People with diabetes face a higher-than-average risk of developing heart disease. If you have diabetes, you are twice as likely as someone without diabetes to suffer a heart attack or stroke; 2 out of 3 people with diabetes die from cardiovascular disease, according to the American Diabetes Association. Controlling your cholesterol levels helps protect you against heart disease, and taking niacin may also help. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of niacin.
Niacin Dose and Use
Niacin -- vitamin B-3 -- occurs naturally in a variety of food, including beets, tuna and peanuts. Breakfast cereals and vitamins may also include niacin. A healthy diet includes 14 mg to 16 mg of niacin a day. Doctors may prescribe niacin in large doses -- 100 mg to 2,000 mg a day -- if you need to lower your blood serum cholesterol levels. Niacin may help reduce your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides and raise your high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. LDL cholesterol and triglycerides tend to clog your arteries, while HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL cholesterol and triglycerides from your system.
Niacin and HDL Cholesterol
Niacin proved more effective than other cholesterol-lowering medications for people with diabetes, according to a European study published in December 2009 in "Circulation," a publication of the American Heart Association. Sajoscha A. Sorrentino, M.D., and other researchers at the University Hospital Zurich in Germany and Medical School of Hanover in Switzerland noted that people with diabetes don't get the same level of protection from HDL cholesterol as do people without the disease. All participants in the study took cholesterol-lowering medications such as statins. In a follow-up study that included only people with Type 2 diabetes, niacin administered in doses of 1,500 mg a day markedly improved both the HDL levels and the amount of protection the HDL provided.
Risks
Taking niacin poses some risks for those with Type 2 diabetes. Niacin can raise your blood sugar levels to potentially dangerous levels. Niacin may also cause skin flushing, a condition that causes your skin to tingle, burn and turn red. Preventive measures for flushing include taking aspirin 30 minutes before taking niacin, taking slow-release niacin capsules and gradually increasing your dose of niacin. If you take niacin in high doses, particularly slow-release niacin, you may incur liver damage. Niacin may also cause stomach upset and stomach ulcers. The National Institutes of Health in May 2011 halted a niacin study because participants who took 2,000 mg of niacin daily experienced more strokes -- and no fewer heart attacks -- than those who took a placebo.
Considerations
If you currently take niacin, don't stop taking it without consulting a physician. If you're considering taking niacin, ask your doctor about the vitamin's potential to raise your blood sugar levels and the results of the NIH study before making a decision. Diet and exercise remain the safest ways to improve your heart health and symptoms of diabetes. Follow an eating plan that includes a balance of fruits, vegetables, dairy and protein. Practice portion control and combine foods to minimize the risk of blood sugar spikes.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Living With Diabetes: Heart Disease
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
- National Institutes of Health; NIH Halts Clinical Trial on Combination Cholesterol Treatment; May 2011
- MayoClinic.com; High Cholesterol; June 2010
- American Heart Association; Good Cholesterol Not as Protective in People With Type 2 Diabetes; December 2009
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness: Create Your Plate
