Tocopherol Nicotinate

[Tham]

One particularly useful supplement is the niacin-bound
form of vitamin E called tocopherol nicotinate. Due to the
binding, the niacin does not cause any flushing.

Tocopherol nicotinate has at least 5 benefits :

1. Lowers LDL
2. Raises HDL
3. Antioxidant action
4. Antiplatelet aggregation by reducing thromboxane A2
5. Most importantly, it reduces Lp(a) - something the statins,
and indeed no other drug, can do.

Unfortunately, you can't find it in health food stores in the USA.
It is patented and made by two drug firms :

1. Eisai in Japan as "Juvela". It is marketed here in Malaysia
as "Hijuven" in 200 mg caps.

2. Mack in Germany as "Renascin" in 100 mg caps.

[Tham]

Lp(a), i.e. lipoprotein (a), has been called the "heart attack
cholesterol, and together with the "newest kid on the block",
Lp-PLA2 (lipoprotein-phospholipase A2), predicts heart attacks
and strokes indepently of LDL, ApoA1/ApoB, hs-CRP and
homocysteine. Glaxo is currently developing a drug to inhibit
Lp-PLA2, which should be on the market around 2009.

This discussion in the Immortality Institute's forum not too
long back may be of interest :

[http://www.imminst.org/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=6&t=11696&s=]

[adec]

Thanks Tham. I have read your messages on ImmInst.org, and would hope you continue to post here. I'd also like to invite other Immortality Institute members as well to post on Dr. Graveline's forum.

This is the type of open-ended scientific discussion (with Cliff Notes) required by this polemic statin discussion. It's one thing using supplementation as a preventive measure, but obviously a more urgent tact is required for statin damage/recovery. There's an insaitable demand for information, and a need to try and cover more of the bases. At best right right now the scientific community is having difficulty distinguishing between biomarkers and valid predictors. And I certainly wouldn't want the hyper-prescription of statins to become a call to arms against sensible cholesterol management. I have a feeling this might be the eventual fate for the newest buzz word homocycsteine... if the hasty pharmecuticals have their way.

There truly needs to be a greater balance struck. Some of the current solutions are still based on outmoded information. I want to see the more established approches narrowed, honed, and taylored to further address individual risk factors. Obviously there's a place for cholesterol (or homocycsteine) testing in preventitive medicine; as well, there's an obvious need for reasonable supplementation to control/moderate these biomarkers/predictors. I've also talked a bit about the importance of C-reactive Protein, as perhaps being a far better early predictor of coronary heart disease. But these tested numbers are only as good as their limitless interpretation. For instance, I want more doctors to focus on a more current model based on specific size and ratio of cholesterol, as opposed to drawing faulty conclusions based on the Framingham Risk Score.

[http://www.todayincardiology.com/200612/frameset.asp?article=guested.asp]

I would also hope most chemists now *secretly* view statins in clinical practice -- at best -- as a weak anti-inflammatory with otherwise very potent and damaging health consequences. Interestingly, vitamin C, as a both a powerful antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory, actually helps naturally increase the very thing statins deplete, CoQ10. Yet, vitamin C is a heck of a lot cheaper, more commonly available, and without any health consequences; but more importantly vitamin C is patentable, just like niacin. However, niacin mostly gets a bad rap due to its flushing, even if it can be beneficial in so multi-faceted ways. Just the increase of HGH alone from this agonist, in absence of oils, and the decrease in Lp(a),might be an appreciable boon to the elderly.

I also appreciate the desire of some in the scientific community to make something as beneficial as niacin a more marketable commodity. Of course, I've tried many things to reduce niacin's flushing, while trying to maintain its benefits: inositol, milk thistle etc., and yes, simple vitamin E. So for many people, a niacin-bound form of vitamin E could be a God-send. I hope to see more information published on Tocopherol Nicotinate. In fact, I'm hoping to see some of it here.

I'd also like to initiate a discussion on supplements that cheaply enhance the bioavailability of such things as: CoQ10, Vitamin C, and a host of other fat-soluble & water-soluble vitamins, antioxidants, aminos, and minerals... both the benefits and the risks. Something like Bioperine might be able to help many people on fixed incomes unable to fully afford CoQ10 supplementation. My mom has made *huge* strides in statin recovery while supplementing with Bioperine. Or how about simply supplementing with newer super bioavailable coenzymated forms of Vitamin B (L-Methylfolate/Methylcobalamin/N-Acetylcysteine) as found in Cerefolin, or CoQ10 as Ubiquinol.

As well, I'd also like to provide information to forum members on capping their own supplements using assayed bulk powders. On an item such Acetyl L-Carnitine, the savings from capping your own supplements could be IMMENSE. These are all things on my to-do list for this forum. I want the first thing search engines find using statin related search strings to be this forum.

Sorry for the length of my message. But there's so many things to do, and the clock is ticking for so many people.

[Darrell]

There is room for doubt at to whether or not vitamin C is a highly-significant anti-inflammatory:
[http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/83/3/525]

[adec]

[quote="Darrell"]There is room for doubt at to whether or not vitamin C is a highly-significant anti-inflammatory:
[http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/83/3/525[/quote]]

Yes, I've read that editorial. In fact there are many things that can have anti-inflammatory properties, but to varying degrees. And the proof on Vitamin C is as inconclusive as statins at the moment. I was going to use the term "weak to describe the anti-inflammatory action, but felt it was irrelevant to the overall argument. As always, it's best to see the forest despite the trees, and not lose overall focus.

[adec]

Just to add, Vitamin C is actually excellent at lowering C-reactive Protein. Of course, C-reactive Protein is a valuable biomarker of inflammation. This is something about Vitamin C that is not in doubt. In that way alone, Vitamin C is perhaps an excellent anti-oxidant. Vitamin C can also prevent CHD by also preventing plaque build-up and dysfunction... many beneficial things.

[adec]

Sorry, make that read, "in that way alone, Vitamin C is perhaps an excellent anti-*inflammatory* agent." I can't stand typing in these tiny boxes.