Niacin at 56 Years of Age — Time for an Early Retirement?

A reduction in serum cholesterol with niacin therapy in humans was first described in 1955, when Altschul and colleagues reported, in a letter to the editor, the findings in 11 healthy medical students and 57 patients.1 Subsequent clinical studies showed multiple favorable effects of niacin therapy on lipid particles, including decreases in levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, small dense LDL cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein, lipoprotein(a), and apolipoprotein B and increases in levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and selective lipoprotein A-1 particles.2 The mechanism of action of niacin is complex, involves several biochemical pathways, and is still not well . . .