Not so. Flush niacin (pure nicotinic acid) works better than statins without the debilitating side effects. There is the flush, however. Yesterday someone (peteypupperdo) pointed out that Enduracin is a nearly flush-free version of niacin in a wax matrix.
You can get the whole story in this free-to-read book on archive.org. I disagree with two points that the doctor-author makes: (1) he thinks you need doctor supervision to take niacin, and (2) he thinks niacin should be made a prescription drug to "protect" people. There is one possible contraindication for niacin: type-2 diabetes -- because it make insulin levels less stable.
Flush niacin (1 gram per dose, three times a day) will normalize your cholesterol in a couple of weeks.
The doctors must have been demonizing flush Niacin when my cholesterol was discovered. I suspect that it started about the time statins hit the market. All I heard after statins came along was about how dangerous niacin is. I’m seriously considering giving it another go. I can’t find an honest doctor so it’s up to niacin, the tea I make, or other OTC supplements.
The beautiful thing about my cholesterol is that I have my arteries scanned on my dime regularly and so far, no plaque buildup.