Bad News for Good Cholesterol

More confirmation that man-made logic can’t predict nature:

A study that found that niacin failed to prevent vascular disasters when added to statins was yet another disappointment of drug-induced attempts to boost HDL.

A surprising result

There was good reason to expect that the drugs would work better. Previous studies showed a 2% reduced risk of coronary disease associated with individuals for each 1 mg/dL increase in HDL levels. Important to note that these results were from an observational study of the natural history of health and disease—the study did not attempt to alter HDL levels.

So, it makes perfect sense that adding niacin to a statin would bump up HDL levels and slash the risk of heart disease. Very logical. But, apparently, very wrong.

The latest study, in addition to another niacin trial, AIM-HIGH, showed no benefit to adding niacin on top of a statin. An even more spectacular failure was noted with an experimental drug, torcetrapib, shown to boost HDL levels a whopping 72%, yet paradoxically caused even more cardiac problems and deaths.

What are ways to raise HDL that actually improve health?

Nutrition and lifestyle strategies that have multiple benefits, far beyond raising HDL levels, include:

• low-glycemic diet
• aerobic exercise
• weight loss
• smoking cessation

The folly is expecting to see the same benefits by artificially increasing HDL with drugs.

We scramble and nature laughs.

References:

Effects of Extended-Release Niacin with Laropiprant in High-Risk Patients

High-Density Lipoproteins: Epidemiologic Profile and Risks of Coronary Artery Disease

Niacin in Patients with Low HDL Cholesterol Levels Receiving Intensive Statin Therapy