Can red yeast rice lower my cholesterol?

Email

Print

So you don't want to have to take a medication for your high cholesterol? What are the alternatives? Of course, you can watch what you eat and start to exercise, that will be very helpful. What about nutiritonal supplements? Let's talk a little bit about red yeast rice.

In a recent article form the Clinical Advisor (http://tinyurl.com/ln3fp8), red yeast rice was discussed. Please click on the link to go to the full article.
 
 
Red rice yeast DOES contain an anticholesterol agent which is similar to lovastatin (a very common cholesterol lowering medication). That is great! And just like statin medications, it can lower inflammation and C-reactive protein. There has even been research to prove that red yeast rice can lower cholesterol and inflammation.
 
So why doesn't everyone take red yeast rice for their cholesterol?
 
There are a few reasons.

• Because red yeast rice is so similar to lovastatin, the FDA granted a patent-infringement challenge. This means, that the part of the red yeast rice that was helping your cholesterol, had to be taken out of the supplement! It cannot be sold in the USA with this component.
• Nutritional supplements are not regulated. Really you have no idea what you are taking, or if you are getting the same amount of anything in each of the pills you take. There is no guarantee that you are taking what you think you are taking. Buyer be ware.
• No regulation in manufacturing of supplements, does also raise a concern about safety.

If you know that you need to take something for your cholesterol, please think carefully about "going natural" with the issues I have stated above. There are many benefits to nutritional supplements, but you need to know why you are taking them, what they are supposed to do for you, and if what you think what is in them, really is. There is never a question of what you are getting with prescribed medications; you will get exactly what you were prescribed in each dose. There are potential risks and side effects by taking either source. Please discuss with your medical provider. 
Additonal resources on red yeast rice:
Mayo Clinic: http://tinyurl.com/2hve7b
 
Medicinenet. com: http://tinyurl.com/3gc9nq

Discovery Health Video: http://tinyurl.com/l4p3rf

UCLA Center for Human Nutrition: http://tinyurl.com/cxkm8

 

Read Full Entry | Add Your Comments