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January 19, 2009

Time release Niacin lowers cholesterol, improves HDL, and modestly improves insulin sensitivity in individuals at risk for developing heart disease and diabetes

If a person is low in the protective version of cholesterol known as HDL-cholesterol (HDL) they tend to develop coronary artery disease. In patients with metabolic syndrome the development of heart disease starts at an early age. Metabolic syndrome occurs in people with a big belly. The term signifies a person has a cluster of conditions including high cholesterol, low HDL, high triglycerides, elevated blood sugar, elevated blood pressure, and a lot of systemic inflammation. If a person doesn’t take corrective measures at this point they are sure to develop diabetes in less than a decade.

Scientists at the Heart Center, University of Leipzig in Germany note that Time release Niacin improves the level of HDL and slows down the rate of development of hardening of the arteries. The researchers gave thirty patients with impaired glucose tolerance 1,000mg of Niacin Time Release daily for 6 months. Impaired glucose tolerance is a very dangerous component of metabolic syndrome that leads to diabetes. At the end of six-months HDL had increased significantly by 24%. Adiponectin increased by 35%; adiponectin is a very good hormone that promotes insulin sensitivity decreasing the risk of developing diabetes. Niacin significantly reduced Lipoprotein (a) by 38%; this type of blood fat is very damaging to the lining of blood vessel walls and very few agents lower it. Additionally triglyceride levels dropped by 12%. Niacin Time Release also improved insulin sensitivity and shrunk the size of fat cells on the belly. The study is published online ahead of print in the December 2008 issue of the journal Atherosclerosis.