Go Ad-Free
logoThe People's Perspective on Medicine

Papaya Enzyme for Better Digestion Cools Hot Flashes from Cholesterol-Lowering Niacin

Q. My wife and I have found that papaya enzyme is a quick solution for heartburn and upset stomach and calms the effects of niacin. I have been in a heart study for the past 13 years. I started with four tablets of niacin, but the hot flashes and rash were so miserable, I had to cut my dosage to two tablets.

When I started taking papaya enzyme, the result was fantastic. Besides not suffering heartburn, I could return to four tablets of niacin.

Last year I was switched to Niacin CR, which is not as drastic. If I start to get hot flashes, I chew a couple of papaya tablets and the flashes fade away quickly.

A. Papaya is popular in tropical countries and papaya extracts are sometimes used as digestive enzymes. A modest double-blind placebo-controlled trial in Vienna, Austria, found that papaya extract eased symptoms of bloating and constipation (Neuroendocrinology Letters, Jan., 2013).

We’ve not heard that it can provide relief from the itching and flushing associated with high dose niacin. Nicotinic acid, as niacin is known, is effective for lowering LDL cholesterol and helping to raise HDL cholesterol, believed to be protective against heart disease. It does have potential side effects, including intense flushing and itching that some people cannot tolerate. Thanks for sharing your experience.

We discuss niacin and other approaches to getting blood lipids into a healthy range in our Guide to Cholesterol Control and Heart Health.

Rate this article
star-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-empty
4.5- 13 ratings
About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
Tired of the ads on our website?

Now you can browse our website completely ad-free for just $5 / month. Stay up to date on breaking health news and support our work without the distraction of advertisements.

Browse our website ad-free
Join over 150,000 Subscribers at The People's Pharmacy

We're empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options.