Niacin and Cholesterol: How are they Related?

Niacin and cholesterol are two different things. If it were a movie flick, niacin is the hero and cholesterol is the bad guy. Simply defined, niacin is a substance, or better yet a vitamin, that can actually regulate the amount of cholesterol present inside the body. It is one of the oldest and most effective substances used against cholesterol. And there are many clinical tests and trials that can prove its efficacy.

Niacin is referred to as vitamin B3. However, it cannot be obtained from the foods you eat. The body can't produce this vitamin either. This is the reason why niacin supplements have to be taken so that this vitamin can be absorbed by the body. But even though it is very effective in lowering down cholesterol, it may affect the liver and the body's other vital organs if not used properly. On this ground, niacin was considered as a prescription drug by the FDA.

Niacin works by breaking down cholesterol and fats. It also lowers down VLDL or Very Low Density Lipoprotein and LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) that are present in the bloodstream. VLDL and LDL are the substances that are more popularly known as bad cholesterol. They form in the blood and cause plaques. Plaques, in turn, thicken the blood, eventually leading to clogged arteries. At which point, the heart works twice as hard just to be able to pump blood all over the body. In that condition, the heart becomes prone to failures and malfunctions. That is also when heart diseases form.

Aside from putting bad cholesterol out of the way, niacin also increases the amount of HDL or high density lipoprotein in the blood. Now HDL are the good cholesterol that the body needs. Good cholesterol serves the watchdogs of bad cholesterol. They work against their bad counterparts and remove them from the bloodstream. Easily put, niacin inhibits bad cholesterol and promotes the proliferation of the good cholesterol.

Doctors would normally prescribe one or more grams of niacin to be taken daily. The dosage would depend upon your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Like cholesterol, triglycerides are another form of fats that could be present in the blood. It can also trigger high blood pressure in a patient. If not regulated, it too can cause heart disease and severe heart attacks.

Part 2 - For part two of this article, head on to www.normalcholesterollevelonline.com where you can also find the truth about foods high in cholesterol and how to lower triglycerides.