New Niacin Study Reveals Alarming Results

Niacin has long been hailed as a cholesterol treatment by boosting HDL (the good cholesterol) levels and lowering LDL (bad cholesterol). It’s often prescribed in conjunction with familiar statin medications such as Lipitor and Crestor. Niacin (vitamin B3) is also available over-the-counter in smaller doses.
However, a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that taking Niacin does not reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes. What’s more, taking large doses of niacin has been shown to cause patients to experience liver problems, infections and bleeding in the brain, stomach and intestines.
We’ve spent some time discussing diabetes on our blog, and this study of 25,000 people also links niacin with the development of diabetes in people who were not diabetic at the beginning, of the study. The study also resulted in more diabetic participants requiring hospitalization.
These results are alarming, but before you stop taking any medications, talk to your doctor about whether the benefits of niacin outweigh the risks for you.
Note: Niacin is naturally present in many foods such as leafy green vegetables, fish, meat, poultry and eggs, so don’t be alarmed by this study… it is only concerning large doses of niacin taken as a supplement.