Does niacin really help lower cholesterol?

I have a Dr. perscription for Niacin to lower my colesterol. I am over 75 and in terrific health except for that. My count is267 Should I take the pills or step up my excercise ? I work 4-5 days a week on my feet for about 5 hours. Think I need more?

Why not do both? Niacin can be an effective way to lower your bad cholesterol when the problem is not too severe. 267 is not too bad for someone over 75, so Niacin would be a good first choice for starting out in controlling it. Niacin is very cheap and can be bought over-the-counter, so I wonder why your doctor even had to write a prescription for it. But by all means exercise too. Exercise is very important for raising your good cholesterol.

She didn't even know why you got a prescription for niacin, which is almost always given by prescription to achieve the dose necessary to lower cholesterol. Report It

It is one of the drugs used...it effects a biochemical pathway, but only take as directed from a physician...a lot of supplements are NOT FDA approved...and the niacin you get from a prescription is different than the one you buy alone at the store.

Yes it can. If you look at a lot of bread products and dairy they is niacin in it.

In fact Niacin is almost in every product you eat. However some have higher and lower doses of it.

Niacin didn't work for me. I have been using a product called Resq-1250. It lowered my colesterol from 227 to 187 and my triglycerids from 207 to 167.

niacin is a very common supplement for treating cholesterol. there are side effects that some experience however - hot flashes, flushing of the skin, etc. you should talk to your pharmacist about all the prescriptions you are taking and what effect they may have.

267 is very high for cholestrol count...you need to be taking either Lipitor or Zocor

niacin does help lower your cholesterol, you should also use it along with a healthy diet. some people are just more prone to high cholesterol thanks to heriditary factors, so it doesn't matter how much you exercise or how healthy your diet is, you just can't lower your cholesterol on your own. can't change your genes.

Your Dr. should know the best but I too have heard that Niacin ( slow release) can help lower cholesterol.
Also heard Flax Seed oil can too.

The Niacin should be taken as directed by your Dr. usually increasing a dosage overtime.
The slow release helps with the tingeling many people get and helps the absorption.
Of course brisk walking is a good form of excercise that can help too, along with waching what you eat.
Cheese and products containing animal fat, and red meat are the worst for you.
Good Luck, Combine evrything together and you should see some great results.

Are you interested in niacin specifically or other means, as well?

I just don't want to waste your time.

You need to lower your cholesterol. Niacin is always the first thing that doctors prescribe to lower bad blood lipids because it is dirt cheap (compared to the statins) and works very well. However, about 80% of people who take it refuse to continue taking the high doses necessary to lower cholesterol because it makes them feel like they are on fire, the hot flashes are often unbearable. It is then that people get prescribed lipitor or zocor. You have to remember that cholesterol is not a form of energy, so exercise does not lower LDL in the same way that eating less meat will lower LDL. Exercise is much better at raising HDL.