A Vitamin That Lowers Cholesterol: Niacin

Niacin is a vitamin that can lower cholesterol naturally. Niacin is a B vitamin to be exact, and it can be found in some animals and even some plants. Also, it can be found in a variety of different nutritional supplements.

Most commonly, it is used to help individuals lower their cholesterol. However, it can also be used to lower the risk of heart attacks in people who do have high cholesterol. In a few cases, it has been a treatment option for atherosclerosis.

Before taking this medication, a doctor will go over some important information about it with the individual. First, there will have to be a medical history report done to make sure the individual is not allergic to nicotinic acid. Also, people who have stomach ulcers or some type of liver problem should not take this medication. While on the medication, the doctor will advise you not to drink any alcoholic beverages or any hot drinks. The doctor will also make sure the individual knows some side effects may be experienced as a result of taking the medication.

Some of the side effects that this drug may cause include redness, itchiness, and a warm feeling to your skin. Also, if an individual stands up too fast, they may experience some dizziness temporarily. There can also be some drug interactions with some prescription medications, but a doctor will give the individual a list of these medicines so they can be aware of them.

Niacin is only one of the treatments a doctor will tell an individual to take to lower their cholesterol. In addition to taking this drug, an individual will also have to get on a diet and make sure their weight stays at a certain level. It is very important for the patient to follow the rules that the doctor puts in place for them in order for their treatment to work successfully.

Even though an individual may want to hurry and get their condition under control, it is important they let the doctor know if they have any other medical conditions. This is because some medical conditions do not mix well with this drug. If it turns out that the patient cannot use this option as a treatment, then the doctor will put something else in place.

It is especially important for pregnant women to not take this medicine. The reasoning behind this is because the drug may hurt her unborn fetus. Also, if the woman is planning to get pregnant anytime soon, the doctor should be notified so he does not prescribe this drug to her.

To conclude, the above article provides a high-level summary about using the vitamin niacin to naturally lower cholesterol. It is by no means a complete guide to using vitamins for this purpose. There is much more information available on this subject. If you or a loved one has high cholesterol, I encourage you to read everything that you can on the topic of naturally lowering your cholesterol to improve you overall heart health.

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