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Is Red Yeast Rice a Safe Way to Lower Cholesterol?
Red yeast rice is a natural health product made by fermenting red yeast over rice. It has been used in some Asian countries for over a thousand years as a preservative, spice, food coloring (giving the famous Peking duck its familiar red glow) and as an ingredient in rice wine and fish sauce.
In traditional Chinese medicine, red yeast rice is used to treat poor circulation, indigestion and diarrhea. This ancient supplement may also help lower cholesterol.
Red yeast rice contains several substances known collectively as monacolins, compounds known to inhibit cholesterol synthesis, including monacolin K, also known as mevinolin or lovastatin – the active ingredient in Merck’s statin drug Mevacor. The active component of red yeast rice helps reduce cholesterol production in the liver in the same way as statin drugs but in a much gentler level.
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine was conducted on 62 patients who had complained of severe muscle pain (a side effect of using statins) after taking prescription statin drugs, including Lipitor. All of the participants were taught the benefits of nutrition and exercise, and half of them were started on a daily dose of 1,800 mg of red yeast rice extracts.
After three months, the patients taking red yeast rice reduced their LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) levels by as much as 27 percent, while the other half only saw an LDL drop of 6 percent.
A previous study published in the American Journal of Cardiology showed that Chinese heart attack patients using a red yeast rice supplement daily reduced the likelihood of suffering another heart attack by 45 percent within five years.
The problem with using red yeast rice is that it is not regulated. It’s difficult to determine how much of the natural active ingredients are available from red yeast rice supplements like dried grains, ground powder or pills, and whether they have been contaminated.
While many people have reported positive benefits from using red yeast rice supplements, the FDA has warned consumers to avoid buying red yeast rice products promoted online and to consult a health professional if they experience any adverse side effects.
For Dr. Joseph Mercola, much of this confusion can be avoided if people would just take the time to find out the truth about cholesterol. Yes, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is important for you to achieve optimal health but you don’t need to worry too much about it.
Download Dr. Mercola’s FREE special report, The Low-down on Cholesterol: Why You Need It – and the Real Methods to Get Your Levels Right, to learn everything you need to know about cholesterol, including 8 steps to naturally lower your cholesterol levels.
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Tags: Dr. Joseph Mercola, LDL cholesterol, Lipitor, lovastatin, lower cholesterol, Mevacor, natural health product, red yeast rice, statin drug
I am searching for an article you wrote about cholesterol that talked about not only the stickyness of the molecules but also the size of the molecules as being relevant in cholesterol levels. It was part of an e-mail that I received from you. My computer failed to save it. Where can I find it? Thank you
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