- There are several non-modifiable and preventable risk factors for heart disease.
- Researchers recently discovered that high levels of a common B vitamin called niacin in the body may contribute to cardiovascular disease.
- They found that excess niacin can cause blood vessel inflammation, which can lead to atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque on artery walls.
Approximately 20.5 million people will die from cardiovascular diseases worldwide in 2021, accounting for one-third of all deaths worldwide.
There are some risk factors for heart disease that cannot be modified.
Now, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Institute report in a new study that high levels of a common B vitamin called niacin in the body may contribute to cardiovascular disease. , added to the list of potentially modifiable risk factors.
This study was recently published in the journal
Finding a potential link between niacin and heart disease was not the original aim of the study, said Jan Bleeksma, professor of vascular cell biology and atherosclerosis and director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Prevention. said Dr. Stanley Hazen, director and director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Prevention. said the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Institute for Microbiome and Human Health and the study’s lead author. Today’s medical news.
“Our initial goal was to identify new pathways that cause heart disease. Most events (heart attacks, strokes, deaths) will still occur, or at best the event rate will be reduced by 50%. This means there are other pathways that we are not addressing. ,” Dr. Hazen explained.
Dr. Hazen said he and his team are looking for compounds in the blood that may contribute to the future development of heart attack, stroke, or death, independent of traditional risk factors.
“The compound is
“We then conducted preclinical studies (animal models) and cell-based studies, all of which showed that this compound contributed to vascular inflammation. It turned out to be a product,” he said. MNT.
Niacin, also known as vitamin B-3, is one of the eight B vitamins.
Niacin helps your body convert the food you eat into energy. Also,
Your body cannot produce niacin, so you must get it from food or supplements.
For example, the body
Niacin is also found naturally in legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. There are also foods fortified with niacin, such as cereals and breads.
The body does not store niacin. Any excess that is not used is removed from the body through urine.
For this study, Dr. Hazen and his team studied the fasting plasma of approximately 1,100 people with stable heart health.
As a result of their analysis, researchers found that elevated circulating levels of N1-methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide (4PY) are strongly associated with the development of heart attacks, strokes, or other unhealthy cardiac events. I discovered that.
“Our study found that high levels of 4PY in the blood predict future heart disease. These new studies may help identify new pathways that contribute to heart disease. ” said Dr. Hazen.
However, Dr. Hazen said the main takeaway for readers is not that they should completely refrain from niacin intake, but that that is not a realistic and healthy approach.
Over-the-counter niacin supplements
“Given these findings, there will be a debate as to whether continuing mandates for fortifying flour and grains with niacin in the United States are justified. Patients should be advised to You should consult your doctor and focus on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables while avoiding excess carbohydrates.”
— Dr. Stanley Hazen
Scientists also discovered that 4PY can directly cause vascular inflammation, damaging blood vessels and causing plaque buildup on artery walls, known as atherosclerosis.
“Atherosclerosis is caused by both high cholesterol and inflammation. We know how to treat the high cholesterol side, but we don’t know how to treat the inflammatory side. This pathway is primarily caused by vascular inflammation. appears to be involved in this,” Dr. Hazen said.
“(Our) research reveals that excess niacin promotes inflammation (and) cardiovascular disease through a newly discovered pathway. This is important because it provides the basis for potential new interventions and treatments.”
— Dr. Stanley Hazen
Dr. Hazen said the discovery of this association calls for more research to be done.
“On the other hand, vascular inflammation is the root cause of many diseases/phenotypes, such as heart failure, stroke, and other forms of vascular disease, so what other cardiovascular diseases/phenotypes are linked to 4PY? We need to investigate whether they are related,” he said. He explained.
“Beyond this, we want to focus on how to disrupt this pathway and leverage our newly gained knowledge to develop treatments,” he added.
MNT We also spoke with Dr. Chen-Han Chen, board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California, about the study.
“This study identified excess niacin, particularly its degraded metabolite 4PY, as a risk factor for serious adverse cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke,” Dr. Chen explained.
“Niacin was previously prescribed as a therapeutic drug, but
drugs that lower cholesterol , its use fell out of favor after multiple studies found it did not benefit cardiovascular health as much as originally thought. This study could put another nail in the coffin for the use of niacin in heart disease. ”
— Dr. Chen-Han Chen
Meanwhile, Dr. Charles Brenner, the Alfred E. Mann Professor of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism and a cardiovascular expert with a special interest in NAD+, pointed out: MNT This is an observational study that only assesses associations and does not determine causation.
“In other words, this was not a randomized controlled intervention study (no niacin or other B3 was administered), so no conclusions of causation can be drawn from it. Additionally, common B vitamins and other “Inappropriately links NAD+ precursors to heart disease and omits important contextual information,” he said.
Dr. Brenner said the study results contradict previous research that showed other forms of niacin, such as NR, may not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease or increase inflammation. Ta.
Dr. Chen said further research is needed to better understand the dose relationship between niacin supplementation and cardiovascular disease.
“For now, I would caution against the general public taking niacin supplements on a daily basis,” he continued. “However, given niacin’s ubiquity in the food chain, avoiding niacin-fortified foods may be even more difficult. Niacin fortification needs to be considered at a higher level as a matter of public policy. There may be.”
