Maybe Niacin really is a wonder drug....

[FinanceDude]

Goes along with what Rich said last week.........

Niacin outperforms drug in artery health - JSOnline

 

[Gotadimple]

Can be, as long as you can deal with the flushing. Even with time-release pills, and even with aspirin added.

-- Rita

 

[REWahoo]

Can be, as long as you can deal with the flushing.

Get yourself one of those super-quiet toilets and it won't be a problem.

Kidding aside, here is what bothers me about many of these studies:

The study was funded by Abbott, which makes a prescription niacin product.

 

[Gotadimple]

Get yourself one of those super-quiet toilets and it won't be a problem.

So I thought of using the word flashing, because some people react to Niacin with hot flashes, but I didn't want to confuse the term with the other one -- something about lack of clothes and a quick foot race.

Then, I thought, well sometimes people talk of hot flashes as flushes.

I see you've never taken Niacin.

Yours in word selection,

Lovely Rita

 

[REWahoo]

I see you've never taken Niacin.

No, but my dad took it and I'm very familiar with that particular side-effect of Niacin. However, you should know by now that I never allow knowledge (or the lack thereof) to stand in the way of my overactive sense of humor.

 

[Gotadimple]

Back at 'ya!

 

[Bestwifeever]

Flashing while flushing? Now I'm blushing! blush: <---blush smiley)

 

[ls99]

No flashy, no worky. Ditto for flushy.

Edit Add: never mix niacin and niaspan.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Kidding aside, here is what bothers me about many of these studies: Kidding aside, here is what bothers me about many of these studies:
Quote:
The study was funded by Abbott, which makes a prescription niacin product.

That little factoid assures the article will pass from my mailbox to my trash can.

 

[haha]

That little factoid assures the article will pass from my mailbox to my trash can.

How often does one find a study that hasn't either been funded by an interested party, or designed and run by investigators who regularly get funding from interested parties?

Ha

 

[Midpack]

Good news for me! Fortunately I have very low cholesterol, but I've been taking flush-free niacin for years to increase my HDL. Thanks for the link.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

How often does one find a study that hasn't either been funded by an interested party, or designed and run by investigators who regularly get funding from interested parties?

All the time, if that's what you choose to read. In fact, authors in the better journals are even required to disclose any relationship with drug companies, even if seemingly irrelevant.

Problem is that a lot of doctors rely on throw-aways, drug ads, and detail people for the continuing "education."

 

[audreyh1]

I remember my first niacin flush. It totally freaked me out! I thought I have been poisoned! Maybe I took a multi-vitamin on an empty stomach because it wasn't a new pill for me. And what blew my mind even more afterwards was how fast that vitamin metabolized!!!

Once I figured out what had happened, I switched from 100mg to 25mg niacin and didn't have problems.

Audrey

 

[audreyh1]

All the time, if that's what you choose to read. In fact, authors in the better journals are even required to disclose any relationship with drug companies, even if seemingly irrelevant.

Problem is that a lot of doctors rely on throw-aways, drug ads, and detail people for the continuing "education."

This is so unfortunate! I really wish it weren't so. It's really hard for a patient to vet their doctor in this area. Personally, I have become much more vigilant about this.

I am so suspicious of these official "health panels" which keep narrowing the "healthy ranges" for certain commonly measured characteristics. It sure seems like they're trying to push more people on to permanent drug use. And sure enough, you eventually find out how closely tied to pharma funding individuals serving on those panels are. It sure seems like a racket!

Audrey

 

[Urchina]

When I was a research assistant at a major university hospital's cardiovascular health research unit, we decided that we wanted to enter a team in a local but large multi-stage relay footrace. We needed some money for t-shirts, chase car gas, meals, etc. So a couple of us brought it up at a staff meeting, and figured we'd all pitch in to make it happen.

One of the lead researchers (docs) said "What a great idea. Let's get a drug company to sponsor us. How much do you want?"

Stunned silence. The enterprising RA next to me said "I don't know... $6K?"

Two hours later, done. All it took was a phone call. We had the check within a day. They overnighted it to us.

Whenever I hear drug companies complain about the costs associated with developing drugs, I remember this story, and remember that A LOT of their "costs" are not what I would consider "costs."

 

[harley]

Wow, one post before derailling. A new record?

Whether the article is objective or self serving, I still agree with the overall message. I think the recent trend by doctors other than mine to put as much or more emphasis on raising HDL than on lowering LDL will help decrease heart disease on the long run. I had to really push my doc in order to get on high dose niacin. My LDL isn't too bad, but my ratio sucks due to really low HDL. But my HDL nearly doubled (up to "eh, not bad") when taking 500 mg 3 times/day. I'm sure MMV, but I don't find the flushing to be more than a minor inconvenience. Nothing compared to all the other aches and discomforts of getting older. I've done a ton of reaading on the topic, and think that it's the way to go for me.

Of course, now I have to start reading and figure out if my recent risee in blood pressure is due to having started taking D3.

 

[REWahoo]

Wow, one post before derailling.

It's a gift.

 

[HFWR]

Wow, one post before derailling. A new record?

Whether the article is objective or self serving, I still agree with the overall message. I think the recent trend by doctors other than mine to put as much or more emphasis on raising HDL than on lowering LDL will help decrease heart disease on the long run. I had to really push my doc in order to get on high dose niacin. My LDL isn't too bad, but my ratio sucks due to really low HDL. But my HDL nearly doubled (up to "eh, not bad") when taking 500 mg 3 times/day. I'm sure MMV, but I don't find the flushing to be more than a minor inconvenience. Nothing compared to all the other aches and discomforts of getting older. I've done a ton of reaading on the topic, and think that it's the way to go for me.

Of course, now I have to start reading and figure out if my recent risee in blood pressure is due to having started taking D3.

Holy moly! I take a 500/20 niacin/simvistatin once daily. LDL and TG are down dramatically; HDL is up mildly, but still in the 30s. I only get flashes occasionally, but some of them are real doozies, as in every hair follicle feels like a needle...

 

[harley]

Holy moly! I take a 500/20 niacin/simvistatin once daily. LDL and TG are down dramatically; HDL is up mildly, but still in the 30s. I only get flashes occasionally, but some of them are real doozies, as in every hair follicle feels like a needle...

I've found that eating before taking the niacin makes a huge difference. That's a good description of the strong flushes, but if I eat about 10 minutes before taking the niacin I don't even notice it. I started on simvastatin about a month ago, and am down to 2 500 mg doses of niacin/day. I will go in for blood tests in a couple weeks. I suspect all my cholesterol numbers will be excellent (HDL in the high 30s is excellent for me), but she'll probably tell me my liver enzymes are high now and want to put me on another med.

As long as I can still take an occasional sip of scotch.

 

[audreyh1]

I think the recent trend by doctors other than mine to put as much or more emphasis on raising HDL than on lowering LDL will help decrease heart disease on the long run.

If this is a trend, it's a cool trend.

Now don't forget that olive oil helps raise HDL! Well, maybe not nearly as much as niacin.

Oh yeah - and rowing machines! Rowing machines help raise HDL!

Audrey

 

[Gotadimple]

It's a gift.

And we are grateful you continue to give . . .

 

[MuirWannabe]

I take a 1000mg of Niaspan right before going to bed. I sleep through any flushing although in a year I've felt it maybe a couple of times. But it has not been bad. Would not want to take it during the day though.

 

[ls99]

Years ago I was on Niaspan. My liver did not like it. Now I take 1000mg Niacin before bedtime. Mostly unaware of the flush. The flush is supposedly good for nourishing the skin via dilated capillaries. DW likes the extra heating.

 

[HFWR]

And we are grateful you continue to give . . .

And give and give and give...

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Years ago I was on Niaspan. My liver did not like it. Now I take 1000mg Niacin before bedtime. Mostly unaware of the flush. The flush is supposedly good for nourishing the skin via dilated capillaries. DW likes the extra heating.

My stars and little comets! 1000 mg niacin! Niacin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nicotinamide may be toxic to the liver at doses exceeding 3 g/day for adults.[2]

(That is = 3,000 mg).

However...

A clinical study, results of which were presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Heart Association and published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggest that in combination with statins, Niaspan, a form of niacin, is more effective than Zetia at reducing arterial buildup.[17]

Maybe I should try a little myself?