CobaltBlue

Donsabi,

I understand about the flushing. It is/was worse for me when I was dehydrated. I found that I could keep my HDL high by daily exercise, but after two years of being off Niaspan, I just requested to go back on it (1000 mg). It wasn't that my ratios were bad (my results from my blood draw 2 weeks ago were, in mg/dL, Total 133, LDL 74, HDL 57, TG 42, VLDL 2). All of these were measured due to it being a VAP test. What had changed is that my Lp(a) crept up a bit, my hs-CRP, although somewhat low (0.49) also increased from 0.18 before. On niacin, my HDL>LDL, however, that is not why I requested to go back on it. What niacin does to the size of the LDLs and HDLs in your bloodstream is the benefit that I want back; it shifts the distribution to a more buoyant form. My LDL density pattern was flagged for being in between A/B and I want that back to A. Also, my HDL-2 dropped a bit (the more protective HDL type) and HDL-3 rose a bit (less protective). So, even though my HDL remained high, I tend to shift into a "less protective" distribution of those HDLs.

Where niacin won't help much is with VLDLs. The exercise and weight seems to keep the large buoyant (VLDL1 and VLDL2) at 2.3 mg/dL, while the small remnant VLDL3 was at 0.0 mg/dL. The low levels of circulating VLDLs give rise to the low levels of TG in the bloodstream and it seems the best way to keep those in check (provided no other disorder in TGs exist) is to keep exercise up and weight down.

Anyway, I am off on a tangent there, but I just wanted to point out that not all benefits of niacin are tested for routinely and there are some things that a superb diet, and 2 hrs of daily exercise won't do for someone that niacin might.