Red yeast rice lowers LDL cholesterol without a prescription

What is it?
Red yeast rice is a substance made by fermenting rice with a species of yeast called Monascus purpureus. The fermented rice has been used as a food and a traditional medicine in China for over 1,000 years (since 800 AD). Red yeast rice naturally contains a variety of compounds known as monacolins (or mevinic acids). Some of these monacolins are known to inhibit cholesterol production by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase.

A natural way to lower cholesterol
According to Prevention Magazine you can bring down your LDL levels without a prescription and you can do it safely with red yeast rice.  However, red yeast rice is a naturally occurring statin drug.

FDA Action:
In the late 1990s the marketing of a prominent red yeast rice product, Cholestin®), was challenged because its label listed the amounts of monacolins contained in each dose. The FDA determined that Cholestin®, by containing lovastatin, was an unapproved drug and ordered it removed from sale.  However, other red yeast rice dietary supplements continue to be sold in the US. Their labels generally state only the amount of red yeast rice, not the amount of monacolins.  They cannot claim to lower cholesterol, because that would mean they are a “drug” as defined by FDA.

Positives
A Mayo Clinic study found that taking red yeast rice (which can naturally contain LDL-lowering lovastitin) and fish oil supplements together with a healthy diet and exercise lowers cholesterol as effectively as a prescription statin.

Prescription statins are created by pharmaceutical companies for the purpose of lowering LDL cholesterol.  Red yeast rice is much less expensive than any pharmaceutical statin.

Concerns
ConsumerLab.com tested 10 red yeast rice supplements and found huge differences in the lovastatin content per 600 mg pill.  The lowest was 0.1 mg in Walgreens Finest Natural.  The highest was 10.1 mg in Nature’s plus Herbal Actives.

According to ConsumerLab.com, some pills contain citrinin, a potential toxin.  Natural Balance, Solaray, and VegLife – Nutraceutical Corporation, which owns these three brands found to be contaminated with citrinin, has distributed a misleading letter to its retail customers dated July 9, 2008.  The letter attempts to dismiss concerns about the contaminated products and discredit CL and its findings.

The Mayo Clinic
Here is what the Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic has to say about the substance.

Check with your doctor
Also, you want to check with your doctor before taking red yeast rice because the red yeast rice does act as a drug (even though it’s natural) and can impact on other drugs and/or supplements you are taking.

Bottom Line
According to Prevention Citrinin-free brands include Schiff, Cholestene, 21^st Century, and Cholesterin which all had 1.7 mg to 3.6 mg lovastitin per pill.

Check out the complete red yeast rice analysis at www.consumer.lab.com.

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