Nicotinic acid lowers the levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), apolipoprotein B (apo B, the major LDL protein), triglycerides (TG), and lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a), a modified LDL particle) and elevates the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I, the major protein component of HDL).