Niacin and Cholesterol Reduction!

Share

NiacinMany in the health care profession have forgotten about the positive relationship between niacin and cholesterol.  Instead they have promoted http://no-more-heart-disease.com/cholesterol-and-statin-drugs/statin drugs[/intlink] to control cholesterol levels.  That’s unfortunate because niacin can be just as effective.  

What is Niacin?

Niacin is a member of the vitamin B family.  Specifically it is vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid.  Because it’s a water soluble vitamin it needs to be replenished on a daily basis.  The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of niacin is 2-12 mg/day for children, 14 mg/day for women and 16 mg/day for men.  This RDA is the minimum required to prevent niacin deficiency which can be characterized by the following conditions: 

  • Slow metabolism
  • Decreased tolerance to the cold
  • Irritability
  • Poor concentration
  • Anxiety
  • Fatigue
  • Restlessness
  • Depression
  • Dementia 

Niacin can be obtained through your dietary intake of the following foods:  liver, heart, kidney, chicken, beef, tuna, salmon, milk, eggs, avocados, dates, tomatoes, leaf vegetables, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, asparagus, nuts, whole grain products, legumes, mushrooms, and brewer’s yeast.  

Cooking preparation is important since niacin is readily lost when food is cooked in water.  Coupled with poor eating habits and foods depleted of their essential nutrients, many people insure their niacin RDA through vitamin supplements.  If you choose a vitamin supplement then it is recommended that niacin is best taken with the other B vitamins and vitamin C.  

Niacin is used by your body to help turn carbohydrates into energy.  Niacin also aids your nervous system, digestive system, skin, hair and eyes.  Niacin is also needed to help metabolize fats, which brings us to its ability to reduce cholesterol levels. 

Niacin and Cholesterol Levels

To positively affect cholesterol levels, your niacin intake must be substantially greater than the RDA.  As reported in the November 1998 American Journal of Cardiology, therapeutic levels of niacin have been clearly shown to: 

  1. Lower LDL (BAD) and total cholesterol levels.
  2. Raise HDL (GOOD) cholesterol levels.
  3. Lower triglyceride (fat) levels. 

Not only does niacin lower the “Bad” LDL cholesterol but it also substantially increases the “Good” HDL cholesterol.  Many feel that increasing HDL cholesterol is more important than lowering LDL cholesterol.  This is because the high-density lipoproteins (HDL) will sweep up the low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in your blood stream to keep them from damaging your http://no-more-heart-disease.com/endothelial-cells/endothelial cells[/intlink]

Niacin can raise the HDL “Good” cholesterol by 15 to 35 percent.  The Mayo Clinic estimates that for every 1 milligram per deciliter increase in HDL cholesterol you reduce your risk for heart attack by 3 percent.  This means that the proper therapeutic use of niacin can lower the risks for atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases.    

Warning!  If you are going to substantial increase your niacin intake above RDA levels then you should always discuss it first with your doctor.  The reason why is that niacin can cause side effects when taken in high doses.  This brings us to the reason why niacin has fallen out of favor in the treatment of cholesterol? 

Flushing and Other Niacin Side Effects!

From over-the-counter supplements to prescription formulations, niacin comes in a variety of forms.  Some are fast-acting and others are designed to act over a long period thru time-released encapsulation.  

For therapeutic use to positively affecting your cholesterol levels, usually high doses of niacin (1000 milligrams or more) are administered.  At this level most people will experience a “niacin flush” which is a temporary shunting (or vasodilation) of blood to the skin surface.  The flush usually lasts for 15 to 30 minutes and will cause the skin to redden, feel warm to the touch, and may cause you to perspire.  Although annoying, the “niacin flush” isn’t harmful.  Some have found that taking an aspirin shortly before you take your niacin can help to alleviate this flushing effect.  Hot drinks and alcohol can increase this flushing so it’s recommended that you avoid them when taking niacin. 

To reduce the potential for flushing, some people will take a time-released niacin formulation.  While this may help reduce the non-threatening, but inconvenient flushing, it increases the risk of harmful liver enzyme elevation.  The continuous release of niacin into the liver can disrupt healthy methylation reactions that are essential to liver health.  Fast acting niacin supplements do not usually present this problem.  

It’s also important to note that therapeutic use of niacin does not mean taking 1000 milligrams at one time.  Usually the total intake recommended by a qualified health practitioner is divided throughout the day in levels of 300 to 600 mg of niacin taken twice per day, and with a meal to help offset potential side effects. 

Other potential side effects from therapeutic levels of niacin can include upset stomach, headache, dizziness from a drop in blood pressure, itching, increased blood sugar levels, and elevated liver enzymes.  Thus, people with liver or kidney problems and diabetics need to take extra precaution.  Working with a qualified health professional can help you find the right dose and form of niacin to help minimize these side effects. 

Niacin, Statin Drugs and Current Research!

Niacin, like http://no-more-heart-disease.com/nitric-oxide-and-cholesterol/nitric oxide[/intlink], seems to help statin drugs work more effectively.  Research has shown that niacin, when used with some statins, can increase HDL “Good” cholesterol by 50 percent or more.  Additionally, this combination also reduces LDL “Bad” cholesterol levels more than when statins are used by themselves. 

Statin drugs have some very specific and dangerous side effects so utilizing other natural methods to help lower, and potentially eliminate statin usage can be beneficial for long term heart health.  However, it is always best to check with your doctor and pharmacist before taking niacin with another medication to avoid any potential and dangerous drug interactions.  

It’s also important to note that researchers are coming close to finding a niacin formulation that helps to prevent the dreaded niacin flush.  Much of this research is at Duke University Medical Center and concentrates on G proteins.  According to Robert Walters, M.D.,

“Niacin stimulates production of a vasodilator that dramatically increases blood flow to the face, causing the flush and the hot, prickly sensation – and beta-arrestin 1 is the culprit that enables that to happen.  Interestingly, however, beta-arrestin 1 plays no role whatsoever in niacin’s ability to lower cholesterol and fatty acids.  The G proteins do that.” 

There is also a growing body of work looking at how flavonols – a class of plant-derived polyphenols – could inhibit this niacin flush.  The two flavonoids that have shown the greatest potential are quercetin and luteolin.  Quercetin is a compound that has been shown to promote endothelial function while supporting healthy blood glucose levels.  Luteolin seems to suppress dangerous cytokines that are associated with flushing and other inflammatory reactions.  A small human clinical trial used a combination of niacin, quercetin and luteolin to reduce the unpleasant side effects of niacin supplementation by an estimated 70 percent.  This trial needs to be tested on a larger population base to confirm these findings.    

Because over-the-counter niacin supplements can be just as good as prescription niacin in helping to increase your HDL cholesterol and lower your LDL cholesterol many people are opting for this method in their cholesterol reduction battle.  Just make sure that it’s a reputable company that standardizes its ingredients and formulations.  And, it’s important to note that if you choose to use dosages of niacin higher than the standard RDA, please consult with a qualified medical practitioner so that a proper program can be developed to your specific health goals. 

Together we can work to save a million lives! 

Dan Hammer 

The information contained in this blog is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam.  The information contain in this blogging website has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

10 thoughts on “Niacin and Cholesterol Reduction!

  1. Hello, first I want to say awesome blog. I don’t always agree with your posts but it’s always a interesting read.

  2. Hi Chantelle – Thanks for the compliment on the blog. If you have other perspectives and information then please share them. The goal is to help people make positive changes in reducing their risks for cardiovascular disease. As long as the information is safe and effective I’m always willing to provide the resources so that others can benefit. Dan

  3. I regularly don’t leave comments!!! Believe me! Nevertheless I enjoyed your web site…especially this post! Would you mind terribly if I posted a backlink from my web site to your blog site?

  4. Just to let you know you won. My friend and I placed a bet about which webpage was better. I thought your post was superior, but she thought this article on goji berry was better. We rounded up five mutual friends who had not seen either website before to read them both over. Everyone picked your website. Keep up the good work.

  5. I REALLY liked your post and blog! It took me a tiny bit to locate your site…but I book marked it. Would you mind if I placed a link back to your page? Regards!I enjoyed reading your work!

  6. Hiya, I enjoy your website. It has a ton of interesting information. I will definatly come back to this website often. We also like this small blog about a plant called creeping thyme, if you are not busy check it out right here. You might like it. I hope you have a great day and thank you for reading this!

  7. Hi Everyone! It’s time for me to catch up on your comments:
    Nathanael – Thank you for your positive comments. I did check out your website. Come spring I’d like to develop a hummingbird garden. Any suggestions on a creeping vine that would attract hummingbirds?
    Dietary Supplements and Liquid Supplement Manufacturing – Please feel free to place a back link to any of my pages.
    Loraine – Thanks for letting me know that my site won the bet. I’ll continue to provide good content.
    Have a Great Day! Dan

  8. Hi Shawn – The ProArgi-9 Plus product is not available in stores. The easiest way to obtain it is to order it online. You can click on the following link:

    http://no-more-heart-disease.com/proargi-9-plus/

    This page will allow you to order it at wholesale price and with free shipping. Just click on the “Order Now” button. If you have questions about this product then please email me or call me directly. My contact information is on this page. Dan

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>