Member-only story

The Critical and Synergistic Role of Niacin in Heart Health and Brain Function

Niacin (nicotinic acid and nicotinamide), aka vitamin B3, is a therapeutic agent used since 1955 as the oldest pleiotropic hypolipidemic agent.

Dr Mehmet Yildiz
EUPHORIA

--

Photo by Los Muertos Crew from Pexels

My fascination with niacin started in the 1980s when I was struggling with abdominal obesity and pre-diabetes. However, my research into it started with brain health and cognitive function in the 1990s. I found that niacin was vital in neuroprotection but also caused neuronal death in the central nervous system. As the brain and heart are related, I wondered about their role in cardiovascular health and investigated nuances.

Learning about pleiotropic hypolipidemic agents within the cardiometabolic health context was invaluable. Pleiotropic means the agent has multiple effects on various physiological processes beyond its primary intended purpose. In other words, it is synergistic.

In the context of hypolipidemic agents, which are drugs used to lower lipid levels in the blood (such as cholesterol and triglycerides), pleiotropic effects include reducing LDL and increasing HDL cholesterol, lowering triglycerides, making anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects, improving endothelial function, and stabilizing plaques.

--

--

Responses (39)