Niacin vs statins
Common Questions and Answers about Niacin vs statins
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Regarding the issue of niacin lowering the cholesterol levels, Niacin or nicotinic acid lowers low density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels while raising the high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels(good cholesterol).
But this medication is not recommended to be taken by your own because you may miss some important side effects. Side effects include flushing, stomach upset, vomitings,headache, dizziness,liver damage in some cases.
t have enough self control to lose any weight. I had muscle pain and memory loss with statins, flushing and finally facial swelling with niacin supplements. The memory loss was so bad, I sold my veterinary practice and retired BEFORE the lawsuit. I ran for exercise until I wore out my left knee, now I walk.
Again, these labs are before any medication.
I would think twice about Niaspan as the most recent data suggests that the HDL that is artificially created by Niacin is not as effective against LDL as naturally occurring HDL. If you're healthy, you can increase HDL with exercise, just speak to your doctor first.
Lipitor is a very safe and effective drug. In addition to the cholesterol lower properties, statins are also being proven to lower inflammation which is huge.
My cardiologist at Mayo Clinic agreed with me that I was right in going off statins right away (I presented facts and figures and time lines) and suggested that I take plenty of fish oil, watch my diet, keep my weight down, and take niacin (he withdrew that suggestion when I told him a previous physician had suggested niacin as an alternative but what it did was cause serious diarrhea, which is a sign of niacin toxicity).
I have been on statins for quite a few years, with problems. First was Lipitor, it did great for my cholesterol, but I started getting skin whelps on my arms. I quit taking it, and within 2 weeks they were gone, despite an allergist not finding it. I tried Vytorin, had muscle and joint pain. But in the past few years, taking simvistatin and a few others, it has been a mood/anger issue. My wife complains, telling me I'm pain to live with, I argue all the time, go off at the slightest thing.
Background: I have engaged a Niacin regimen to cut cholesterol (vs. using statin drugs) because Niacin also raises HDL and cuts LPa and triglycerides (while statins only cut LDL). I have been on this regimen since 2003 and the effect on my cholesterol/triglycerides and LPa has been more than as hoped for. Just as with statin drugs, it is necessary to get regular blood tests (ideally every 6 months) to ensure there is no liver damage.
1000 mg/day of Niacin (*not* niacinamide, which does does not produce the flush) and started having severed cramps in my buttocks/thighs to the point where I could not walk my dog. Found out that niacin is contraindicated for use w/statins, quit taking it. Niacin can lower cholesterol at high doses (my plan). I now take 500 w/out side effects.
Nicotinic acid (Niacin)
Niacin, like the stains, has been used to treat elevated blood cholesterol levels as well as elevated triglyceride levels. Also like the statins, niacin can damage the liver. It can cause mild transient elevations in blood levels of AST and ALT, jaundice, and, in rare instances, liver failure. Liver toxicity with niacin is dose-dependent; toxic doses usually exceed 2 grams per day.
Welcome and thanks for your question. Really, your numbers are not horrible as your LDL is just a little high as it should be under 130 and HDL needs to get over 40. Also, I think that you have an incorrect diastolic BP because if it were really 9, high cholesterol would be the least of your problems.
No one here is qualified to tell you if you should start a statin, that's a decision you need to make with your doctor based on your history and other risk factors.
I have very high liver enzyme values from statin use. I've been off of statins since 5-28-10. Can damage be reversed?
Pulse pressure is the difference in blood pressure between the systolic blood pressure and the diastolic blood pressure. Pulse pressure in healthy adults in a sitting position is about 40 mmHg. Your have a wide pulse pressure of 93mmHg.
But my best lipid results ( raising HDL, lowering LDL and Lp(a) ) came from taking RX Niacin which I take with the 10 mg Crestor and 325 mg aspirin at bedtime.No problems with Niacin either.I take RX fish oil also as I am in big time prevention mode due to cardiac microvascular dysfunction.Fortunately my lipids have never been bad and my larger coronaries are clear but the lipids are only a piece of the total cardiac picture and the possible side effects of meds far outweigh my other risks.
The thinking that statins are not needed as 50% of people that die of heart attacks had normal cholesterol levels is not as practical as you think. Remember, a heart attack can be cause by the rupture of a very small area of vulnerable plaque, and everyone has some plaque in our arteries. In fact, just yesterday the FDA approved the following;
"A Food and Drug Administration panel Tuesday backed wider use of AstraZeneca PLC's cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor.
s what they ALWAYS fail to point out, there was no evidence to show a relationship between statins and memory loss, but it was observed in a very, very small percentage of those on statins so they added the warning. Hefre's the link to the announcement from the FDA which you will see they could prove no link, only an observation.
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm293101.htm
Read this when you can, it's by Dr.
need help. i have been on vytorin for 4 years and on routine blood tests, my cpk has been in the 500-700 range for all 4 years (2 blood draws a year). I am asymptomatic. This past Jan, i added "flush free niacin" to my morning meds/supplements, and in July i noted my cpk was 1000. Still asymptomatic. In the past, I stopped working out for a couple of weeks and stopped statins for 2 weeks, and when rechecked, the CPK's were still in the 700 range.
Having Chromium and Niacin listed as separate ingredients would not be the same as Chromium Picolinate. Separately, (Niacin would be niacin and Chromium would be Chromium plus one of the chelators).
It can get very confusing, but with all of that said, per the National Institute of Health "...given the limited data on chromium absorption in humans, it is not clear which forms are best to take.
http://www.livestrong.
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