Re: Happy and Luella

"Some concern has been raised by a recent report, which found that niacin raises homocysteine levels. But in fact, this finding represents yet further proof of niacin’s benefits for heart health, and an opportunity to make them even stronger. That is, since persons taking niacin alone, even with this Hcy-raising effect, still end up with lower rates of both heart attack and death than those not receiving the supplement, it is reasonable to speculate that taking niacin with homocysteine-lowering nutrients may result in even greater reductions in risk. Hcy-lowering nutrients include the vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid, along with trimethylglycine (TMG) – and, to a lesser extent, B2 (riboflavin). Animal studies confirm that B vitamins lower Hcy without inhibiting niacin’s cholesterol-balancing function"

Well, they're certainly honest when they say they're speculating! Again, WHY are you taking niacin? Elevated homocysteine is a risk factor for heart disease, but the evidence that lowering homocysteine lowers the risk is mixed, and niacin alone does NOT elevate the risk of cardiovascular incident (it decreases it), despite the increased homocysteine. If your goal is to lower cholesterol, there's no requirement that you supplement with additional B-vitamins.

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