Nutritionists consider niacin, also known as vitamin B3, a fundamental part of any diet. In fact, some cardiologists may prescribe high doses of niacin to their patients because of its cholesterol-lowering properties.

However, new analysis shows that natural medicineToo much niacin can cause inflammation of the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.[1]

The study’s authors, including several Cleveland Clinic researchers, evaluated the plasma of more than 1,100 adult heart patients in stable condition. Approximately 64% of patients were male. Two different molecules naturally produced by the body when breaking down excess niacin – N¹-Methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide (2PY) and N¹-Methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide (4PY)- was associated with an increased risk of serious adverse cardiovascular events. The researchers then found that injecting mice with 4PY instead of 2PY increased the presence of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), a molecule already involved in plaque formation.

Taken together, the group’s findings related to 2PY, 4PY, and VCAM-1 all suggest that excessive niacin degradation may have a negative impact on human arteries, causing the development of plaques that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. It suggests that.