Dear Health Conscious Reader,
Get a load of this. Big Pharma giant Merck is trying to re-package one of Nature’s most potent heart health allies… and sell it to you as a heart “drug.”1
At this very moment, they’re heavily lobbying the FDA to get it approved.
The name of this new “drug” they’re suddenly so excited about? Vitamin B3. Also known as niacin.
I can see why Merck wants to patent niacin. It’s an amazing nutrient. And now that raising HDL has become such a big topic in the heart health world, they’re trying to capitalize on a solution that’s been around for years.
Big Pharma had been deliberately ignoring the importance of HDL for years because statin drugs only lowered LDL. That is until rival AstraZeneca was able to prove that Crestor could raise HDL… and raked in billions.
Now Merck is jumping on the HDL bandwagon by trying to patent its niacin formula.
But you can get all the benefits of niacin safely… without lining Big Pharma’s pockets.
I’ve been prescribing niacin for years. I have tested its effectiveness in thousands of patients in my 20 years practicing medicine.
And in study after study, niacin has proven itself to be a heart health warrior.2,3 For instance, I just came across an advance copy of a breakthrough study. It’s from the prestigious journal Atherosclerosis.
In a group with low HDL,4 niacin improved heart health markers across the board, including:
- 24% increase in HDL—the heart-healthy “good” cholesterol
- 35% increase in adiponectin, the hormone that melts fat away
- 38% decrease in LDL
- 12% decrease in triglycerides, the real culprit behind clogged arteries
First, start with a diet that boosts your intake of vitamin B3. Foods rich in niacin include liver, chicken, beef, avocadoes, tomatoes, and nuts. As always, stick with grass-fed meat, free-range chicken, and organic produce and nuts.
Second, supplements are a great way to go. In this case, it’s crucial you take the right dose—and limit how much is in your body at any given time. I recommend taking 500 mg of “sustained release” niacin.
Taking a bit too much can lead to “flushing”. So you may want to start with every other day and slowly work up. In my clinic, I often gradually increase to up to 2 grams per day.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD