iacin, vitamin B3, is an effective cholesterol lowering agent. In a 26 week study published in Internal Medicine in 1994, niacin performed better than one of the best drugs the pharmaceutical giants can produce; lovastatin. Lovastatin produced a 26, 28 and 32 % reduction in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol at weeks 10, 18 and 26, respectively. During the same test period niacin produced a 5, 16 and 23 % reduction. First round to lovastatin. However, lovastatin could only raise high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol by 6, 8 and 7 % when tested at weeks 10, 18 and 26, whereas niacin raised HDL cholesterol 20, 29 and 33 % over the same time periods. Second round to niacin. Lastly, niacin reduced levels of lipoprotein(a) by 14, 30 and 35 % at weeks 10, 18 and 26, respectively. However, lovastatin had no effect on lipoprotein(a) levels. Third round to niacin; and 2-1 overall to vitamin B3.
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