Over the counter Niacin supplements- what is best?

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From: fred@...To: PoWeRTX@...CC: marc@...Sent: 7/5/2008 9:18:10 A.M. Central Daylight TimeSubj: RE: hey fred

There are two forms of niacin: Flush and Non-flush

Flush: I have always followed Mooney’s suggestion and stuck with the ‘flush’ niacin, just in case there are some liver issues present. Flush means, a person may get a niacin flush – their face may turn red, there may be some tingling, etc. It lasts about 15 to 20 min, and very normal. In this category, there are two I like: One is called, the Memory Formula by Super Nutrition. I like it because the amount of niacin per tablet is very small, so that people can assess their tolerance of the flush niacin and work their way up in dosing. http://www.houstonbuyersclub.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD & Product_Code=033739001468 & Category_Code= The other is made by Twin Lab, and, is a much larger dose per capsule.

Non-flush: In this category, I like Nature’s Way and Bluebonnet. Both are listed on the nutrition facts label as ‘niacinamide’ or, non-flush niacin. This is the same principle as Niaspan, which doesn’t give a person the flush. If there are liver issues present, the non-flush would not be a good choice.

From: PoWeRTX@... [mailto:PoWeRTX@...] Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 1:13 PMfred@...Subject: hey fred

what is the best niacin supplement?

From: longjohnmaniac@...To: Sent: 7/4/2008 1:11:00 P.M. Central Daylight TimeSubj: Re: Low HDL and memory loss/dementia risk

As usual, the American Heart Association pushes statin drugs. Amazing, because they know full well that statins are rather poor at raising HDL (good cholesterol). While statins lower LDL they do little to alter other emerging risk factors like high Lp(a) and statins have their own risks. Crestor in particular has come under fire by Public Citizen. http://www.tradewatch.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=1848Instead of statins, if you have low HDL you may want to consider immediate release niacin. Plain niacin (not flush free or slow release) is a cheap OTC supplement. You must do this with your doctor's knowledge and should be followed for liver enzyme changes. Niacin is the premier raiser of HDL, also very good at lowering LDL and lowering triglycerides, as well as lowering Lp (a) and moving you from a small-dense LDL subtype to a large-bioyant LDL subtype (from B to A). While many doctors think you need high doses to get a result, my cardiologist began me with a 500mg daily target (meaning I started taking half of 250mg tablet once a day for a week, then I took a full 250mg tab for another week, then one and a half tabs for another week, then the target 500mg for a month before having a full fractionated lipid test (VAP is one name for the full test). If your doctor says they don't know what to do with fractionated lipid tests, the VAP test result tells them the significance of each test and what is desirable. If 500mg -750mg does not have the desired effect, you can gradually increase the dose to 1000 or more until the desired effect is attained. The lowest possible dose to get to your goals, the better. Always begin at a reduced dose and reach your target over several weeks to allow your body to adjust. Niacin side effects (harmless flushing) diminish greatly with daily use and by taking them after a full eveningmeal. The side effects are substantially less at lower doses than the high 2000-3000mg dose usually prescribed by one-size-fits-all physicians. Extended release niacin (including Niaspan) is substantially harder on the liver. I have never gone over 750mg daily dose, and I have minimal side effects, no liver effects, and my HDL now is consistently in the 55-70 range (was previously often in the low 40s or less). ------original message....[...]To raise HDL and lower LDL cholesterol, the American Heart Associationrecommends exercising regularly; eliminating trans fats from the diet; reducingthe intake of all fats, especially saturated fats; and consumingmonounsaturated fats, such as olive, canola and peanut oils. Statins can also improve HDLand LDL cholesterol levels, when they pose a heart risk.

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