Niacin- NIASPAN study halted increase in Ischemic stroke.

[freeform]

I've been taking 1500mg of Niaspan (w/out statin) My glucose levels have shot up and I stopped taking it, levels now back to normal. Also, I have just gone for a regular check up with the Optometrist - I'm now at risk for Glaucoma I've been thoroughly researching Niaspan and Niacin, various sites say if you have Glaucoma do not supplement with Niacin??? (I've been taking regular Niacin for the past week - Glucose levels going up again ) Like some others on the board with a cholesterol dilemma - I'm really pee'd off trying to increase my HDL, decrease Trigs................ Anybody got any suggestions? Please don't say a statin - that was out to kill me too

Here is a recent study on Niaspan - study was stopped when a small increase in ischemic stroke was noted among those taking Niaspan compared to those taking placebo and implications on Abbott and Biosciences.

http://www.pharmatimes.com/article/11-0 ... ulled.aspx

Abbott's Niaspan fails to prevent heart attacks, trial pulled
WORLD NEWS | MAY 27, 2011

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/05/ ... 88536.html

Excerpt : A week earlier a panel of health advisers said another Abbott drug, Trilipix, should be re-labeled to indicate that it failed to lower heart attacks in a study of diabetics. Trilipix is a fibrate, a drug that lowers blood fats called triglycerides while boosting "good cholesterol."

[Cobraman]

Have you tried chromium or cinnamon w/ your niacin. It will better the efficiency of the insulin. Also any attempts to use fish oil or phosphorus(lecithin) to help glucose? The chromium and cinnamon are mainstream, fish oil and phosphorus are still under study.

[freeform]

[Saw]

Unless you or anyone else knows of another little gem?

The effects of grapefruit pectin on patients at risk for coronary heart disease without altering diet or lifestyle.
Cerda JJ, Robbins FL, Burgin CW, Baumgartner TG, Rice RW.
SourceDepartment of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville 32610.

Abstract
Dietary intake of cholesterol has been linked to coronary heart disease. The effect of grapefruit pectin (Citrus paradisi) on plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the low-density lipoprotein:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio was studied. The study design was a 16-week double-blind, crossover (placebo or pectin) using 27 human volunteers screened to be at medium to high risk for coronary heart disease due to hypercholesterolemia. The study did not interfere with the subjects' current diet or lifestyle. Grapefruit pectin supplementation decreased plasma cholesterol 7.6%, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 10.8%, and the low-density lipoprotein:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio 9.8%. The other plasma lipid fractions studied showed no significant differences. We conclude that a grapefruit pectin-supplemented diet, without change in lifestyle, can significantly reduce plasma cholesterol.

Note: grapefruit does have an effect on other medications
http://www.raysahelian.com/grapefruit.html

[ofonorow]

I suppose the only other option if this lipid disorder is a major player in CHD is to try and maintain HDL, LDL, VLDL and triglyceride levels through specific foods and exercise? Unless you or anyone else knows of another little gem?

I do not understand. Why are your trying to micro-manage cholesterol? What is your condition and what do you hope to gain? (If you want your total cholesterol around 180 mg/dl - take optimal vitamin C!)

[freeform]

Owen, I take optimal vitamin C! Or does bowel tolerance not equal optimal anymore?

So, what you are saying is providing your total cholesterol is 180 (anyone for a game of darts?) it does not matter what makes up that figure or the lipid ratio? Please enlighten me.

My condition? Just your common CHD. if you are saying that the only thing to take is Vitamin C then there is nothing I can learn from or contribute to this forum.

Saw-thank you for that information.

[Johnwen]

[ofonorow]

Owen, I take optimal vitamin C! Or does bowel tolerance not equal optimal anymore?

I think we have assumed that bowel tolerance is much closer to optimal than the RDA! However, it is no guarantee that everyone is getting what they need, even at bowel tolerance.

It is interesting - you can use your total cholesterol level to help determine whether your bowel tolerance vitamin C intake is optimal! e.g., If total cholesterol is above 180 mg/dl, and you are at bowel tolerance, you may require even more vitamin C. (In this case, we now recommend adding a liposomal form (e.g. Lypo-C) to overcome a low bowel tolerance.)

So, what you are saying is providing your total cholesterol is 180 (anyone for a game of darts?) it does not matter what makes up that figure or the lipid ratio? Please enlighten me.

In my lay opinion, no, it matters little what the ratios are. I believe that they have been contrived (studies contrived) to sell lipid lowering drugs. Johnwen may disagree.

I have been impressed with Ginter's well controlled experimental studies of Vitamin C and cholesterol which seem to indicate that a normal total cholesterol is 180 mg/dl. In my own case, after years of vitamin C, I had my cholesterol tested for life insurance reasons; it was 180 mg/dl and I take about 20,000 mg. I thought the number looked familiar - and checked HOW TO LIVE LONGER AND FEEL BETTER. Pauling reported the 180 mg/dl number in the book. Many people on high vitamin C have reported exactly the same result (which is a little weird considering biochemical individuality) and even the Manhattan Project physicist Jorgenson had the same experience (180 mg/dl) per his letter: http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/jorgensen.htm

The level of cholesterol in a persons blood varies inversely with the level of the ascorbic acid in the blood. When I learned of this I decided to perform an experiment on myself. My cholesterol level had been running at 240 units for several years. My doctor told me he could give me a drug to lower the cholesterol level but he was afraid of the damage that might be done by the drug. An experiment had been reported that a person's cholesterol level depended on the amount of white sugar ingested. With this information in mind, I decided to eliminate sucrose in my diet as much as I could in our culture while I arbitrarily set my intake of ascorbic acid at five gram per day. Much to my doctor's surprise, my cholesterol level fell from 240 units down to 180 units. I know of similar experiments with similar results. Also I have not had a cold since I have been taking the larger amount of ascorbic acid.

My condition? Just your common CHD. if you are saying that the only thing to take is Vitamin C then there is nothing I can learn from or contribute to this forum.
.

I don't follow. I simply asked a question (hoping to learn) what you hoped to accomplish by monitoring the cholesterol fractions? But yes, according to Pauling/Rath, Levy and others, vitamin C is by far the most important nutrient visa/vi CHD. I and others recommend many more supplements than vitamin C, See: http://www.practicingmedicinewithoutalicense.com/protocol/

[freeform]

I totally agree knowledge is key I learn much from this forum and the experience of others. I reacted to your post which prompted a retort with my frustration of conflicting information. Owen, I don't expect you to remember what everyone is taking supplement wise, or what books they have on their shelves - believe me I have yours, Linus Paulings feel better, Dr Sinatra & Dr Roberts reverse heart disease now my respect for ALL publications is immense.

Yeah, we can all get hit by a bus, and no doubt you will quite rightly recommend they take Vitamin C to recover. If we need to go down the road of analogy to explain the situation I think I get it by viewing Vitamin C as an ingredient in the foundation of a building and the skin, the insulation and U value however come from other contributing factors..... If the wrong muck is used to cement the bricks, there is the likely hood the structure is compromised - many factors can bring the house down.

I never viewed Niacin as a Statin, many people seem to obtain benefit in increasing their HDL with this Vitamin as did I. However, the side effects in some can be problematic and possibly cause other serious complications, and I thought this bit of information may be of interest to other members using it for HDL boost. If you are correct in your assumption that it doesn't matter what the ratio is, you just need it to be 180 then people are buying and taking high dose Niacin (with risk) for no reason. For a heart patient this is seriously bad news as my translation reads that the drug industry and the alternative therapy on the subject of cholesterol has not got a bloody clue and prescribing for it all the same.

My house is suffering a bit of subsidence now ...........

[ofonorow]

If you are correct in your assumption that it doesn't matter what the ratio is, you just need it to be 180 then people are buying and taking high dose Niacin (with risk) for no reason. For a heart patient this is seriously bad news as my translation reads that the drug industry and the alternative therapy on the subject of cholesterol has not got a bloody clue and prescribing for it all the same.

Bingo.

Add statin cholesterol drugs to Niacin.

However, if I had hypercholesterolemia - very high genetically induced cholesterol, I would take Niacin before any statin drug!

[freeform]

Bingo is good - we'll get a full house soon

My last total cholesterol reading was 6 I think that translates to 232 in US value. What do you classify as the high bracket?

[freeform]

[jknosplr]

Theodore Joregensen A true American to be sure!

I read his letter and was quite impressed by his resume. He says he retired when he was 70, and wrote the letter at age 97, he passed on at 100years. He never reveals at what age he began the VC protocol only that he began taking it. One may construe that he lived most of his life with cholesterol at 240 + or -. What his letter tells me is
1. Removing sugars and starches lower cholesterol (Johnwen and Bushy)
2. He did not have CVD and what ever his cholesterol ran at made no difference. (again cholesterol is not the issue)
3. He used 5 gr VC/day and was never had a cold. (I have not had one in several years either)
4. When witnessing a nuclear detention, stay way from the flash!

What ever else was in his genetics, diet and or environment seem to shield him from CVD even when exposed to unknown amounts of radiation. Perhaps it was the cod liver oil, or the grass hoppers.

http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/jorgensen.htm

[freeform]

Jk - nice one!

How are you getting on with your Statin?

[jknosplr]

Free
I take them along with 20gr VC and other vits everyday. Have no muscle pain, memory loss, cancer or other side effects that I can blame on them. At this point one has to diversify a bit and keep the bases covered if this is covering the bases.
stay well