Vitamin B3 (Niacin) And Cholesterol Control
Vitamin B3, or niacin, is very effective in helping not only lower bad cholesterol (often more effectively than “statins” such as atorvastatin or “Lipitor”) but also, more importantly, in increasing good cholesterol – so one supplement gives you the best of both worlds! To find out more and to improve your health – read on….
Many studies have found that niacin lowers “bad” LDL cholesterol by approximately 10%, lowers triglycerides by 25% and raises “good” HDL cholesterol by 15% – 30%. It also appears to significantly lower levels for another risk factor for atherosclerosis, lipoprotein A.
Niacin can also increase the effect of high blood pressure and cholesterol lowering medication and for these reasons niacin should not be used to lower cholesterol unless under the supervision of a qualified healthcare practitioner. The other most common side-effect of high-dose niacin is skin flushing or hot flushes, which are caused by widening of blood vessels although these effects are temporary and usually occur when you initially start taking niacin.
This flushing effect due to dilation of blood vessels is the reason niacin has been used preventatively for such serious problems associated with cardiovascular disease such as myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) and strokes.
Treatment with about 2gm per day of nicotinic acid has produced significant reductions in both blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels but you need to build up to these levels. To lower the LDL and raise the good HDL cholesterol, I would recommend starting with 50-100mg twice daily and then over two to three weeks increasing this dose to 1500-2500mg daily. Read the rest of this entry »
Facts About Vitamin B3
This is my third article regarding the family of B-complex vitamins and I will now discuss the essentials of vitamin B3 to our health. Vitamin B3 or scientifically called Niacin, is a very powerful component of the B-complex family. In fact, one of its vital role is for converting calories from protein, fat and carbohydrates into energy. So let me explain to you more about the different health facts about this wonderful vitamin.
Vitamin B3 or niacin are helpful in many ways and in many parts of our body. It promotes dozens of body wellness and as well as disease prevention and treatment solutions. Since niacin is a water soluble vitamin, it aids the body in various ways and provides a number of health benefits. This is the main reason why most health experts are recommending Niacin as an alternative supplement for body’s dietary requirements.
Health advantages of Niacin are the following.
1. Niacin are best taken to boost appetite. A normal and healthy eating habit can prevent you from certain diseases.
2. It helps in good digestive system. Niacin are studied to be helpful in helping our intestines to do a normal digestive process and prevents digestive irritation.
3. Vitamin B3 is proven heart friendly. Major studies reveals that vitamin B3 has shown great effect to improve cardiovascular health. It helps treat heart attack patients and helps patients recover much faster from bypass heart surgeries.
4. Vitamin B3 can lower your bad cholesterol levels. People with such a high levels of cholesterol where tested for 30 days taking Niacin supplements. After the research period, the patients have all reduced their cholesterol levels with a staggering 30% success rate.
5. Niacin is a helpful remedy for people with asthma. This great vitamin acts as a bronchial relaxant which results to clear air passages. Read the rest of this entry »