Niacin supplements no benefit to cholesterol patients

For patients who buy Lipitor to manage their cholesterol levels, adding niacin supplements to their medication regimen may have little impact on their risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke, according to a new study.

The findings are significant because previous research has indicated that consuming higher levels of niacin, or vitamin B3, may be linked to improved heart health.

However, the University of Buffalo researchers who conducted the study said they found no such benefits when patients with high cholesterol but stable cardiovascular conditions took niacin supplements along with Lipitor.

The study observed the effects of the therapeutic approach in 1,718 individuals. Results showed that those who received niacin supplements finished the study with cholesterol levels similar to those who only took Lipitor.

"If you are a patient with stable cardiovascular disease who has achieved and maintained very low levels of LDL cholesterol on a statin for a long time period, these research findings indicate the addition of high-dose niacin does not improve your risk for future events, and is not needed," said lead researcher William Boden.