Why do HIV positive people use niacin?
Niacin is a recommended treatment for dyslipidemia — higher-than-normal levels of fatty substances in the blood, such as cholesterol and triglycerides. Dyslipidemia is part of the HIV lipodystrophy syndrome. PHAs with dyslipidemia typically have: • very high levels of triglycerides • higher-than-normal levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad or “Lousy cholesterol”) • less-than-normal levels of HDL cholesterol (the good or “Healthy cholesterol”) Having these abnormal lipid levels increases the risk of heart attack or stroke. The Canadian Working Group on Hypercholesterolemia and Other Dyslipidemias specifically recommends niacin alone or in combination with lipid-lowering drugs, such as statins, for people with elevated triglycerides or low HDL cholesterol. In studies of HIV negative people, daily doses of 2–3 grams of niacin have been shown to do the following: lower LDL and total cholesterol by approximately 20%–30% lower triglycerides by 35%–55% increase HDL cholesterol by 20%–35% There a
