Vitamin B-3, when obtained from food sources, promotes healthy liver function. But if you take vitamin B-3 in large amounts -- and some doses contain more than 150 times the recommended daily allowance -- liver damage may occur. Little is known about inositol hexanicotinate, one of three forms of vitamin B-3, so ask your doctor before taking it to treat low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or for any other reason.
High Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Disease
High levels of low-density lipoprotein, the "bad" LDL cholesterol, put you at risk for cardiovascular disease. Aim to keep your LDL cholesterol below 130 milligrams per deciliter of blood. Keep it below 100 mg/dl if you face a high risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke and below 70 mg/dl if you face a very high risk. Factors, in addition to high cholesterol levels, that increase your risk include a family or personal history of heart disease, medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure and lifestyle choices such as smoking and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. Your age, weight, gender and level of physical activity also affect your chances of developing cardiovascular disease.
Uses
Vitamin B-3 comes in three forms: niacin, niacinamide and inositol hexanicotinate. Only one form -- niacin -- proves effective in lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, another type of artery-clogging fat. Niacin can also help increase your levels of high-density lipoprotein, the "good" HDL cholesterol that helps remove LDL cholesterol and triglycerides from your system. Niacinamide proves ineffective for treating cholesterol but helpful in relieving joint pain associated with osteoarthritis and delaying the progression of Type 1 diabetes. Inositol hexanicotinate is under study for its possible usefulness in treating cholesterol, but no currently published studies attest to its benefits in lowering LDL cholesterol, according to a July 24, 2011 database search at PubMed, a service of the National Institutes of Health.
Liver Damage
Both niacin and niacinamide can cause liver damage, particularly if taken in large amounts over extended periods of time. It makes sense -- although no direct evidence exists -- that hexanicotinate may also cause liver damage. If you take any type of niacin in high doses, get your liver checked regularly. The recommended daily allowance for niacin ranges from 14 mg for women to 16 mg for men. Some over-the-counter brands of niacinamide and hexanicotinate contain 500 mg of vitamin B-3. Therapeutic doses of niacin to treat cholesterol -- available only by prescription -- may run as high as 4,000 mg -- 4 g. Other side effects of taking niacin and niacinamide include diarrhea, vomiting, gout, gastrointestinal ulcers and vision loss.
Ways to Lower Cholesterol
If you want to lower your LDL cholesterol without risking possible liver damage by taking hexanicotinate, several safe methods exist. These include losing excess weight, exercising regularly and following a low-fat, low-sugar, high-fiber diet. It also helps to quit smoking and limit consumption of alcoholic beverages to no more than one or two drinks a day. LDL cholesterol sometimes remains high despite diligent efforts. If you can't control your LDL through diet and lifestyle changes, your doctor may prescribe medication. Until -- unless -- science supports hexanicotinate as a safe and effective means to reduce LDL cholesterol, don't use it.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin B3 (Niacin); June 18, 2009
- Medline Plus: Niacin and Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- MayoClinic.com; High Cholesterol: Tests and Diagnosis; June 24, 2010
- MayoClinic.com: High Cholesterol: Risk Factors; June 1, 2011
- MayoClinic.com; High Cholesterol -- Lifestyle and Home Remedies; June 1, 2011
