Niacin, a water-soluble B vitamin, can promote healthy cholesterol HDL to LDL ratios — the good cholesterol to bad cholesterol ratio. Careful, proper use of niacin, or extended release niacin, can improve lipid profiles with minimal, bad side effects. The recent controversies of Zetia and Vitorin, and the August 2009 settlement of a lawsuit against this statin combination, makes niacin an even more desirable, natural alternative for improvement of lipid profiles.
Vitamin B3 Niacin Wonderful Effects – Naturally Promotes Energy and Metabolism
Vitamin B3, or niacin, is a natural vitamin, essential to all cellular metabolic functions. Niacin is a critical part of NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). NAD is a coenzyme and acts as a molecular wheelbarrow that carries electrons and hydrogen atoms to sites where they are needed, releases them there, and then retrieves more available hydrogens and electrons from donor molecules. In summary, NAD is an electron and hydrogen shuttle and transport molecule.
NAD also is important for nerve integrity and harmony, and NAD has demonstrable major effects on the status of cholesterol and triglyceride molecules in the world of lipid and fat metabolism.
Vitamin B3 Niacin Wonderful Effects – Lowers Total Cholesterol, Triglcerides and Raises HDL
Increased niacin intake can raise good HDL-cholesterol, and can lower total cholesterol, including potentially-harmful triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol.
Both the CDC and the American Pharmacists Association report that high levels of niacin intake can promote an upward shift in the HDL (high-density lipid), or good cholesterol concentration, and a downward shift in triglycerides and LDL (low-density lipid) cholesterol concentrations. The CDC's minimal desirable values for cholesterol and lipid profiles are as follows:
- total cholesterol: <200 mg/dL.
- low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol): <100 mg/dL.
- high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ("good" cholesterol): 40 mg/dL or >
- triglycerides: <150 mg/dL.
If niacin is so good, how much niacin can one safely ingest it to promote healthy lipid numbers?
Vitamin B3 Niacin for Wonderful Effects – Niacin Types and Dosages are Important
Both the CDC and the American Pharmacists Association recommend that excessive niacin intake be supervised medically to prevent harmful, adverse effects of niacin. That admonition is important and should be heeded.
Niacin comes in 3 main forms or types:
- immediate release – niacin is active immediately, and flushing is very common with high doses.
- sustained-release – also known as "controlled release," "long-acting," "timed-release." These types may cause liver damage in some people if used above 2 g/day.
- extended release – a prescription formulation only, Niaspan.
The most overt effects of niacin are flushing (vasodialtion) with high doses. The normal recommended daily allowance (RDA) of niacin is 13-16 mg per day for an average adult. Marketed, non-prescription niacin average 400-500 mg/tablet — about 35X normal RDA. Further, medical doctors typically recommend dosing at 1500-3000 mg/day of niacin — about 100-200 X normal RDA. This means that 3 to 6 standard niacin tablets are required. However, since niacin should never be taken as a single, massive dose, the niacin should be ingested at each of three meals by taking 1 or 2 extended-release 500 mg niacin tablets to provide the 1.5-3 gram total recommended dose.
Vitamin B3 Niacin Wonderful Effects and Worries – Warnings for Safe Use
Vasodilation is common with niacin, but excessive, prolonged flushing should prompt discontinuation of the dosing. Doses of 1 - 1.5 grams (1000-1500 mg) are beneficial and recommended to start and maintain. This dose can be doubled by some users at the end of the first week of a patient's test trials.
Beyond flushing, other potential problems with niacin include: pruritus, rashes, nausea, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Long-acting niacin can cause serious hepatotoxicity (liver damage), and is a concern for patients who use this form of niacin. Hepatotoxicity is less likely to occur in patients who use other forms of niacin.
The American Pharmacists Association indicates that additional adverse events listed in the product labeling for niacin include: dizziness, hypotension, chills, heart palpitations, rapid heart rate (tachycardia), arrythmias of the heart, gout, elevated uric acid levels, dizziness, chills, edema, migraine, insomnia, acanthosis nigricans, and peptic ulcer disease.
Persons who consume large amounts of alcohol, have acute chronic liver disease, anomalies of liver transaminase profiles, or have sugar or diabetic problems, peptic ulcer, bleeding issues or hypersensitivity to niacin should not use niacin.
Taking niacin soon after, or before, hot baths or showers, spicy foods or alcohol is not recommended since supplementary vasodilation (flushing) is induced.
Vitamin B3 Niacin Wonderful Effects, No Statins, No Worries
Extended release niacin can be a useful and helpful health supplement that promotes better lipid profiles. Niacin is natural and matches or outdoes synthetic statins.
Zetia and Vytorin issues do not exist with niacin — niacin works, and works very well.
Physicians and pharmacists recommend only niacin — not inositol hexanicotinate — for best benefit. The value of taking daily doses of one to three grams each day should be weighed against all the potential problems alluded to in the warnings and safe use section above.
Medical supervision always is recommended for all contemplating starting a niacin regimen, or any other vitamin, herbal or other program. There is risk in self-prescribing and administering herbals, vitamins and medicines.
Additional Sources:
Bowden, J. 2008. Niacin for High Cholesterol, in The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth. Fair Winds Pess, Beverly, Mass.358 pp
Rosenfeld, I. 1991. The Best Treatment. Simon & Schuster, New York, New York. 332 pp
Whitaker, J. 1995. Dr. Whitaker's Guide to Natural Healing. Prima Publishing, Rocklin, California 417 pp
Donald Reinhardt - Think, read, write & live well always. DJR has a PhD in Biology/Microbiology & is a Fellow & Diplomate, ASM Amer Acad Micro.
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