How Much will Niacin Help if LDL Levels are Already Low?

Cleveland Clinic experts raise questions about a recent niacin study.

Published: January 9, 2012

Adding niacin to your cholesterol-control regimen may not further reduce your risk of cardiovascular events, including stroke and heart attack. A study in the Nov. 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that even though niacin can have a positive impact on HDL (good) cholesterol levels and triglycerides, patients who took niacin and who already had an LDL (bad) cholesterol level of 70 or lower did not see a significant reduction in major events.