Friday, June 4, 2010
Niacin to boost your HDL, 'good,' cholesterol
Niacin to boost your HDL, 'good,' cholesterol
Niacin is an important B vitamin that may raise your HDL, "good," cholesterol. Find out if you should talk to your doctor about taking niacin alone or with cholesterol medications.
By Mayo Clinic staff
Niacin, a B vitamin, has long been used to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol. HDL cholesterol helps sweep up low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, in your bloodstream. Although niacin is readily available and effective, it hasn't gotten much attention compared to other cholesterol drugs.
A lot of the attention regarding cholesterol has been focused on lowering your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol. That's still an important goal. But boosting your HDL level can be just as important as lowering your LDL cholesterol. Taking niacin — either by itself or along with other cholesterol-lowering medication — may help control your total cholesterol level.
What is niacin?
Niacin (nicotinic acid) is a B vitamin that's used by your body to turn carbohydrates into energy. Niacin also helps keep your nervous system, digestive system, skin, hair and eyes healthy. That's why niacin is often a part of a daily multivitamin, though most people get enough niacin from the food they eat.
You may see niacin labeled in different ways. As part of a multivitamin or supplement, it's often just referred to as niacin. When it's used as a treatment to increase your HDL cholesterol or correct a niacin deficiency, it's sold in higher doses that are prescribed by your doctor. Some common brand names of prescription niacin include:
Niaspan
Niacor
Slo-Niacin
Niacin is found in many foods, including:
Dairy products
Lean meats
Poultry
Fish
Nuts
Eggs
Enriched breads and cereals
Niacin is also available in a variety of different forms as either prescription medication or over-the-counter supplements. However, don't take niacin — even in the over-the-counter form — without discussing it with your doctor first because niacin can cause side effects when taken in high doses.
What impact does niacin have on cholesterol?
Niacin can raise HDL — the "good" cholesterol — by 15 to 35 percent. This makes niacin the most effective drug available for raising HDL cholesterol. While niacin's effect on HDL is of most interest, it's worth noting that niacin also decreases your LDL and triglyceride levels. High levels of LDL and triglycerides are significant risk factors for heart disease.
Why is having a high HDL cholesterol level important?
HDL, or "good," cholesterol picks up excess bad cholesterol in your blood and takes it back to your liver for disposal. The higher your HDL cholesterol, the less bad cholesterol you'll have in your blood.
Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L):
For men, HDL levels under 40 mg/dL or 1 mmol/L increase the risk of heart disease.
For women, HDL levels under 50 mg/dL or 1.3 mmol/L increase the risk of heart disease.
An HDL level above 60 mg/dL or 1.6 mmol/L is considered ideal for men or women.
Having a low HDL level by itself is a risk factor for developing heart disease. That means even if your LDL and other risk factors are normal, having a low HDL level still increases your risk of heart disease.
Niacin is an important B vitamin that may raise your HDL, "good," cholesterol. Find out if you should talk to your doctor about taking niacin alone or with cholesterol medications.
By Mayo Clinic staff
Niacin, a B vitamin, has long been used to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol. HDL cholesterol helps sweep up low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, in your bloodstream. Although niacin is readily available and effective, it hasn't gotten much attention compared to other cholesterol drugs.
A lot of the attention regarding cholesterol has been focused on lowering your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol. That's still an important goal. But boosting your HDL level can be just as important as lowering your LDL cholesterol. Taking niacin — either by itself or along with other cholesterol-lowering medication — may help control your total cholesterol level.
What is niacin?
Niacin (nicotinic acid) is a B vitamin that's used by your body to turn carbohydrates into energy. Niacin also helps keep your nervous system, digestive system, skin, hair and eyes healthy. That's why niacin is often a part of a daily multivitamin, though most people get enough niacin from the food they eat.
You may see niacin labeled in different ways. As part of a multivitamin or supplement, it's often just referred to as niacin. When it's used as a treatment to increase your HDL cholesterol or correct a niacin deficiency, it's sold in higher doses that are prescribed by your doctor. Some common brand names of prescription niacin include:
Niaspan
Niacor
Slo-Niacin
Niacin is found in many foods, including:
Dairy products
Lean meats
Poultry
Fish
Nuts
Eggs
Enriched breads and cereals
Niacin is also available in a variety of different forms as either prescription medication or over-the-counter supplements. However, don't take niacin — even in the over-the-counter form — without discussing it with your doctor first because niacin can cause side effects when taken in high doses.
What impact does niacin have on cholesterol?
Niacin can raise HDL — the "good" cholesterol — by 15 to 35 percent. This makes niacin the most effective drug available for raising HDL cholesterol. While niacin's effect on HDL is of most interest, it's worth noting that niacin also decreases your LDL and triglyceride levels. High levels of LDL and triglycerides are significant risk factors for heart disease.
Why is having a high HDL cholesterol level important?
HDL, or "good," cholesterol picks up excess bad cholesterol in your blood and takes it back to your liver for disposal. The higher your HDL cholesterol, the less bad cholesterol you'll have in your blood.
Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L):
For men, HDL levels under 40 mg/dL or 1 mmol/L increase the risk of heart disease.
For women, HDL levels under 50 mg/dL or 1.3 mmol/L increase the risk of heart disease.
An HDL level above 60 mg/dL or 1.6 mmol/L is considered ideal for men or women.
Having a low HDL level by itself is a risk factor for developing heart disease. That means even if your LDL and other risk factors are normal, having a low HDL level still increases your risk of heart disease.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) helps convert food into energy at a very basic, cellular level
COENZYME Q10 is a vitamin-like compound also called ubiquinone. It is an essential component of cells and is utilized by the mitochondria in the normal process of energy production. This Coenzyme Q10 is produced exclusively in Japan through a natural fermentation process. This safe and non-toxic product has been consumed by millions of people worldwide for decades. This Coenzyme Q10 is the highest quality available and synergistically blended with lecithin to aid in absorption.
Suggested Usage: As a dietary supplement, take 1 softgel 1 to 3 times daily, preferably with meals.
Additional information:
CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) helps convert food into energy at a very basic, cellular level and it is an antioxidant. CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) is one in a series of ubiquinones, naturally occurring compounds produced in nearly every cell of the body, and was discovered as recently as 1957.
Doctors commonly prescribe CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) to treat heart disease in Japan, Sweden, Italy, Canada, and other countries.
Common Uses for CoQ10:
* Improves the heart and circulation in those with congestive heart failure, a weakened heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders, chest pain (angina), or Raynaud's disease.
* Treats gum disease and maintains health gums and teeth.
* Protects the nerves and may help slow Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.
* May help prevent cancer and heart disease, and play a role in slowing down age-related degenerative changes.
* May improve the course of AIDS or cancer.
The primary function of CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) is as a catalyst for metabolism - the complex chain of chemical reactions during which food is broken down into packets of energy that the body can use. Acting in conjunction with enzymes, the compound speeds up the vital metabolic process, providing the energy that the cells need to digest food, heal wounds, maintain healthy muscles, and perform countless other bodily functions. Because of the nutrient's essential role in energy production, it's not surprising that it is found in every cell in the body. It is especially abundant in the energy-intensive cells of the heart, helping this organ beat more than 100,000 times each day. In addition, coenzyme Q10 acts as an antioxidant, much like vitamins C and E, helping to neutralize the cell-damaging molecules known as free radicals.
CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) may play a role in preventing cancer, heart attacks, and other diseases linked to free-radical damage. It's also used as a general energy enhancer and anti-aging supplement. Because levels of the compound diminish with age (and with certain diseases), some doctors recommend daily supplementation beginning about age 40.
CoQ10 has generated much excitement as a possible therapy for heart disease, especially congestive heart failure or a weakened heart. In some studies, patients with a poorly functioning heart have been found to improve greatly after adding the supplement to their conventional drugs and therapies. Other studies have shown that people with cardiovascular disease have low levels of this substance in their heart. Further research suggest that CoQ10 may protect against blood clots, lower high blood pressure, diminish irregular heartbeats, treat mitral valve prolapse, lessen symptoms of Raynaud's disease (poor circulation in the extremities), and relieve chest plains (angina)).
A few small studies suggest that CoQ10 may prolong survival in those with breast or prostate cancer, though results remain inconclusive. It also appears to aid healing and reduce pain and bleeding in those with gum disease, and speed recovery following oral surgery. CoQ10 shows some promise against Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Diseases and fibromyalgia, and it may improve stamina in those with AIDS. Certain practitioners believe the nutrient helps stabilize blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. There are many other claims make for CoQ10 that it slows aging, aids weight loss, enhances athletic performance, combats chronic fatigue syndrome, relieves multiple allergies, and boosts immunity.
The CoQ10 Cure?
Latest Benefit of Promising Antioxidant May be Neurodegenerative Disease
By Melinda T. Willis
Oct. 15, 2002 — Q10 or CoQ10, a commonly available dietary supplement, may soon be on many more people's lips … literally.
A powerful over-the-counter antioxidant, coenzyme Q10 has demonstrated significant potential in several disease areas from cardiology to cataracts to cancer. And now new research suggests it could help bring new hope to those with Parkinson's, the devastating neurodegenerative disease.
A study published in the journal Archives of Neurology suggests that coenzyme Q10 - CoQ10 may be able to accomplish what current treatments for Parkinson's disease cannot; slow its progression. The ailment afflicts between one-million and 1½ million Americans with 50,000 new cases reported every year.
In Parkinson's disease, research has shown that this free radical damage is greater in the area of the brain responsible for movement control, which leads to cell death and development of the disease.
In the latest research, 80 Parkinson's sufferers were randomly assigned to receive coenzyme Q10 at three different doses, or a placebo. The progressive deterioration in movement that characterizes the disease was slowed by 44 percent in those who took the highest doses.
Parkinson's is not the only neurodegenerative ailment for which coenzyme Q10's antioxidant effects may have an application.
In one recent trial published in the journal Neurology, CoQ10 was shown to have a 14 percent effect in slowing the progression of Huntington's disease. While this finding did not achieve statistical significance, it was viewed as encouraging nonetheless.
"The maximum dose was 600 milligrams per day," explains Dr. Flint Beal, professor and chair of neurology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York. "The dose that was used in the Parkinson's trial that shows the biggest effect is 1,200 milligrams per day. So it's conceivable that using a higher dose in Huntington's disease might have a bigger effect."
Q10 has shown small significant benefit in treating ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and it has also has been used to treat a range of rare pediatric neurological diseases.
And while no research has been conducted to date, theoretical evidence suggests that coenzyme Q10 may help treat Alzheimer's disease. "From a conceptual standpoint, it is very reasonable to hypothesize that it could potentially be beneficial, particularly in view of this evidence from Parkinson's disease," adds Beal.
A six-year long study conducted by researchers at Scott and White Hospital in Temple, Texas, explored the use of CoQ10 in 126 heart failure patients in the early 1980s to find out whether the already established potential of Q10 in healing hearts could be sustained.
"They did great," says Dr. Peter Langsjoen, a cardiologist in private practice in Tyler, Texas, who conducted the study. "The improvement in heart function was sustained and if anything, the mortality was about a third of what was expected."
Heart muscle, because it is in constant motion, is high in CoQ10. Although it is not well understood, levels of Q10 decrease as people age and can be depleted even further when the heart muscle is damaged.
Because any disease process that involves free radical damage could be treated with coenzyme Q10, the theoretical therapeutic potential of this compound seems limitless. Cataracts, macular degeneration, side effects of chemotherapy and skin damage related to radiation exposure could all be helped by doses of Q10, proponents believe.
Coenzyme Q10 is also remarkably well tolerated, with few side effects noted in many trials that have studied its use.
The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Suggested Usage: As a dietary supplement, take 1 softgel 1 to 3 times daily, preferably with meals.
Additional information:
CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) helps convert food into energy at a very basic, cellular level and it is an antioxidant. CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) is one in a series of ubiquinones, naturally occurring compounds produced in nearly every cell of the body, and was discovered as recently as 1957.
Doctors commonly prescribe CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) to treat heart disease in Japan, Sweden, Italy, Canada, and other countries.
Common Uses for CoQ10:
* Improves the heart and circulation in those with congestive heart failure, a weakened heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders, chest pain (angina), or Raynaud's disease.
* Treats gum disease and maintains health gums and teeth.
* Protects the nerves and may help slow Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.
* May help prevent cancer and heart disease, and play a role in slowing down age-related degenerative changes.
* May improve the course of AIDS or cancer.
The primary function of CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) is as a catalyst for metabolism - the complex chain of chemical reactions during which food is broken down into packets of energy that the body can use. Acting in conjunction with enzymes, the compound speeds up the vital metabolic process, providing the energy that the cells need to digest food, heal wounds, maintain healthy muscles, and perform countless other bodily functions. Because of the nutrient's essential role in energy production, it's not surprising that it is found in every cell in the body. It is especially abundant in the energy-intensive cells of the heart, helping this organ beat more than 100,000 times each day. In addition, coenzyme Q10 acts as an antioxidant, much like vitamins C and E, helping to neutralize the cell-damaging molecules known as free radicals.
CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) may play a role in preventing cancer, heart attacks, and other diseases linked to free-radical damage. It's also used as a general energy enhancer and anti-aging supplement. Because levels of the compound diminish with age (and with certain diseases), some doctors recommend daily supplementation beginning about age 40.
CoQ10 has generated much excitement as a possible therapy for heart disease, especially congestive heart failure or a weakened heart. In some studies, patients with a poorly functioning heart have been found to improve greatly after adding the supplement to their conventional drugs and therapies. Other studies have shown that people with cardiovascular disease have low levels of this substance in their heart. Further research suggest that CoQ10 may protect against blood clots, lower high blood pressure, diminish irregular heartbeats, treat mitral valve prolapse, lessen symptoms of Raynaud's disease (poor circulation in the extremities), and relieve chest plains (angina)).
A few small studies suggest that CoQ10 may prolong survival in those with breast or prostate cancer, though results remain inconclusive. It also appears to aid healing and reduce pain and bleeding in those with gum disease, and speed recovery following oral surgery. CoQ10 shows some promise against Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Diseases and fibromyalgia, and it may improve stamina in those with AIDS. Certain practitioners believe the nutrient helps stabilize blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. There are many other claims make for CoQ10 that it slows aging, aids weight loss, enhances athletic performance, combats chronic fatigue syndrome, relieves multiple allergies, and boosts immunity.
The CoQ10 Cure?
Latest Benefit of Promising Antioxidant May be Neurodegenerative Disease
By Melinda T. Willis
Oct. 15, 2002 — Q10 or CoQ10, a commonly available dietary supplement, may soon be on many more people's lips … literally.
A powerful over-the-counter antioxidant, coenzyme Q10 has demonstrated significant potential in several disease areas from cardiology to cataracts to cancer. And now new research suggests it could help bring new hope to those with Parkinson's, the devastating neurodegenerative disease.
A study published in the journal Archives of Neurology suggests that coenzyme Q10 - CoQ10 may be able to accomplish what current treatments for Parkinson's disease cannot; slow its progression. The ailment afflicts between one-million and 1½ million Americans with 50,000 new cases reported every year.
In Parkinson's disease, research has shown that this free radical damage is greater in the area of the brain responsible for movement control, which leads to cell death and development of the disease.
In the latest research, 80 Parkinson's sufferers were randomly assigned to receive coenzyme Q10 at three different doses, or a placebo. The progressive deterioration in movement that characterizes the disease was slowed by 44 percent in those who took the highest doses.
Parkinson's is not the only neurodegenerative ailment for which coenzyme Q10's antioxidant effects may have an application.
In one recent trial published in the journal Neurology, CoQ10 was shown to have a 14 percent effect in slowing the progression of Huntington's disease. While this finding did not achieve statistical significance, it was viewed as encouraging nonetheless.
"The maximum dose was 600 milligrams per day," explains Dr. Flint Beal, professor and chair of neurology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York. "The dose that was used in the Parkinson's trial that shows the biggest effect is 1,200 milligrams per day. So it's conceivable that using a higher dose in Huntington's disease might have a bigger effect."
Q10 has shown small significant benefit in treating ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and it has also has been used to treat a range of rare pediatric neurological diseases.
And while no research has been conducted to date, theoretical evidence suggests that coenzyme Q10 may help treat Alzheimer's disease. "From a conceptual standpoint, it is very reasonable to hypothesize that it could potentially be beneficial, particularly in view of this evidence from Parkinson's disease," adds Beal.
A six-year long study conducted by researchers at Scott and White Hospital in Temple, Texas, explored the use of CoQ10 in 126 heart failure patients in the early 1980s to find out whether the already established potential of Q10 in healing hearts could be sustained.
"They did great," says Dr. Peter Langsjoen, a cardiologist in private practice in Tyler, Texas, who conducted the study. "The improvement in heart function was sustained and if anything, the mortality was about a third of what was expected."
Heart muscle, because it is in constant motion, is high in CoQ10. Although it is not well understood, levels of Q10 decrease as people age and can be depleted even further when the heart muscle is damaged.
Because any disease process that involves free radical damage could be treated with coenzyme Q10, the theoretical therapeutic potential of this compound seems limitless. Cataracts, macular degeneration, side effects of chemotherapy and skin damage related to radiation exposure could all be helped by doses of Q10, proponents believe.
Coenzyme Q10 is also remarkably well tolerated, with few side effects noted in many trials that have studied its use.
The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
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