On Niacin, looking for other ways to lower cholesterol

[ofonorow]

I started taking 1000 mg Niacin SR two weeks ago for cholesterol; I don't think I am tolerating it well. I take the True-Liposomal Vitamin C daily, one teaspoon. Do you sell a product that would be good for lowering cholesterol but without stevia?

Vitamin C powder.

As far as I know, nothing is better than optimal vitamin C for regulating cholesterol to 180 mg/dl.

What are your numbers? Even if you cannot tolerate stevia, you may be able to tolerate ascorbic acid powder. I don't know if you follow our forum, but my cholesterol, which was 180 for a long time, dropped to 170 mg/dl when I added lysine, is now around 130 mg/dl - or too low!

Linus Pauling (and associates) identified a single (sticky) form of LDL cholesterol called Lp(a). This is the dangerous cholesterol that can form atherosclerotic plaques. Pauling's invention to make Lp(a) less sticky is to add lysine to vitamin C. (later research at the Univ. of Chicago shows that proline is also involved.) Depending on your Lp(a) reading, you would also want to consider the amino acid lysine. Both lysine and vitamin C are available in drug stores as pills.

[ofonorow]

Thanks for replying so promptly.

I check out the forum periodically. My screen name is Esmeralda.

i used Cardio-C for a while until I developed an intolerance for Stevia. It took me a while to figure it out, until I had Stevia in something else and developed the same gastrointestinal problems. You had suggested that I try the Liposomal Vitamin C; I have the autoship for Liposomal Vitamin C that I take everyday, plus the Vitamin C powder (ascorbic acid powder) from the Vitamin C Foundationthat I take every so often. I am able to tolerate both products.

I started on the Niacin Extended Release last week, beginning with 500 mg the first day. I immediately had the flushing and itching when I increased the dosage to 500 mg two times per day. Instead of the symptoms leveling off, they persisted. So I took myself off the Niacin completely.

Every product that I looked at on Vitamin C Foundation and Tower Labs has stevia, so I have had to eliminate those products.

The VAP test was completed on 11-24-15. Here are the results:

apoB100-calc LC 105
Cholesterol, Total LC 221 (high)
HDL-2 (Most Protective) LC 17
HDL-3 (Less Protective) LC 42
HDL Cholesterol LC 59
IDL Cholesterol LC 11
LDL-R (Real)-C LC 123 (high)
LDL1 Pattern A LC 18.1
LDL 2 Pattern A LC 53.6
LDL 3 Pattern B LC 48.6
LDL 4 Pattern B LC 2.3
LDL Cholesterol LC 146 (high)
LDL Density Pattern LC A
Lp(a) Cholesterol LC 13.0 (high)
Non HDL Cholesterol (LDL + VLDL) 162 (high)
Probably Metabolic Syndrome LC No
Remnant Lipo (IDL + VLDL 3) LC 21
Triglycerides LC 61
VLDL-3 (Small Remnant )LC 10 (high)
VLDL Cholesterol LC 16

Any suggestions that you or Johnwen have are welcomed. Thank you for your interest.

These numbers tell me is that you, individually, can metabolize and thus require more vitamin C than you are taking (total cholesterol above 180 mg/dl). The elevated Lp(a) tells me that you should also be taking lysine (and probably proline) to protect from this "sticky" form of LDL cholesterol.

Sorry about the Stevia. Our "niche" is the convenient drink mix, but you can find lysine as pills and Pauling would suggest that you try to take around 5000 mg (usually 10 pills daily).

In my case, after all these years, my cholesterol is too low! (around 130 mg/dl) and my Lp(a) is almost zero. I have been taking close to 20,000 mg of Vitamin C, since reading Linus Pauling's book in 1986.

[Johnwen]

[Esmeralda]

I am 63 years old. My estrogen and other hormones are supplemented with EPT hormonal drops to non-torso area daily. I had a nasty run-in with Crestor several years ago, which is how I initially found this site. I have thyroiditis and am optimized on Armour Thyroid. My blood pressure is in the normal range. I eat salmon or trout daily, unless I eat out; then it is red meat!

In addition to the Niacin, I was on Omega 3 and pharmaceutical grade resveratrol. Even with the slow-release niacin, the side effects are extremely uncomfortable, and tend to be random. I had hoped that the side effects would lessen over time, but that has not been the case.

[ofonorow]

While we wait for further thoughts from johnwen, I wonder about the resveratrol. In my life extension reading, I think I understand where the resveratorl idea comes from. The only proven "life extension" modality, calorie restriction, does "rejuvenate" (at least mice) and the change in gene expression related to the "stress" of restricting calories is known. It was also discovered that the "poison" resveratrol puts a similar stress on us and creates a similar gene expression as calorie restriction - without having to be deprived of food.

Resveratrol and other similar substances (like red yeast rice) seems to be a poison plants develop for self protection. (I'm sure people will correct me if I am wrong about this.) The calorie-restriction research is compelling, but how sure are we that the analogy from taking the poison resveratrol is valid? I believe there are calorie restriction experiments in primates, and that the results weren't all that good.

[Johnwen]

[Georgehaslostweight]

Have you tried all lifestyle adjustments including veganism and no oil at all? Plus exercise and relaxation? Remember too that losing weight raises LDL short term

[RatherBeUnknown]

[Esmeralda]

Here is an update of my labs from 5-27-16 with a comparison from 8-26-16. I take 6000 mg Vitamin C powder and 1 teaspoon lysine daily:

5-27-16. 8-26-16
Cholesterol. 185. 316
Triglycerides. 66. 78
Lipoprotein HDL. 55. 82
LDL calculation. 117. 218
Chom/HDL ratio. 3. 4

I am having to add baking soda to the vitamin c mix because of developing heartburn. My PCP is extremely impressed with the numbers and told me to keep doing what I am doing!

[exitium]

Here is an update of my labs from 5-27-16 with a comparison from 8-26-16. I take 6000 mg Vitamin C powder and 1 teaspoon lysine daily:

5-27-16. 8-26-16
Cholesterol. 185. 316
Triglycerides. 66. 78
Lipoprotein HDL. 55. 82
LDL calculation. 117. 218
Chom/HDL ratio. 3. 4

I am having to add baking soda to the vitamin c mix because of developing heartburn. My PCP is extremely impressed with the numbers and told me to keep doing what I am doing!

Thats a great improvement!

On an aside, messed up sex hormones often go hand in hand with thyroid function. Have you ever tried suppplementing lugols iodine/selenium to see if you could address the thyroid problems?