According to a study, taking a vitamin that lowers cholesterol may have the odd side effect of raising the risk of heart disease.
Vitamin B3, or niacin, is a necessary component of many body processes and is occasionally added to foods that have been fortified.
Cleveland Clinic researchers have discovered that an excess of niacin boosts the levels of a byproduct known as 4PY in the bloodstream. Large-scale clinical trials have connected increased levels of 4PY in the blood to heart attacks, strokes, and other unfavorable cardiac events. Additionally, the researchers demonstrated that it causes blood vessel inflammation directly. Previously, doctors would recommend niacin to raise HDL cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol that aids in clearing the blood of LDL, the “bad” cholesterol.
Niacin was subsequently found to be less successful than other medications that decrease cholesterol, though. The study’s principal investigator, Dr. Stanley Hazen, states: “To prevent diseases associated with nutritional deficiencies, niacin fortification in staple foods like wheat, cereals, and oats has been required in the United States and more than 50 other countries for decades.
“In light of these findings, it may be appropriate to have a conversation about whether the US should continue to require niacin fortification of flour and cereal.” In the meanwhile, niacin-containing over-the-counter supplements advertise that they can boost blood fat levels, skin health, brain function, and anti-aging properties.
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They can be bought for as little as 3p per pill online and in health food stores.
The study, published in Nature Medicine, found one in four subjects in the researchers’ patient cohorts had high levels of 4PY, which suggested they had too much intake of niacin.
“Niacin’s effects have always been somewhat of a paradox,” explains Dr. Hazen.
Even though niacin lowers cholesterol, the therapeutic benefits have never exceeded expectations to the extent of LDL reduction.
“This gave rise to the theory that the benefits of decreasing LDL were somewhat offset by excess niacin’s uncertain negative effects. We think our research sheds light on this conundrum. This demonstrates the importance of researching residual cardiovascular risk since we uncover far more information than we originally intended regarding heart disease.
According to the NHS, most people get adequate niacin from their regular diet; foods high in niacin include meat, fish, eggs, and wheat flour. Nicotinic acid and nicotinamide are the two types of niacin.
According to the NHS, using large amounts of supplements containing nicotinic acid may result in skin flushes. Long-term high-dose use may cause liver damage.
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