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Researchers randomly selected 25,673 adults to receive 2 grams of extended-release niacin or no niacin (placebo) daily. All the study participants were at high risk for a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, and everyone in the study was taking other cholesterol-lowering medications, including simvastatin (Zocor) and/or ezetimibe (Zetia).
After following the group for approximately four years, the researchers found that compared with placebo, people taking niacin in addition to their other cholesterol-lowering medications experienced significantly more side effects, including:
Though niacin can be purchased over the counter, it is considered a medication when taken at doses intended to manage heart disease risk. This study found that adding extended-release niacin to other cholesterol-lowering medications may result in more side effects compared with cholesterol-lowering medications alone. While the results garnered plenty of negative press, the findings aren’t surprising: taking more medications generally causes more side effects.
Even though the combination of niacin with other cholesterol-lowering medications appeared to cause more problems than the medications alone, Dr. Richard Haynes, clinical coordinator at Oxford's Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit noted, "Although 25 percent of patients stopped the treatment early, 75 percent continued on it for approximately four years." Dr. Haynes also noted that further analysis of the study results are required before we'll know if the benefits of adding niacin to other cholesterol-lowering medications outweigh the risks. And niacin is still considered a safe option for managing heart disease risk, and has a long-history of successful use.
Keep the following in mind before you nix niacin from your heart disease risk-management plan:
(Eur Heart J 2013; doi:10.1093/eurheartj/eht055)