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My total cholesterol is 276. It's been high for at least 15 years....since they started testing. I did the niacin thing a while back and then went to a naturopath for other health problems and she advised me to stop the niacin as it would (in large doses) eventually damage my liver.
Anyone know where the cut off point is for niacin doses to prevent liver damamge. I'm presently on Lipitor, but i don't have a drug plan and it's costing me an arm and a leg....$2. per pill. Thought I'd go back to niacin as it would be miles cheaper. Prior to niacin I did the exercise, strict diet, oat bran, etc. It only went down about 5 %. Then when I did the niacin (gradually increasing over weeks) it worked! and for the first time my cholesterol was in a normal range. My family doctor at the time was amazed.
If anyone can tell me what the cut off point is for how much niacin before liver damage becomes an issue. Thanks much.
cossette

My Father is a health fanatic. He is 69 years old and was an Alcoholic for many years. He is currently taking 500MG of Niacin per day. He is also Using a product called Brewers Yeast that conatins Many nutriants and also contains 50% Niacin. Any other questions feel free to respond

Nobody can honestly claim cutting LDL in half and raising HDL 20% in a single month with niacin.



Maybe not in one month... but in 3 - 6 months, I achieved results that statins were never able to provide me in 7 years of taking them. I was never able to get below 210 on statins. Niacin, however, worked way better with not nearly as many side effects.

My understanding is immediate release niacin will not hurt your liver... it's " Slo-Niacin " that has been proven to cause liver damage. And as AZ77 says, doses above 1000 mg a day should be monitored. Most folks can safely take 2000 mg niacin a day without any adverse effects on the liver.


I take 3000 mg Niaspan, and my cholesterol now, is as follows:

Total Cholesterol... was 328....now 195 (41% decrease).
LDL Cholesterol..... was 222....now 112 (50% decrease).
Triglycerides......... was 304...now 153 (50% decrease).
HDL Cholesterol..... was 46.....now 52 (13% increase).

Ratio................... was 7.13, now 3.75



I'll take niacin over statins any day of the week... statins are just plain nasty.

Best of luck. :)

Started a new thread with this post, with reference to the original thread. Please do not reply to a 4-year-old thread. It really slows down the server. Thank you.

On 10/29/2007, my lipid panel showed;
Triglycerides - 262
Total Cholesterol - 270
HDL - 37
LDL - 181

On 12/10/2007 readings were;
Triglycerides -117
Total cholesterol - 164
HDL - 39
LDL - 102

On 11/05/2007, I commenced taking a daily 40MG of Pravachol and continued with a diet I'd begun at the end of October. That diet consisted of a 1600-1800 calorie per day intake and virtually eliminated all refined carbohydrates. I continued to eat similar protein as before, albeit smaller portions. In addition to this, my exercise regimen, 6 days per week, consisted of 3 miles of jogging and 1.6 miles of walking. Between Dr's visits on 11/05 and 12/14/ 2007, I dropped 22 lbs.

From a medication point of view, let me say that I would have been just as happy to receive these results with a statin as with Niacin - as of now, I have no well formed opinion on either.

The Dr. pointed out to me though that the statin was only really influential in reducing my LDL levels. TC and TriG's were much more the result of diet, exercise and weight loss. As difficult as it can be to sustain diet and exercise regimens, if they can get me to the point where medication is not required, I'll put up with it.

I've consumed fish oil, flax oil, psyllium and various other compounds for many years but have found that if I gain weight, have a crappy diet and get little exercise, I'm looking at the sort of results I got the first time around.

I don't mean this as any sanctimonious rant from someone who got "lifestyle religion", there are many people who have a predisposition to a bad lipid profile. On the other hand, I got mine the old fashioned way.