Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Researchers discovered that niacin affects a receptor on liver cells to explain how it reduces cholesterol levels.

The American Heart Association (AHA) defines cholesterol as “a soft, waxy substance found among the (fats) in the bloodstream…[that is]…an important part of a healthy body because it’s used to form cell membranes, some hormones and is needed for other functions”. It is absolutely essential to proper function of your cells (1).

But high levels of cholesterol are “a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack”. As a result, the AHA recommends that total cholesterol levels remain below 200 mg/dL, with LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) below 70 mg/dL and HDL cholesterol (“good cholesterol”) above 40 mg/dL (1).

Fortunately, a number of ways have been found to help with cholesterol health, including psyllium (2), plant sterols for both diabetics (3) and those without diabetes (4), chitosan (5), guar gum (6), rice bran oil (7), curcumin (8), fish oil (9), and soy (10). Another way to help with healthy cholesterol levels includes niacin, a vitamin known to help maintain healthy HDL cholesterol levels (11), but how it accomplishes this has remained elusive (12). The current RDA for niacin is 16 mg per day for men and 14 mg per day for women (13).

Now a new study (14) may have found just how niacin helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels. In the study, researchers discovered that niacin affects a receptor on liver cells called ATP Synthase. Specifically, niacin decreased activity of the ATP Synthase receptor by as much as 27% (p<0.01) and also decreased HDL uptake by liver cells by 35% (p<0.01) , allowing HDL cholesterol to remain in the blood and improve overall cholesterol levels. These results are significant because it “explain[s] how niacin’s unique mechanism of action makes it a potent agent for atherosclerosis treatment.”

For the researchers, “The findings add to our expanding knowledge of the mechanism of niacin action on its wide range of clinical effects, including [maintaining healthy cholesterol levels]…and anti-inflammatory, anti-[clotting] and [detoxifying] effects.”

Source: Zhang, Lin-Hua, Vaijinath S. Kamanna, Michael C. Zhang, and Moti L. Kashyap. “Niacin inhibits surface expression of ATP synthase β chain in HepG2 cells: implications for raising HDL.” Journal of lipid research 49, no. 6 (2008): 1195-1201.

Posted January 27, 2015.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at mail to:PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.CompleteChiropracticHealthcare.com.

References:

  1. “Cholesterol” posted on americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4488
  2. Moreyra, A. E., A. C. Wilson, et al. (2005). “Effect of combining psyllium fiber with simvastatin in lowering cholesterol.” Arch Intern Med 165(10): 1161-6
  3. Lichtenstein A. H.  Rice bran oil consumption and plasma lipid levels in moderately hypercholesterolemic humans. Thromb. 1994; 14:549-556
  4. Jenkins DJA.  Effect of plant sterols in combination with other cholesterol-lowering foods.  Metabolism 2008; 57(1): 130-139
  5. Hossain, S., et al., Effects of shrimp (Macrobracium rosenbergii)-derived chitosan on plasma lipid profile and liver lipid peroxide levels in normo- and hypercholesterolaemic rats. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol, 2007. 34(3): p. 170-6
  6. Shahzadi N.  Effect of guar gum on the serum lipid profile of Sprague Dawley rats.  Food Sci Tech 2007: 40(7): 1198-1205
  7. Most, M. M., R. Tulley, et al. (2005). “Rice bran oil, not fiber, lowers cholesterol in humans.” Am J Clin Nutr 81(1): 64-8
  8. Peschel D.  Curcumin induces changes in expression of genes involved in cholesterol homeostasis.  Jou Nutr Biochem. In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 18 May 2006
  9. Kelley DS.  Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation improves fasting and postprandial lipid profiles in hypertriglyceridemic men Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86:324 –33
  10. Cho SJ.  Cholesterol Lowering Mechanism of Soybean Protein Hydrolysate.  Jou Agr Food Chem 2007; 55(26): 10599 – 10604
  11. Carlson, L. A. 2006. Nicotinic acid and other therapies for raising high-density lipoprotein. Opin. Cardiol. 21: 336–344
  12. Kamanna, V. S., and M. L. Kashyap. 2007. Nicotinic acid (niacin) receptor agonists: will they be useful therapeutic agents? J. Cardiol. 100: S53–S61
  13. “Niacin” posted on nal.usda.gov/fnic/DRI//DRI_Thiamin/123-149_150.pdf
  14. Zhang LH. Niacin inhibits surface expression of ATP synthase β chain in HepG2 cells: implications for raising HDL J. Lipid Res. 2008 49: 1195-1201. First Published on March 3, 2008; doi:10.1194/jlr.M700426-JLR200