Natural Niacin Beats Prescription
Zetia for Cholesterol
Sunday, October 14th 2012
What can Merck's prescription drug Zetia do for you that niacin can't?
Apparently, nothing at all. In fact, it could worsen your atherosclerosis.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that niacin,
also known as vitamin B3, is better for reducing cholesterol and preventing
heart disease than Merck & Co., Inc.'s prescription medication Zetia.
Researchers found that over a 14 month period niacin was significantly more
effective at reducing artery plaque than ezetimibe, the active ingredient in
Zetia. In addition, niacin was found more effective than Zetia at decreasing the
number of heart attacks.
Zetia is a medication used in conjunction with statins to try to further lower
levels of the so-called bad LDL cholesterol in the blood. It claims to work by
blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive track. Annual sales of
the drug in 2010 were $2 billion.
The study was halted early because the niacin group was doing better. In fact,
the researchers concluded that the more LDL cholesterol was reduced in the Zetia
group, the greater was the progression of their atherosclerosis. In addition,
there were significantly more major cardiovascular events among patients using
Zetia than among those in the niacin group.
The lead author of the study questioned whether Zetia was effective at all and
concluded that "prudent clinical practice currently favors the avoidance of
ezetimibe" until further clinical studies are conducted.
What is niacin?
Niacin is a water soluble B vitamin also known as "nicotinic acid" used by the
body to convert carbohydrates, fats and protein into energy. It also contributes
to keeping the nervous system, digestive system, skin, hair and eyes healthy.
Niacin has been used for over 50 years as an effective method for raising the
levels of good HDL cholesterol in the blood and is also known to help reduce bad
LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
What foods contain niacin?
Niacin is widely available in the food supply. The principal food sources of
niacin include:
• Dairy products
• Lean meats
• Poultry
• Fish
• Nuts
• Eggs
• Nutritional yeast
• Wheat germ
• Whole grains
Most people get sufficient niacin in their daily diets. Minimum requirements are
14-16 milligrams per day to prevent pellagra, a disease characterized by
diarrhea, dementia and dermatitis. If left untreated it can lead to death.
Pellagra was widespread when people ate a diet heavy in corn rather than other
whole grains since corn is very low in niacin. Native Americans traditionally
cooked corn with lime because lime improves niacin absorption in the body, thus
preventing the disease.
The optimum daily amount of niacin has not been set but a typical multi-vitamin
will contain 20 milligrams, and many B complex vitamin supplements will contain
as much as 200 milligrams.
Niacin for cholesterol control
The idea that there are "bad" and "good" blood lipids that contribute to heart
disease is known as the "lipid hypothesis," or "cholesterol myth." The
hypothesis is subject to much criticism and has been challenged often.
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