Fish Oil & Niacin To Regulate Cholesterol

Fish oil and niacin, or vitamin B-3, have each been associated with lower cholesterol levels, but some research indicates that niacin may not provide any benefit if you are already healthy. The only way to know for certain if you have high cholesterol is to have a blood test. If you do have high cholesterol, do not take any supplements without first consulting your physician.

LDL and HDL

Researchers continue to learn about cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, can adhere to your arterial walls, restrict blood flow and cause your heart to work harder. This is called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. High LDL cholesterol levels is a risk factor for heart disease. HDL cholesterol reduces the risk of developing heart disease, but artificially increasing HDL rates may not be effective, according to Dr. Susan B. Shurin, acting director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. In the August 2010 issue of the "Journal of Lipid Research," Dr. Menno Vergeer questions the HDL hypothesis, arguing that HDL may or may not protect against atherosclerosis.

Fish Oil

Fish oil, obtained through dietary sources or with supplements, helps reduce the amount of cholesterol in your blood. Fish oil contains two types of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential polyunsaturated fats. Your body needs omega-3 fatty acids, but they are only available from the food you eat. Omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce the amount of triglycerides in your blood. Triglycerides are a type of fat that can increase the amount of LDL in your blood.

Niacin

Niacin helps increase the level of HDL in your blood. Health professionals have long believed that to combat heart disease, boosting HDL levels is just as important as lowering LDL levels. In 2011, the National Institutes of Health stopped AIM-HIGH, a federally funded niacin trial, when the drug failed to perform as expected. In the trial, niacin failed to raise the HDL level of patients who had well-controlled LDL levels. One investigator, Dr. William Boden, told NPR that HDL may still be beneficial for other patients.

Concerns

If you are currently taking statins to help lower your cholesterol, talk to your physician before taking niacin. In the AIM-HIGH trial, patients who took niacin along with a statin drug had a higher rate of stroke than those in the control group. Dietary sources of fish oil include salmon, tuna, mackerel and other fatty fish. According to the National Institutes of Health, the way you prepare the fish makes a difference. Frying fish voids the benefits of fish oil. Do not take more than 3 g of fish oil per day, as it may prevent blood clotting. Fish oil may also help decrease your blood pressure, a concern if you are already taking medication to lower your blood pressure.