A leading cardiologist, Dr. Anthony DeMaria, when referring to a study that compared niacin-a form of vitamin B3-to Zetia, placed Zetia at the bottom of the list of medicines that doctors would be using. The niacin in the study is not the variety sold in health food stores, but a prescription product with time-release.
Zetia, or the generic brand, ezelimibe, is very effective at reducing LDL, or bad cholesterol, but not effective at boosting HDL, or good cholesterol. "Niacin had a superior effect on the artery wall," said Dr. Allen Taylor, a cardiologist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, who headed the study.
Dr. Douglas Weaver, immediate past president of the American College of Cardiology, called niacin "an effective, but underutilized drug". He also stated that niacin was a better choice for patients who could not reach their cholesterol goals with a statin therapy alone.
Vitamin B3 converts calories from protein, fats, and carbs, into energy. It also helps the digestive system function, promotes a normal appetite, and promotes healthy skin and nerves. Vitamin B is water soluble, meaning the part not used daily is eliminated through the urine. The body needs a constant supply of vitamin B.
Larger doses than can be taken in through the foods we eat, over 1000Mg a day, reduce the bad cholesterol that clogs the heart's arteries and raises the good cholesterol that prevents hardening of the artery walls.
What does this mean for patients taking Zetia? To balance the good and bad cholesterol in the body, a statin (Lipitor, Crestor) plus niaspin (time-released, high dose of Vitamin B3) works much better. For those with a Vitamin B deficiency marked by muscle weakness, indigestion, skin problems, and lack of appetite, a vitamin B3 supplement is needed.
To provide the body with the normal amount of vitamin B3 needed daily, eating foods high in this vitamin are recommended. Meat, poultry, fish, peanuts, yeasts, milk, and eggs, are all natural sources of vitamin B3.
Sources: Life Clinic ABC News
For More: vitamins and minerals vitamins and minerals, part two Natural Health Practioners
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Excellent article on vitamin B3 and how it works to control cholesterol.
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