There is a vitamin that you can't get enough of in your diet to make a significant difference in your cardiovascular health. In fact, you can't get it in a dietary supplement form either -- no natural pill, powder, or capsule. But if you exercise regularly then your body will produce the same effects naturally! Otherwise, it's off to the doctor for a dosage only available by prescription. 

Niacin or 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.

When it's used as a treatment to increase your HDL or “good” cholesterol, it's sold in higher doses that are prescribed by your doctor. It's not possible to get enough niacin from the food you eat to increase your HDL cholesterol.

Niacin has been shown to raise HDL cholesterol by 15 to 35 percent. This makes niacin the most effective drug available for raising HDL cholesterol! In addition, niacin can also decrease your LDL (or bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels. High levels of LDL and triglycerides are significant risk factors for heart disease. More research is necessary to see how effective niacin might be compared with other heart disease medications. Please talk to your health care provider if you're interested in taking niacin to improve your cholesterol.

But here's the good news: you can increase your HDL cholesterol by exercising! Daily exercise increases your HDL to help clean out those arteries. In addition, don’t forget to keep up your fiber intake as fiber will also help increase HDL and lower LDL cholesterol!

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Wishing you good health!

Mike Woodley, R.Ph, FAARM, FMNM