Since the 1950s, niacin, or vitamin B3, has been used to treat high cholesterol. This water-soluble vitamin occurs in many of the foods you eat, such as such as red meat, poultry, fish, eggs and fortified breads and cereals. To benefit from the cholesterol-lowering properties of niacin, you must take this vitamin at pharmacological doses under your health care provider's supervision.
Function
Also known as nicotinic acid, niacin reduces cholesterol levels by altering the form and activity of low-density lipoprotein particles in your blood. Nicotinic acid also lowers your triglycerides, a form of fat derived from the foods you eat and from physical processes in your body. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, transports lipids through your bloodstream. These fats may damage the walls of your arteries and eventually restrict blood flow to your heart. While lowering your serum levels of LDL, nicotinic acid also raises your levels of high-density lipoprotein, known as HDL or "good" cholesterol.
Benefits
Nicotinic acid is one of the most affordable cholesterol-lowering agents, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. High levels of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, may lead to atherosclerosis, a hardening of your arteries caused by the formation of fat lesions on arterial walls. A high level of triglycerides in your bloodstream may contribute to obesity, heart disease and diabetes, according to the American Heart Association, or AHA. HDL may benefit your heart by preventing the buildup of fatty plaques on your arterial walls. By lowering your LDL and triglycerides while raising levels of HDL, prescription-strength doses of nicotinic acid may improve your overall cholesterol profile and lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke.
Dosage
The amount of nicotinic acid prescribed for lowering cholesterol may be significantly higher than the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for vitamin B3, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. The RDA for niacin is 16mg per day for men ages 19 and older, and 14mg per day for women 19 and older. The tolerable upper intake level, or the maximum amount of dietary niacin you can have each day without adverse effects to your health, is 35mg per day for adults ages 19 and older. You should not take more than the RDA for niacin without medical supervision, the Linus Pauling Institute cautions. When used for cholesterol reduction, nicotinic acid is often prescribed in combination with another cholesterol-lowering medication to enhance the benefits and reduce the side effects of nicotinic acid.
Side Effects
High doses of nicotinic acid may cause hot flushing, skin irritation, low blood pressure, headaches, blurred vision, dizziness and nausea. Prolonged use of nicotinic acid at pharmacological doses may cause liver damage, especially in people who have liver disease or drink alcohol heavily. Nicotinic acid comes in an extended or slow-release form that may produce fewer side effects. Taking an extended-release form of nicotinic acid before bedtime, taking aspirin in conjunction with nicotinic acid and avoiding hot drinks while taking this drug may reduce headache and dizziness, according to the UMMC. Talk with your health care provider about the safety and effective dosage of nicotinic acid.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Drug treatments: Nicotinic acid (niacin)
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Micronutrient Information Center: Niacin
- American Heart Association: LDL and HDL Cholesterol: What's Bad and What's Good?
