$Unique_ID{BRK01000}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Is the Nicotine in Smoke Good for Lowering Cholesterol?}
$Subject{smoking blood cholesterol niacin nicotinic acid vitamin B3 pellagra
Nicotine nutrient nutrients nutrition diet food foods smoke}
$Volume{D-26}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Is the Nicotine in Smoke Good for Lowering Cholesterol?


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QUESTION:  A long time friend says he has good authority for a statement that
the nicotine in smoke is good for lowering cholesterol.  He claims he read
this in a medical magazine but can't find the clipping to prove it.  Do you
have any information that can help us figure this out?

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ANSWER:  You have to be careful when you read material about health and
medicine.  Many words seem so alike, but are in fact quite different.  This is
a real case of mistaken identity.  It is most probable that your friend was
reading about nicotinic acid, but though the name is similar, it has nothing
to do either with smoke of the nicotine found in tobacco.  Nicotinic acid is
also called niacin as well as vitamin B3.  While niacin is commonly used to
treat a vitamin deficiency disease called pellagra, it is also known to be
effective in lowering the cholesterol levels in the blood.  Niacin is found
naturally in meats, eggs milk and dairy products, and is not lost from the
food during the cooking process.  The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for
an adult male is about 18 mg per day, while women should have 13 mg daily
(unless they are breast feeding in which case they should have 18 mg daily as
well).  To treat pellagra, doses in the range of 300 mg to 1000 mg are used.
However, some people take much higher doses when using niacin to treat high
cholesterol, as much as 3 grams a day (that's 3000 milligrams), and at that
level side effects are common.  These side effects include flushing, a redness
of the skin especially the face and neck, and headaches.  Although niacin is
available over the counter as a vitamin supplement, it should only be used
under the supervision of a physician when high doses are required for
cholesterol control.  Your friend won't have to search for his clipping now.
His claim, based upon a bit of misreading, has just gone up in smoke.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.