Niacin is a B vitamin available over-the-counter. However, high-dose prescription niacin is necessary to treat high cholesterol. Niacin works by increasing HDL, or "good," cholesterol. HDL cholesterol helps process and eliminate LDL, or "bad," cholesterol from your bloodstream. As a result, your triglycerides, or blood fat, and LDL levels can go down. According to MayoClinic.com, niacin can increase your HDL cholesterol by up to 35 percent.
Niacin is commonly used to boost high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol. This lipid rids excess “bad” cholesterol from the bloodstream, which goes a long way toward improving your numbers. Like ...
As two of the risk factors associated with heart disease, doctors recommend that you control your cholesterol and blood pressure as you age. Aspirin and niacin are two over-the-counter medications you can use to help manage and...
Niacin, prescribed for more than 50 years, has proven successful in treating cholesterol. But you should not take inositol hexanicotinate, an over-the-counter remedy, to clear lipids from your bloodstream. Although both niacin...
Niacin, prescribed for more than 50 years to treat cholesterol, can cause serious side effects. A doctor can help monitor your dose, determine how well niacin works to treat your condition and keep you informed about the latest...
When taken in doses significantly higher than the vitamin recommendation, niacin can help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as increase HDL cholesterol.
It is water soluble, meaning your body doesn't store the vitamin, so you have to eat foods containing niacin throughout the day. High dosages of niacin can be beneficial for your cholesterol levels. Your doctor can prescribe pi...
Niacin is a B vitamin that doctors sometimes prescribe in high doses to help lower total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, niacin can also help increase high-density lipoprotein, o...
But in addition to the standard statin and similar drugs, he may suggest or prescribe niacin as well. Also called vitamin B-3, niacin has shown promise in helping regulate cholesterol levels in the body.
You should only take niacin as a cholesterol treatment under the care of your health care provider. You should always take the dose prescribed by your doctor. You should not attempt to treat your medical condition by yourself w...
An active compound in the B vitamin niacin is a powerful cholesterol-lowering agent. Your doctor may prescribe nicotinic acid to improve your total blood lipid profile, meaning it can affect both forms of cholesterol and your t...
When attempting to manage high cholesterol, diet changes, limits and additions, can work to help you lower your cholesterol. Niacin is a B vitamin that is a recognized treatment option for high cholesterol.
Niacin, also known as vitamin B-3 is a substance often given to people who have poor cholesterol levels. Niacin can lower your risk of having a heart attack, but it can cause unpleasant side effects. Timed niacin, also known as...
The American Heart Association reports that over 16 percent of the population has cholesterol levels over 240mg/dL. Vitamin B3, also known as niacin or nicotinic acid, may play an important role in raising good cholesterol, or ...
It also helps to protect your nervous and digestive systems. You can obtain this vitamin from food sources, but if you have high blood cholesterol, your physician may recommend prescription-strength niacin to improve your overa...
Obviously, these signs wouldn't be present if rising cholesterol numbers wasn't a growing concern. One way your doctor may approach this problem is by prescribing niacin.
Niacin is one of eight B vitamins the body uses to convert the food you eat into energy your body can use. This nutrient, also called vitamin B-3, may help reduce elevated cholesterol levels and protect your heart against disea...
Niacin is a B vitamin present in foods including fish, nuts and eggs. A more concentrated form is also available in supplement form. You can purchase niacin over the counter. If you suffer from high cholesterol, your doctor may...
A healthy cholesterol level can be maintained through a combination of lifestyle modifications and the use of medications, including niacin. Do not self-medicate or add supplements to your diet without first consulting a physic...
It can block arteries and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. High-density lipoprotein or HDL is your good cholesterol. HDL removes bad cholesterol from your bloodstream by transporting it back to your liver for disp...
Your body uses niacin for turning food into energy, making hormones, metabolizing proteins and fats, and keeping your eyes, hair, liver, skin and nervous system healthy. Consuming supplements of one type of niacin may also help...
The first step in controlling cholesterol levels is to reduce dietary intake of cholesterol and saturated fat and to get more exercise. But, when these steps aren't enough, you and your doctor may consider adding a cholesterol-...
In 2008, the American Heart Association reported that 106.7 million Americans over age 20 have cholesterol levels above 200 mg of cholesterol per deciliter of blood, or above the normal range. Niacin, also known as B3, can help...
LDL cholesterol is the portion of your cholesterol that can stick to artery walls and put you at risk for heart disease and stroke. HDL cholesterol transports LDL back to the liver for disposal. Niacin is a cholesterol medicati...
Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood, manufactured by the liver and ingested from foods. It is essential for the formation of cell membranes, vitamin D and some hormones. According to the American Heart Associati...
The American Heart Association recommends using prescription drug therapy to lower cholesterol in patients with high cholesterol levels. The association also states that patients with HDL levels under 40 are at risk for heart d...
However, when it comes to effecting high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, higher doses are necessary. When HDL cholesterol levels are too low, your risk of heart disease increases. Niacin can be an effective solution to g...
Niacin is available as an over-the-counter dietary supplement and in high prescription doses to help increase your HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, levels. HDL picks up extra cholesterol in your blood and brings it back to you...
Niacin, or vitamin B3, has been used since the 1950's to control blood cholesterol levels. However, long-term use of high doses of niacin can lead to liver damage. According to 2010 information from the University of Michigan,...
Niacin has additional functions in the formation of certain hormones and in maintaining a healthy circulatory system. While niacin deficiency is rare, supplementation has been shown, through scientific research, to lower bad ch...
Studies indicate that niacin may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease when combined with statin medications. This treatment may also help improve the outcomes in people currently with cardiovascular disease. However,...
Niacin is a type of B vitamin that is proven to lower cholesterol levels. Specifically, niacin boosts your HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, levels commonly known as the "good cholesterol." High HDL levels are healthy because H...
Niacin is vitamin B-3. As a vitamin, niacin helps to make steroid hormones in the adrenal gland and helps to repair DNA. It also has effects on cholesterol levels in the blood. The diagnosis and treatment of cholesterol and oth...
Low levels of HDL cholesterol are also alarming, but in a different way. HDL cholesterol, also called high-density lipoprotein, or good cholesterol, transports LDL cholesterol back to your liver for disposal. Niacin is a type o...
But high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol, carries LDL cholesterol away and is beneficial to your heart. A too-low HDL level is as detrimental to your health as an excessively high LDL level, and niacin can help with bo...
More than 102 million American adults had high cholesterol levels in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For this problem, physicians commonly prescribe niacin alone or in combination with other c...
HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, is the "good" cholesterol as it transports bad cholesterol to your liver for disposal. Keeping your LDL level low, and your HDL level high, can lower your risks of heart disease and stroke. The...
It is also important for the function of the nervous system and digestive system and for healthy eyes, skin and hair. Though most people get adequate amounts of this vitamin from a balanced diet, some individuals may require su...
Niacin is a natural B vitamin found in plants and animals and used to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides in the bloodstream. Niacin is available in many different forms, and the most common side effect is flushing, particular...
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is often associated with negative health. Cholesterol acts as a precursor to vitamin D, estrogen, testosterone and bile acids and forms a portion of your cell membranes. It is important to k...
Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, is a medication that doctors prescribe to help you manage cholesterol levels in your blood. You may take it alone or in combination with one of the statin drugs used for lower...
High cholesterol levels increases your risk for developing cardiovascular disease, which could ultimately lead to a heart attack or stroke. Niacin is a B-complex vitamin that can be used to assist your body in lowering your cho...
Drug therapy might be required if lifestyle change is not effective. Vitamin B3, or niacin, is a water-soluble vitamin often prescribed at therapeutic levels to improve lipid profiles.
Niacin, also known as niacinamide and vitamin B3, is an FDA-approved treatment for elevated cholesterol. Niacin affects all aspects of cholesterol: it lowers LDL, or bad, cholesterol; it lowers the triglycerides, or fats, in ...
To understand the way cholesterol works, it is important to understand the two types of cholesterol in your body. Low-density lipoprotein, also known as LDL or "bad" cholesterol, is the portion of your cholesterol that lodges i...
High levels of LDL cholesterol, also known as "bad" cholesterol, can significantly increase your risk factors for heart disease and stroke. HDL cholesterol, also known as "good" cholesterol, travels through your bloodstream pic...
Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin that reduces cholesterol and other circulating lipids. High blood cholesterol and lipids substantially increase the risk of developing heart disease...
Niacin is a B vitamin and should be a part of a healthy diet. Niacin can provide you with some protective properties. In recent years, niacin has become more accepted as a treatment for high cholesterol. Niacin is available as ...
Lowering cholesterol can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Healthy lifestyle changes and medications can help lower cholesterol to normal levels. Niacin is a B vitamin that may help lower total cholesterol levels with rela...
Niacin is a B vitamin that is often prescribed to people who need to control their cholesterol. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, niacin can help increase HDL, or good, cholesterol. High HDL cholesterol ca...
Niacin, or vitamin B3, is beneficial in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides while raising HDL (good) cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, it is the most potent medicine for raising HDL choleste...
Niacin is a type of B vitamin that can be used to help reduce bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein, levels while increasing good cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein levels. While niacin can be found in certain food...
Niacin is one of the oldest medications used to treat high cholesterol. Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid, is a vitamin that can have a powerful effect on a person's cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is usually divided into tw...
The dosages of niacin necessary to improve cholesterol can vary from person to person. It's often the lipid levels in your bloodstream that dictate how much is beneficial. No standard dose exists for the treatment of high blood...
Niacin is one of the many cholesterol-lowering medications prescribed for high blood cholesterol. Also known as vitamin B3, it's basically a prescription form of a B vitamin. It affects the way in which your liver produces lipi...
Low levels of HDL cholesterol and high levels of LDL cholesterol are associated with increased risk for heart disease, according to MayoClinic.com. Research shows that niacin supports healthy cholesterol levels when combined wi...
According to The Mayo Clinic (see references 1), higher doses of niacin are often prescribed to people who need to increase their HDL, or "good" cholesterol level. A lack of niacin in the body can be caused by an inadequate die...
It plays an important role in your body's ability to convert and use the energy from carbohydrates in your diet. When used in high dosages, niacin supplements can increase the levels of your body's "good" cholesterol and lower ...
Many vitamins have been investigated for improving cholesterol levels, but niacin in particular has been shown to be effective. Niacin therapy can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease through its effects on cholesterol, ...
It is necessary for the synthesis of fatty acids and the production of steroids. Niacin can be synthesized in the body from tryptophan. Niacin has been used since the 1950s for treatment of high cholesterol and other lipid abn...
Niacin is a vitamin that is also known as vitamin B3. Another name for niacin is nicotinic acid. Niacin is found in many foods, including eggs, milk, meat and green vegetables. It can also be found in cereal grains. It is produ...
