Common Vitamins That Could Increase Heart Disease Risk

Published in the journal Nature Medicine, the study reveals that up to 25% of individuals may have higher-than-recommended niacin levels. While niacin, also known as Vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid, was once suggested for cholesterol reduction, this study sheds light on its potential adverse effects on cardiovascular health.

This inflammation damages blood vessels and contributes to the formation of atherosclerosis, a buildup that significantly elevates the risk of strokes, heart attacks, and other major heart issues. 

“[W]e have reason to believe that taking too much niacin can potentially lead to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease,” Hazen said in a recent statement.

A major motivation behind this study is the persistence of heart disease in individuals adhering to recommended preventive measures

They include eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, limiting alcohol consumption, and effectively managing weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Heart disease stands as the leading cause of death in the U.S., contributing to 1 in 5 deaths in 2021.

Initially, the analysis of blood samples focused specifically on people being monitored for heart problems, but it was later expanded to a broader population.

These findings offer insights into the “niacin paradox,” a phenomenon where niacin’s cholesterol-lowering benefits are overshadowed by adverse effects, including an increased risk of diabetes, brain bleeding, skin problems, and gut issues.

Despite niacin’s ability to lower cholesterol, its unclear adverse effects seemed to counteract the expected benefits. Senior author Hazen notes that understanding residual cardiovascular risk is crucial, as it provides valuable insights beyond the initial research goals.

Pellagra symptoms include skin problems, diarrhea, and dementia, which shows the importance of niacin fortification during that period.

Particularly prevalent in the American South, pellagra ranked as the ninth or tenth leading cause of death, boasting a death rate comparable to malaria.

Hazen stated that “Given these findings, a discussion over whether a continued mandate of flour and cereal fortification with niacin in the U.S. could be warranted.”

As discussions evolve regarding the fortification of everyday products, the study contributes to our understanding of the complex relationship between niacin and heart health, emphasizing the need for balanced approaches to dietary supplementation.

Miller continues: “The good news is, you don’t have to spend any money on supplements.”

However, one exception is omega-3 or fish oil capsules. This fatty acid, found in fish and marine algae, can help the heart.

These two can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease according to the study. However, there is little evidence that any amount of vitamin D can protect the heart.

The issue is that you can tell how much monacolin K is in a supplement. “That may be fine if you’re not taking a statin, but if you are, you could be getting too much of the medication; that can cause muscle pain or even a life-threatening muscle breakdown that can damage other body systems,” says Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School (via Harvard).

However, people with heart disease should avoid L-arginine as a study that focused on heart attack survivors taking the pill had to stop early after six people in the study died.

However, garlic supplements do not show any signs that it is helping your heart health. Plus, the best way to get the garlic your body needs is to eat it in your food.

“Despite niacin lowering cholesterol, the clinical benefits have always been less than anticipated based on the degree of LDL [cholesterol] reduction. This led to the idea that excess niacin caused unclear adverse effects that partially counteracted the benefits of LDL lowering. We believe our findings help explain this paradox.”

Talk with your doctor if you are unsure how much niacin to take each day.

Niacinamide often appears in products that protect and nourish the skin or treat acne.

Research is still looking into niacin and how much is recommended for a person to take. However, each person is different and will need a different amount of niacin each day.

Miller says, “The FDA does not regulate supplement production, nor does the industry need to prove health benefits, so they can use vague language like ‘good for heart health’—but they cannot say ‘will lower blood pressure.'”

“Food offers a full complement of the antioxidants you need, not just selected ones in high doses,” Miller says.