Have any of you tried Niacin (a natural mineral and said to lowercholesterol). It is cheaper than statins and available over the counter at Walgreen's paharmacy in USA, or online from the company at
http://www.endur.com/index.cfm
A scientific abstract: (bold/unerlines are mine)
[Lipid and non-lipid effects of enduracin in patients with arterial hypertension] [Article in Russian]
Smolenskaia OG, Kazakov IaE, Barats SS.
AIM: To analyze lipid and non-lipid effects of 6-month administration of enduracin in patients with marked dislipoproteinemia suffering from arterial hypertension with ischemic heart disease or without it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 40 hypertensive patients (27 males and 13 females, mean age 52.43 +/- 1.68 years) entered the study of enduracin effects. Most of them received enduracine for 6 months in a dose 1500 mg/day. Lipids levels were measured in all the patients. Blood flow along major brain arteries was determined at transcranial dopplerography in 23 patients. RESULTS:
A 6-month course of enduracin in a dose 1500 mg/day promoted normalization of serum lipid spectrum, vascular tonicity and reactivity of cerebral arteries, produced a mild hypotensive effect. CONCLUSION: Endurance (a long-acting form of nicotinic acid) has favourable lipid and non-lipid effects in patients with dislipoproteinemias and arterial hypertension in the presence or absence of ischemic heart disease.
PMID: 10515030 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Post from :
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/...ghlight=niaspan
Re: Enduracin? does it lower numbers? any info?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've been using Enduracin for three years. My doctor does a full blood screening on me every four months. He has taken me off my cholesterol meds three months ago and said I can just stay on the Enduracin. He is very happy with my numbers and feels the niacin will hold me there. I haven't had any adverse effects from it at all. And, it's much cheaper than the Lipitor.