When it comes to lowering your cholesterol, what the B vitamin niacin does in your liver may be the key to better heart health, according to research out of University of California, Irvine and the Atherosclerosis Research Center, VA Healthcare System in Long Beach.
This cell study indicates that niacin may help maintain adequate HDL cholesterol (the good kind) levels in the blood by hindering the liver from removing HDL from the blood, thus maintaining high plasma HDL levels. (Zhang L-H et al. Journal of Lipid Research. June 2008, 49: Pages 1195-1201.)
The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: B vitamins are essential for proper growth and maintenance of cells, tissue and organs. This new research helps us understand the heart healthy benefits of niacin, and adds to our knowledge about how this B vitamin produces anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects.
QUICK TIP: According to Jean Carper, boosting your HDL cholesterol levels may actually be more important than lowering your LDL cholesterol. Learn More