The Breakdown of Niacin May Cause Heart Attack, Stroke

Researchers find high blood levels of 4PY, a breakdown metabolite of niacin, are associated with double the risk of a cardiovascular event.

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estaff
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© AvailableLight | Getty Images Niacin and its related metabolites are increasingly sold as supplements to slow the aging process and included in energy drinks. Until these products have been studied, Dr. Hazen suggests avoiding these ingredients.

More than 50 years ago, niacin was among the first drugs used to lower cholesterol in hopes of preventing heart attack and stroke. Now, in an ironic turn of events, a team working with Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD, Chair of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute, discovered thata substance produced during the breakdown of niacin, 4PY, causes vascular inflammation, a contributor to heart disease.

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