red yeast rice
Active Ingredient: lovastatin Monacolin-K Mevinolinic Acid MVA
Specification: 1%
Test Method HPLC
As a substance, red yeast rice extract has a number of heart-healthy benefits: It seems to help reduce total cholesterol levels, lower levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, increase levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol, and lower levels of unhealthy fats called triglycerides. It appears to accomplish this by restricting the Liver's production of cholesterol. The compound responsible for this effect--mevinolin--is chemically identical to the cholesterol-lowering compound lovastatin, which is sold as the prescription drug Mevacor. Hence the action by the FDA. Mevinolin is also similar to the active ingredients in other cholesterol medications such as Zocor (simvastatin) and Lipitor (atorvastatin). Unsaturated fatty acids in red yeast rice extract are also believed to be beneficial, possibly by lowering triglycerides.
By lowering cholesterol concentrations, red yeast rice extract may help to prevent heart disease and some of its complications. Individuals with moderately elevated cholesterol levels (200 to 239 mg/dL) may benefit from a dietary supplement such as red yeast rice extract. However, those with very high cholesterol levels (240 mg/dL or above) are at considerable risk for heart disease and should stick to prescription drugs with a proven ability to rapidly and effectively reduce cholesterol levels.
The best way to achieve and maintain a healthy cholesterol level is to take heart-healthy substances such as red yeast rice extract as part of an overall regimen that includes exercise and a low-fat diet that is high in soluble fiber. Most studies of the extract that showed a substantial cholesterol-lowering effect (reduction of 25 to 40 points) included such lifestyle measures.
If you choose to incorporate red yeast rice into your cholesterol-lowering program, it is very important to remember that you are taking a substance that acts identically in the body to the prescription statin drugs. This means that red yeast rice can cause the same side effects (mild gastrointestinal upset and possible changes in liver enzymes, or a muscle condition called rhabdomyolysis). Research studies have shown red yeast rice to be remarkably safe, but of course, you should not use it if you are also taking a prescription statin.