If You Have Out of Control Cholesterol, Niacin Could Help

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by: Darrell Miller
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Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2011 Time: 1:48 AM
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Elevated levels of serum cholesterol are the leading cause of heart diseases, which accounts for up to 25 per cent of deaths in the US alone. There is scientific consensus that our diet contributes to the unhealthy releases of cholesterol in the bloodstream whereas body organs such as the liver are primarily involved in the regulation of cholesterol. Recent studies show that the cholesterol-lowering properties of niacin include the suppression of fatty acids, the major precursors of cholesterol.

Regulates the Breakdown of Fats from Adipose Tissues

One very important activity of niacin specialized for reducing cholesterol is its ability to decrease the breakdown of fats. Adipose tissues are fat reserves found everywhere in the body, but is best known for its buildup in subcutaneous regions, or those unwanted fats that we see in the thighs and bellies. These fats are transported to the liver and converted into very-low-density lipoproteins.

Triglycerides are the form of fats that we get from the foods that we eat, and the same fatty molecules that make up bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoproteins. In the manufacture of both cholesterol and lipoproteins, the liver utilizes the fat from adipose tissues and triglycerides from our diet to form very-low-density lipoproteins, which is in turn the precursor of bad cholesterol.

Blocking the Pathway of Blood Lipid Production

Niacin interferes with the manufacture of very-low-density lipoproteins in the liver whereas statins inhibit the enzyme responsible for the catabolism of bad cholesterol released in the blood. Both are mechanism proven effective in reducing plasma concentrations of bad cholesterol, but the use of niacin has been tied to help other conditions that bring on the onset of heart diseases.

It has been observed that prescribed doses of niacin inhibits the overall production of blood lipid either in free form or bound to other molecules, that is, cholesterol, triglycerides, very-low-density lipoproteins, and low-density lipoproteins, and their consequent secretion to the blood serum. Also, there is an ongoing study that proposes the role of niacin in decreasing coagulation of blood inside the vessel walls, one complication of heart diseases.

Increasing the Level of High-Density Lipoprotein

As you may already know not all lipoproteins are labeled bad cholesterol, there exists a certain group known as high-density lipoproteins, or HDL, dubbed good cholesterol. Good cholesterol has been tied to prevention of cardiovascular diseases, inasmuch as records point to high levels of HDL in individuals with low risk of heart diseases and vice versa remains true. The function of HDL is to collect surpluses of cholesterol in tissues and bringing them back to the liver for recycling.

The use of niacin versus available statins, a group of drugs most widespread in treatment of high blood cholesterol, has become popular in recent years owing to its being more commonly known as a vitamin, but dietary supplements must not be taken as a cholesterol-lowering drug because it can be toxic at dosages not formulated to lower cholesterol.

Niacin is an inexpensive B vitamin available at your local or internet vitamin store. always choose name brands like Solaray to ensure quality and purity of the product you buy for better health.

About the Author

If you need help with cholesterol, give niacin a try risk free at VitaNet ®, LLC Vitamin Store. http://vitanetonline.com/