NIACIN VITAMIN INCREASES HDL GOOD CHOLESTEROL BETTER THAN OTHER CHOLESTEROL DRUGS BUT NIACIN SIDE EFFECTS BOTHER SOME

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The B vitamin niacin is also a cholesterol medicine that can do some things better than the more famous cholesterol pills. You don't hear that much about niacin. It seems you always read about the powerful cholesterol lowering drugs like Lipitor, Crestor and Zocor and Mevacor. They are the statins the most powerful of the cholesterol lowering drugs. But there are other drugs that work on cholesterol and can do some things better than the statins. Take for example, niacin. Niacin also called nicotinic acid, can raise HDL the "good" cholesterol by 15 percent to 35 percent. This makes niacin the most effective drug available for raising HDL cholesterol.



Remember doctors want you to lower your bad cholesterol, the LDL and raise your good cholesterol, the HDL. HDL cholesterol particles remove cholesterol from plaque, the deposits in arterial linings and are transported to the liver for excretion, helping reverse the heart's coronary artery disease.



Having a high HDL seems to protect the heart. Niacin can lower LDL but it really excels at raising HDL. So you ask why isn't every body and his brother using Niacin for their cholesterol. Because like many things in life you have to read the fine print. For niacin, the fine print has to do with side effects.

Click to Read About Natural Ways to Lower Cholesterol



You need fairly high doses for niacin to work and common and troublesome side effect of niacin is hot flashes, which are the result of blood vessels opening wide from niacin stimulating chemicals in the body called prostaglandins. The extended release form may cause less flushing than the other forms. There are three types of Niacin, immediate release, timed release, and extended release. Some people develop a tolerance to the flushing and sometimes it can be decreased by taking the Niacin during or after meals or by the use of aspirin. But the fact is that some people just can't tolerate the side effects of Niacin and will stop it. Other problems with niacin are itchiness,high blood sugar, insulin resistance, liver problems and gout. The effect of high blood pressure medicines may also be increased while on Niacin.

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