Many in the health care profession have forgotten about the positive relationship between niacin and cholesterol. Instead they have promoted statin drugs to control cholesterol levels. That’s unfortunate because niacin can be just as effective.
What is Niacin?
Niacin is a member of the vitamin B family. Specifically it is vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid. Because it’s a water soluble vitamin it needs to be replenished on a daily basis. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of niacin is 2-12 mg/day for children, 14 mg/day for women and 16 mg/day for men. This RDA is the minimum required to prevent niacin deficiency which can be characterized by the following conditions:
- Slow metabolism
- Decreased tolerance to the cold
- Irritability
- Poor concentration
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Restlessness
- Depression
- Dementia