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Do you recognise the kinship among niacin and cholesterol levels? The answer is that niacin is known to aid lower cholesterol levels. It is also known as vitamin B3. However as there are numerous types and forms of niacin, which is the best niacin cholesterol letting down supplement? What are it is gains and what are it is disadvantages? The basi thing to recognise is the dissimilar forms of niacin that are just actually tagged as niacin. Its forms include the nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, and inositol hexaniacinate. Each form has dissimilar gains and effects. Nicotinic acid lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart attack. This comes in a number of types. On the other hand, nicotinamide is a product derived from nicotinic acid. And the last item I want to mention is inositol hexaniacinate which is another version of nicotinic acid which doesn’t develop side effects. It is popular, but I would like to let you know that it is effectiveness in reducing cholesterol is not proven. The nicotinic acid of niacin has forms that differ in release. The prompt release or IR type releases the acid directly into the blood. Because of it is fast approach, it causes a great deal of side effects. Itching and flushing may be felt once the acid is freed into the blood. The extended release or ER type is slower than the IR. Its side effects are not as abrupt as the IR type but it may only be purchased with a doctor’s prescription. The last type is the sustained-release nicotinic acid which is put into the blood over a time period. Its side effects are not apparent equated to the other two but the peril of liver failure is high. It is available even without a doctor’s prescription. Nicotinic acid works by letting down the bad cholesterol and triglycerides while raising the good ones. And once again I would like to mention that the other two forms need further studies to be proven as effective niacin cholesterol letting down products. In usual the aftermaths of taking nicotinic acid are bad. Various side effects include skin aggravation and flushing, stomach problems, palpitations and changes in blood sugar level. One of the worst side effects is liver ailments. So if you think that it is a high danger to choose chemically-treated formulas, there is a potpourri of feed productions which comprise niacin cholesterol letting down compounds. Food selections include chicken, beef, liver and kidney products, and dairy productions such as milk and eggs. Vegetables include tomatoes, broccoli, carrots and asparagus. Peanuts and legumes are likewise roots of niacin. With it is masters and cons, it is now up to you to choose what you want. Either way, there are still a lot of feed choices available in the market. For more selective information and ideas, please visit us on the web at niacin for cholesterol. |
Most helpful customer reviews
128 of 129 people found the following review helpful.
Can lowering cholesterol be worse than cholesterol?
By A reader
If you’ve somehow managed to sidestep the pressure to go on statins, this book will provide you with justification. Kendrick walks you, step by step, through your own physiology and bio-chemistry, and backs his contentions that cholesterol can not be the cause of heart disease by citing and summarizing published studies that bear this out. The book is technical but highly readable thanks to an easy conversational style (if your high school biology teacher had been Kendrick, you’d have understood everything and gotten an A). If you don’t really care about arterial plaques and exactly how they’re formed (and exactly how they’re not) the take-away message is pretty much this: statins are ineffective for women, especially for women over 50 years old, and for anybody over 70 years old. Further, statistical studies may indicate that lowering cholesterol encourages cancer. Many of the points Kendrick makes here are also borne out in Gary Taubes’ excellent “Good Calories, Bad Calories.” Both of these books are recommended.
I also feel somewhat compelled to add this: While doctors will tell you they’ve rarely seen anyone with side effects from statins, among my own circle of middle-aged friends, I know 3 who’ve had serious problems with their livers, one who had some muscles permanently destroyed, one–a usually energetic tennis player– who felt, for the few months he took statins, as though he had the flu, and could barely go to work– and one who was left with ringing in the ears and a facial tic. All of these are listed as side effects of statins, as Kendrick points out.
60 of 62 people found the following review helpful.Another coffin nail for the fat/cholesterol theory of heart disease
By Paul Bergner
It is remarkable that the fat-cholesterol hypothesis of heart disease gained such an established place in US medicine, culture, and popular consciousness, despite a lack of any -strong- evidence to support the theories (including that “bad cholesterol” causes heart disease) and despite sometimes stronger evidence against the theories. The emergence into broader understanding of insulin resistance around the year 2000 was a watershed in the demise of these two theories. I believe the last two months will be looked back on and viewed as the death of these hypotheses.
Perhaps most important, last week results were published that showed that a drug that lowered LDL (“bad”) cholesterol not only did not prevent heart attacks, but may have increased them. The LDL went down, but not the heart attacks. This fairly well disproves the idea that even “bad” cholesterol is really that “bad” in the first place.
There has also been the appearance of two very well researched books on this topic:
Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes
The Great Cholesterol Con by Malcolm Kendrick (not the same title from Colpo)
Both are impeccable in their science, both show that the fat/cholesterol theory has been, well, frankly, fraudulent from a scientific point of view. Kendrick was lead author of the 14 Countries Study. He took WHO data on fat consumption and heart disease in a large group of countries. From these he selected the seven countries with the lowest fat consumption, and the seven with the highest fat consumption, and compared the rates of heart disease in the two groups. Every one of the countries with the lowest level of fat consumption had a higher rate of heart disease than any of the countries with the highest fat consumption. Do a double take? Read that again.
Taubes goes as far back as 1846 reviewing the science on the cause and cure of obesity (=carbohydrate consumption). He doesn’t miss a stitch.
Both books describe in detail the scientific errors, and false thinking, that led to the acceptance of both hypotheses as if they were Laws, and “settled science” rather than controversial, from s true scientific point of view, from start to finish. Both make good case studies of the methods of good and bad science.
Now we are all going to have to do psychotherapy to treat our obsessive-compulsive fat/cholesterol delusional phobias. But will anyone REALLY stop buying 2% milk instead of whole, or discarding those luscious fatty skin from their chicken breast? I suggest everyone read these two books as part of their psychotherapeutic process.
70 of 75 people found the following review helpful.excellent
By Paul
Superb science/medical writing. I was already familiar with a lot of the story about cholesterol misinformation, but I still found it very useful to see the issues dissected one-by-one, with comprehensive references to the relevant research studies. The author is obviously extremely well-read in this area, far beyond the main dietary studies. His final chapter about stress and heart-disease is a must-read for anyone interested in these topics, and the fact that he had been so thorough in the earlier part of the book makes me take his speculations seriously. It comes with a good dose of quirky British (actually Scottish) humor, which I enjoyed a lot.
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Important book desperately in need of editing
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Colpo is literally addressing a life and death topic with this book. That makes it a shame that this is a self-published book that never passed under the critical eye of an editor. Colpo makes many important points, but getting to them requires a great deal of patience.
He goes through in great detail the many studies that have investigated the role of saturated fat, benefits of statins, and other cholesterol topics. He does an excellent job of showing how these studies’ results have been twisted, or were simply bad science. For example, studies that show statins’ benefits in people with existing disease somehow get extrapolated to suggesting everyone should take statins. Or, studies that show decreases in cardiovascular disease fail to discuss how rates of other fatal illness increased.
Colpo lays on the studies so thickly that reading this book is much like reading a very long journal meta-analysis. An quote from the book: “An important vitamin E isomer known as gamma-tocopherol has been shown to inhibit the formation of proinflammatory eicosanoids and subsequent inflammation-induced damage in rats.” Those readers lucky enough not to have spent years reading journal articles may find the style stifling.
Much more readable are his discussions of the politics and personalities behind “proving” the lipid hypothesis. There is also a good discussion of how entrenched interests (farmers, drug companies, etc.) are highly motivated to continue promoting the hypothesis. There are some amazing, and terrifying, pro-carb quotes from the likes of the American Diabetes Association.
Despite Colpo’s extensive research and criticism of poor science, he occasionally does absurd things when they support his argument. For example, in his discussion of helpful supplements, he discusses how the vitamin and mineral content of many vegetables has plummeted since 1963. His source? An online article in Life Extension Magazine. Yes, after all his arguments that health choices should be driven by proven science, he uses as a source the marketing materials of a supplement company!
I understand why many people give this book five star reviews: the topic is so important, and the information so persuasive, that I can forgive many writing sins. However, there are many books covering the same topic – even one with the same title – and I would guess that several of them are much more readable than Colpo’s effort.
You need to read this
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Quite a book! In some places it is somewhat technical and requires your full attention but it is of such value that you should do whatever it takes to read this book. Anthony Colpo is not a doctor, however, he has the ability to put together all the information to show you what a scam the drug industry is. Taking statin drugs will literally “kill” you and this book tells you why. Colpo documents his research so you can do you own if you have the desire to verify his. I will never take a statin drug and have told my doctor that. Even he says he is not sure about them, however, he stated, “it is the Standard of Care at this time” so he must prescribe them unless you, as a patient, refuse to use them. Read this book and then be prepared to ask yourself if everything you have been told about Cholesterol is true and whether you want to take statins.
Best Case Against Cholesterol and the Drugs Given for It
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The material in this book is backed by good science. It discusses the myth that cholesterol is bad. It also discusses the dangers of the drugs given for high cholesterol. These drugs are given to more people than any other class of drugs in this country and they’re big business. Even doctors are fooled.
But, unlike other books I’ve read on this subject, this book goes further. It actually discusses what “does” cause heart problems and what you can do to prevent them, even what you can do if you have them. And the methods are safe.
This is an excellent book on this subject. It will really open your eyes.
Eye Opening, Fascinating and most importantly – Easy to Understand
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Clear, easy to understand explanations of the scientific aspects of cholesterol, blood lipids, importance of nitric oxide, and more. After reading this book, I finally understood how the various fats – saturated, un, mono, poly – differ as well as the importance of nitric oxide, reducing stress, and eliminating free radicals. The cholesterol mania just doesn’t make sense any more. (Unless – like I tell my husband – the heart dr.s just can’t resist those hot salesgirls that visit their offices.)
This book has retrained me to be skeptical of everything related to nutrition and even make my own way through some of the studies.
I had originally purchased the e-book version based on the complaints about font size and poor layout. It got awfully tiresome shuffling the e-book print-outs around, so I broke down and purchased the paper book. Not sure what the other folks were complaining about. It was certainly easier on the eyes than a college textbook or mass market pbk. Plus it is much easier to read, underline & highlight while lying in bed!
Colpo also has an e-book “The Fat Loss Bible” which is worth its weight in gold. As much as I would like to see a conventional book made out of this as well, I’m afraid the advice is much too practical to elicit the attention of publishers.
If you have a heart, you should read this book
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Our whole understanding of nutrition has been moulded by the paradigm that high cholesterol and fat cause heart disease–known as the lipid theory–and that foods containing these should be avoided or minimally consumed. Instead of eggs for breakfast, we should have cereal or fruit. We should eat poultry and fish as opposed to red meats and cut away all the fat and skin. We also need to avoid butter and use vegetable oils for their polyunsaturated fatty acids.
I accepted this paradigm without question, which led me to embrace a raw, vegan diet as the “optimum” diet, a diet I was never able to adhere to for longer than five days and which kept me obsessing about food. I stumbled upon the paleolithic diet community, and they were all saying the science behind the “lipid theory” was flawed.
The lipid theory says because there is cholesterol in atherosclerotic plaque, it must be the cause of the plaque. Upon this assumption, the entire heart disease industry focuses its efforts on lowering cholesterol by any means possible. It would be like blaming a Band-aid for the cut it covers and trying to remove them from your medicine cabinet. Cholesterol is a necessary component of health, and it turns out low cholesterol is implicated in many diseases, including cancer.
The Great Cholesterol Con can help you understand how the lipid theory was formulated and gained acceptance, the flaws in interpretation of scientific studies as well as the manipulation of data, the studies we don’t hear about showing high cholesterol does not damage the heart, the dangers of low cholesterol, how the low-fat mantra has impacted the health of industrialized nations, the dangers of vegetable oils, and habits that will promote heart health.
This book is comprehensive, covering much more than what I’ve mentioned and citing hundreds of scientific studies, and so it is a bit tedious at times. It took me over a month to get through it. But it was worth the effort.
Let’s ask ourselves, have we seen a decrease in heart disease since embracing the lipid theory in the 1980s? Hardly. In fact, we’ve seen a huge increase in obesity and diabetes on the low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet recommended to us. I’ve heard that some doctors want to put everybody on statins and that they’re even beginning to market them to children. This is unconscionable and we must educate ourselves to prevent this.
Please, if you have a heart, read this book before you start experiencing health issues. If you are taking statins, invest in this book and open your mind to the possibility that you have been lied to by bad science. If the lipid theory base of the pyramid is wrong, then every stone built upon the pyramid is equally faulty.
Now, I’m going to go cook some eggs from happy, free-roaming, pasture-raised chickens.
The Book I Have Been Waiting For!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I would highly recommend this book to everyone, especially those struggling with the problems it addresses. The author exposes the big lies that are jeopardizing our health. I never believed that hype about saturated fat and cholesterol when it hit the headlines in the mid 70s and still don’t. It’s not only scientific garbage, it defies reason and common sense. The “powers that be” change the facts to fit their views for profit. They could care less about others. Our biggest problems aren’t heart disease, diabetes and obesity, they are lying and greed. The government, pharms, medical profession, food companies and media have helped us take a major step backwards into the dark ages.
Up-to-date truth
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
For several years I have read multiple research papers and other scientific literature regarding cholesterol and the effects of treating “elevated” cholesterol. This book gives remarkably extensive and contemporary as well as historic scientific information that should help people learn the truth about this subject. It is unfortunate that it will probably take another 10 years before the medical community comes to its senses about “treating” cholesterol. This book is not for the casual reader, however. Expect a lengthy discussion, though logical. Neil Hall, MD
An Accurate Look At The Fat Myths
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
For your health’s sake don’t take a statin drug, but rahter cut out the refined carbs and sweets, along with the fried foods, and include a liberal portion of fresh fruits, vegies, complex carbs and good fats in you diet. Heretic that I may be labeled, saturated fat is a healthy fat. Also make sure to get enough water, proper exercise and sleep. That is the theme of Colpo’s excellent book.
This is one of the best diet books I have read. Not only has it’s author Anthony Colpo done very thorough research into the scientific studies concernig the relationship between cholesterol and heart disease, he goes into detail about the components of a truly healthy diet.
Did you know…
Scientific studies have repeatedly shown that heart disease is not caused by sautrated fat and elevated blood cholesterol levels?
People with low cholesterol levels typically live the shortest lives?
Numerous populations consuming high amounts of saturated fat have excellent health?
Many experts dietary recommendations to reduce heart disease have been shown in animal and human studies to increase heart disease, diabetes, cancer and a host of other ailments?
That profit is the main motive behind the anti-cholesterol, anti-saturated fat campaign? With friends like those in the drug industry and medical research field (often funded by the drug companies), who needs enemies?
We need to educate ourselves with books such as this one and take our health into our own hands. We also need to ask God for wisdom as to how we should eat, exercise, etc.
Along with this book, I would recommend that you read the book “Sugar Shock,” by Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C. This book will educate you on the real culpruit behind the epidemic of degenerative disease we are experiencing in this country today. The book “Real Food,” by Nina Planck is another most excellent look at what constiutes a healthy diet.
Incredibly Researched Critique!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Anthony Colpo demolishes the popular theory that high cholesterol, or even high LDL levels, cause coronary heart disease (CHD). He does this through painstaking, but compelling research, which few doctors have the time to perform. He deconstructs studies and clinical trials going back, in some cases more than fifty years, to show how the results of these trials have been either ignored or manipulated by interested parties, chiefly pharmaceutical companies. This industry has succeeded in brainwashing the medical profession to encourage the use of statins, now the most widely prescribed drugs in the world. This is must reading, not only for anyone who has been told that they need to take statin drugs, but for anyone interested in health care today.
Be open minded and skeptical
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
In general, this is a good book, well written with lots of studies quoted to back up the author’s arguments. Because of my familial hypocholesteremia, it is comforting to know that total cholesterol levels have very little if anything to do with heart disease. For anyone told by their doctor to lower their cholesterol through drugs or supplements, read this book first.
However, I give it four stars because like many books on nutrition, the author will tend to pull the desired information from a study to support his point, while failing to mention other parts of the study that may contradict it. The only way to know this is by reading another perspective or the study itself. After reading dozen’s of nutritional books that quote similar studies, I found a few of his arguments of little value.
For instance, his argument for the consumption of meat and saturated fat is somewhat exaggerated I believe. One would get the impression that meat is highly nutritious and should be consumed regularly. Although meat does have some beneficial amino acids and nutrients, I would disagree that it’s “highly nutritious”, aside from perhaps a couple organ meats, which most people find disgusting anyway. He also defends his point by quoting the “French Paradox” as an explanation as to why the French have lower CHD then surrounding European countries despite there heavy meat and cheese consumption. They have lower stress levels, which may help explain it. Maybe so, but when compared to some Asian countries that eat far less meat and dairy, France’s CHD levels are still extremely high. Of course, the author doesn’t mention that as it would dilute his argument. There are also an overwhelming number of studies that would suggest lesser meat consumption is better all around with recommendations of no more than a few servings per week, most desirable.
When he discusses why statins aren’t all they’re cracked up to be he shows a table that shows the CHD mortality and overall mortality of various statin studies. Most of the studies show lesser deaths on statins, albeit by a statistically insignificant margin in many cases. Then he goes on to show the benefits of certain supplements in other studies that show statistically better results than the statins. But the results aren’t much better and I presume because of funding the samples aren’t as large. So I don’t see that to support his argument as strongly as he thinks it does. The problem with all the studies in these tables that I see, is that the time period is way to short, 2 to 6 years. I don’t see how that could be conclusive enough for anyone, which brings me to my next point.
Many studies are unintentionally flawed by researchers, funders, industries, and reporters. So when a book or newspaper quotes a study, be highly skeptical of the information. Also, be skeptical of books like this that pull the information it wants to formulate a theory or contradict one.
Other than the meat emphasis, the other dietary and exercise recommendations are in line with many other reputable nutrition books out there. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts, raw if you can. And avoid eating lots of cereal grains and of course avoid refined and processed foods as much as possible. Exercise, regularly and keep the stress low. Same basic stuff, it’s just nice to know we don’t need to get too excited when cholesterol levels are “high”.
worthy
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
A goldmine of information about the scandal of statins. However, it was a much harder slog than the other book with exactly the same name, by Dr Malcolm Kendrick. Both books contain basically the same information but the Kendrick book is also highly entertaining and therefore a pleasure to read – and a third of the price.
Amazing
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Read this book and live. Ignore it and die. I love animals. They’re delicious.
Much more than cholesterol
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Colpo writes in clear, engaging and flowing prose. The title does not convey the many other health myths he takes to task using Randomized Clinical Trials as much as possible and keeping an eye on statistical significance. Here is a partial list of the most striking conclusions drawn by the author:
1. Higher than average cholesterol is protective against CVD in those over 50, a population that is much more prone to CVD than young people. The very slight evidence for lower cholesterol being protective appears only in much younger subjects, who are at very low risk in the first place.
2. High cholesterol is protective against infection, including even by HIV. Low cholesterol, below 160 mg/dl is associated with increased mortality in all age groups but markedly so in the very old. It’s worth noting here that most lab tests show reference ranges for total cholesterol that go from 200 mg/dl down to zero, that is, having zero total cholesterol, which would certainly be fatal, falls within the normal range given by most testing labs.
3. The supposedly heart-healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are more prone to oxidation than saturated fats. Oxidized LDL is an emerging risk factor thought to aid in the formation of arterial plaque. The body incorporates dietary fats into LDL particles. Thus, consuming the more readily oxidized fats is likely to increase CVD risk by raising oxidized LDL levels, which by the way are not influenced in the least by the level of LDL cholesterol. Saturated fats, due to their lack of double bonds, are more stable and less prone to oxidation. Polyunsaturated are the most easily oxidized followed by the monounsaturated fats. Skip the vegetable oils says Colpo even the ones free of trans fats.
4. High fasting blood sugar is a much better predictor of CVD as compared to standard cholesterol tests, which are almost worthless, yet most people have never had their fasting serum glucose measured. It’s an inexpensive test that can be performed by any lab.
5. The French paradox is not so paradoxical. The French have one of the lowest rates of CVD in Europe and yet eat the most saturated fat. According to Colpo, wine consumption is not the correct explaination as the Italians also drink lots of red wine. It only seems paradoxical if one believes the dogma that saturated fat is a killer. Colpo argues that stress is a true risk factor. Stress is lowered and the post-meal rise in blood sugar is muted when one takes a relaxed attitude towards dining, as the French are famous for.
6. Vegetarianism is not so healthy. Colpo does advocate eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables but shows that meat is also of great value. Studies showing the benefit of excluding meat are subject to confounders (vegetarians excercise more and smoke less, for example) that when corrected for result in no benefit to vegetarians.
7. Colpo is a low carb advocate in order to control blood sugar but he is not fond of extreme ketogenic diets.
8. High iron stores are a risk factor for CVD. In Colpo’s view this is the reason pre-menopausal women (due to monthly blood loss) have a lower CVD risk than men and post-menopausal women. Pre-menopausal women retain much less iron, which is a pro-oxidant. See point 3 above. Colpo suggests testing serum ferritin levels to determine if one has too much iron. Colpo thinks the standard upper limit given for ferritin by most labs is way too high. So, if your doctor says you have normal iron stores check the reading yourself. Colpo also suggests methods to lower iron levels if too high.
Stats
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Well I haven’t read the book so technically I shouldn’t be reviewing it but here’s some statistics that may be useful for some. I’d likely be more inclined to give it a bad review as is the case with most of these books the author is ludicrously biased (including statistically) and goes off on an egocentric diatribe. That said, since I’ve not read it and wouldn’t presume to know it I’ve decided to be sporting and give it 5 stars.
Choose whether to take statins for yourself
Heres a summary of the most important if not all the data
CHOLESTEROL TREATMENT TRIALISTS COLLABORATION META-ANALYSIS OF ALL THE DATA. LANCET 2005:366:1267
Secondary prevention (if you’ve already got some form of vascular disease such as a previous heart attack or stroke):Number needed to treat:21 over 5 years to prevent one vascular event. ie. This means to prevent one person from having a stroke or heart attack 21 people would have to be on statins for 5 years .
Primary Prevention (if no established cardiovascular disease), in high risk patients: Number needed to treat of 40 over 5 years to prevent one event
FURTHER METANALYSIS OF THE PRIMARY PREVENTION TRIALS LANCET 2007:369:168. They found for patients with no pre-existing cardiovascular disease
1.No evidence of reduction in total mortality
2.Overall cardiovascular events reduced with statins (NNT OF 67 over 5 years)
3.Analysis suggests benefit is only seen in high risk men aged 30-69 (NNT 50)
4.Women did not seem to benefit, nor anyone over the age of 69
If you get side effects ask yourself if the benefits listed above are worth it.
The Great Cholesterol Con
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book is a must read if you have high cholesterol and the drugs aren’t working. My husband has been taking Lipitor and everything else to lower his cholesterol, nothing has worked. Now we know why. This book tells you things about cholesterol that the media won’t publish.