the unpleasant sensation. It is a known side effect, it doesn't interfere with the cholesterol-lowering. Ways to minimize this include taking an Aspirin before-hand, or taking your Niacin with food.

Niacin.: Supplementing with 2000-3000mg of flush free Niacin daily can help to control your cholesterol levels quite nicely, even increasing your HDL and converting your LDL to a less harmful subtype. As a negative, Niacin can cause facial flushing and redness so get the flush free variety. And have your liver enzyme values monitored, as they can be affected by Niacin use.