Hypocholesterolemic effects of nicotinic acid and chromium supplementation.

During the course of a study of the hypoglycemic effects of nicotinic acid and chromium on humans, two hypercholesterolemic subjects were found to experience clinically significant decreases in serum cholesterol levels. These subjects have now been followed for one year. The first subject had a cholesterol level of 10.33 mmol/L (399 mg/dL). Daily supplementation for four weeks with 100 mg of nicotinic acid (niacin) and 200 micrograms of chromium chloride led to a decrease in serum cholesterol to 8.86 mmol/L (342 mg/dL). Further supplementation for four months led to a further decrease in serum cholesterol to 7.25 mmol/L (280 mg/dL). The second subject had a cholesterol level of 8.73 mmol/L (337 mg/dL). Four weeks of supplementation lowered the level to 6.73 mmol/L (260 mg/dL). When supplementation was discontinued, the cholesterol level rose slightly. When supplementation was reinstituted, the cholesterol level decreased to 6.68 mmol/L (258 mg/dL).