HDL CHOLESTEROL

VITAMIN B3/NIACIN

1. Low doses of nicotinic acid (435 mg/day) may increase HDL levels.

Postgrad Med J. 1993 Apr;69(810):296-9. 
Raising HDL cholesterol with low-dose nicotinic acid and bezafibrate: preliminary experience.
Luria MH, Sapoznikov D.
PMID: 8321794 ]

2. A daily dose of controlled-release niacin (1500 mg) plus oat bran (2 ounces/day) for 16 weeks significantly increased HDL levels and decreased total cholesterol and LDL levels.

J Fam Pract. 1992 Mar;34(3):313-9. 
A clinical trial of oat bran and niacin in the treatment of hyperlipidemia.
Keenan JM, Wenz JB, Ripsin CM, Huang Z, McCaffrey DJ.
PMID: 1541958

3. Doses of sustained-release niacin (1500 – 2000 mg/day for 8 weeks) significantly improved total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol levels compared to baseline and controls. Older subject had better results than younger subjects on the same doses.

J Am Geriatr Soc. 1992 Jan;40(1):12-8. 
Treatment of hypercholesterolemia: comparison of younger versus older patients using wax-matrix sustained-release niacin.
Keenan JM, Bae CY, Fontaine PL, Wenz JB, Myers S, Huang ZQ, Ripsin C.
PMID: 1727841

4. Low doses of long-acting niacin (1000 mg/day) reduced HDL by 31% and the cholesterol/HDL ratio by 27% compared to the control group.

Arch Intern Med. 1988 Nov;148(11):2493-5. 
Effect of low-dose niacin on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio.
Luria MH.
PMID: 3190381