Mechanism of Action of Niacin
While I have been aware of niacin’s beneficial aspects on lipids for quite some time, I personally have not recommended niacin to patients, mainly because I’ve viewed it from a pharmaceutical perspective, mistakenly believing that it will lower lipid levels at a superficial level while leaving underlying physiological abnormalities untouched. Well…looks like we can all be wrong sometimes.
This article suggests that niacin actually has cellular effects that shift serum lipids from to a less atherogenic profile (i.e. from a low density fatty molecule to a more dense protein molecule). So, while lifestyle changes still need to be implemented, niacin may well prove to be a powerful ally in getting lipid levels under control and protecting our vasculature in the process.