Niacin

Prevent a Heart Attack
	Niacin
	This B vitamin taken in massive doses has been shown to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol and raise HDL ("good") cholesterol. However this should not be undertaken without medical supervision. Niacin in therapeutic doses is a drug with potential side effects. These include flushing, itching, nausea, blurred vision, and headache as well liver damage, increases in blood sugar, and other serious and debilitating effects. The sustained-release version of niacin seems to produce even more, and more serious, side effects. If you have liver disease, diabetes, gout, peptic ulcers, or glaucoma, niacin therapy is not for you.
	Nicotinic Acid (Niacin) Nicotinic acid, or niacin (Niacor, Nicolar, Slo-Niacin), is vitamin B₃. When used in high doses, it is extremely effective in reducing triglyceride levels and it raises HDL levels higher than any other anti-cholesterol drug and is also the least expensive. It also lowers LDL-cholesterol and lipoprotein(a). Many patients find its side effects intolerable, however, in one study, 46% of people taking niacin stopped the drug. The most common side effects are flushing of the face and neck, excessive warmth, headache, blurred vision, and dizziness. The body does, though, become tolerant to these effects eventually, and they generally subside. The best way to avoid them is to start with low doses taken at mealtime and gradually work up to the prescribed dose. Aspirin, taken about 30 minutes before taking niacin, helps prevent the flushing effects. About 3% to 5% of people taking niacin develop liver abnormalities, which disappear after the medication is discontinued. Niacin can also cause stomach problems and can elevate uric acid and blood glucose levels, so it should be avoided by people with gout or diabetes. Those with peptic ulcers or low blood pressure should also avoid niacin. Some trials are showing that low doses of nicotinic acid in combination with another LDL-lowering drug, particularly one of the statins, may have the same beneficial effects on HDL and triglyceride levels with far fewer side effects than niacin alone. Although niacin is available over the counter, it is important to take this medication under a physician's direction in order to ensure its safety and effectiveness; as a nonprescription drug, niacin preparations are poorly standardized. Niacin can be prescribed in either rapidly-acting or sustained-release forms. Rapidly-acting forms are more likely to produce headaches and flushing, but those taking the sustained-release form of niacin are at risk for liver toxicity, so some physicians are no longer recommending it. Source: Web MD.