Help Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally

Dear Member,

Did you know there is a very effective, natural nutrient that safely improves heart health?* Most doctors don’t. And that’s too bad…

Bob, a 50-year-old man, came to me after learning that he was at a high risk of suffering disastrous heart problems. He learned from his doctor that his HDL (good) cholesterol was too low and that his LDL was too high. As a result, his doctor prescribed a statin drug.

But Bob didn’t like what happened next. He became extremely fatigued. His thinking slowed down, and he felt like an old man. That’s why he came to me. The first thing I told him was that it really doesn’t matter what your total cholesterol level is: as long as your HDL levels are high, your risk of heart-related health problems decreases dramatically.

One of the first things I did was to recommend that Bob consider a natural approach to managing his cholesterol rather than using a bazooka like so many conventional doctors would suggest.

I told Bob that most doctors never learned how to administer niacin properly so they are afraid to recommend it. And as usual, modern medicine has forgotten just how effective niacin is at improving heart health. I personally have used niacin for heart health safely with my patients for years and have seen amazing results.*

Niacin offers a lot of heart health benefits. For one, it has been found to increase HDL cholesterol by 20% to 35%. And no other solution is as effective.2*

It also:

• Decreases LDL by 5% to 25% and triglycerides by 30%. High triglycerides are also a big factor for heart health.3*
• Blocks the release of fatty acids from fat cells resulting in lower LDL and higher HDL.4*
• Improves nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity.5 This produces nitric oxide (NO) which causes the linings of your blood vessels to relax and open up, improving circulation, and helping your body to deliver oxygen in the blood more efficiently.*

The key to niacin is using the right amount and the right kind.

It’s very safe if used for only a few hours at a time and not for 24 hours a day, every day for extended periods. Too much can be toxic to your liver.

Unfortunately, 20 to 30 years ago, very slow-release niacin was used and caused liver toxicity in some people.6 This scared some doctors away from it.

That’s why I recommend sustained release niacin (sometimes referred to as extended release). It doesn’t act as slow as slow-release niacin which makes it much safer. Immediate release niacin is also safe but tends to cause a common side effect – hot flushes – more often than sustained release. Hot flushes are a redness, burning, and itchiness of the head, neck and frequently the chest and torso.

Some people are bothered by the hot flushes more than others. But most people find that they usually don’t last very long and tend to subside with the continued use of the niacin. Drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol and spicy foods also helps to alleviate hot flushes.

I recommend taking 500 mg a day of sustained release niacin for heart health benefits.* But depending on your situation you may need to take more therapeutic doses. I sometimes gradually increase the dose to up to 2 g per day. You should discuss this with your doctor as an alternative to statin drugs. Remember to ask about sustained release or extended release niacin.

Give your heart a powerful guardian against heart disasters .

You can also make sure you get some niacin in your diet. Here are some foods rich in niacin.7

Add some omega-3 to your niacin regimen for a double shot of heart health. They’re also good for increasing your good cholesterol.* One tablespoon of cod liver oil a day will do the trick.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears MD

1.Canner PL, Berge
KG, Wenger NK, et al. Fifteen year mortality in Coronary Drug Project patients: long-term benefit with niacin. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1986 Dec; 8(6):1245-55.
2. Davis W. “Using Niacin to Improve Cardiovascular Health”, LE Magazine, 3/07
3. Davis W.
4. Carlson LA. “Nicotinic acid: the broad-spectrum lipid drug. A 50th anniversary review”. J Intern Med. 2005 Aug; 258(2):94-114
5. Davis W.
6. Davis W.
7. Department of Preventative Medicine, “Nutrition Fact Sheet – B3”, Northwestern University, Viewed 1/25/09, http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/nutrition/factsheets/vitamin-b3.html