Niacin in patients with low HDL cholesterol levels receiving intensive statin therapy (AIM-HIGH trial)

Researchers studied 3,414 adults with heart disease, low HDL cholesterol often called “good cholesterol,” and high triglycerides, another type of blood fat. Everyone was already taking a statin, a medicine that lowers LDL cholesterol often called “bad cholesterol.” Half also took high-dose prescription niacin, a form of vitamin B3, and half took an inactive look-alike pill. After about three years, 16.4% of the niacin group and 16.2% of the inactive-pill group had a heart attack, stroke, or other major heart problem. The study was stopped early because niacin was not helping.

What this means for you: For people already taking effective statin treatment, adding prescription niacin did not reduce major heart problems in this study. It is not a supplement to buy for this purpose, and high-dose niacin can cause side effects.