Quick Link: Dr Richard on Red Yeast Rice & Cholesterol
Dr Richard had an interesting post this morning about red yeast rice, described as “a bright reddish purple fermented rice,” which has proven effective in reducing cholesterol levels and preventing heart disease without the negative side effects of statin drugs.
The good doctor writes: “Those of you with high cholesterol will be happy to learn that there are some legitimate options to your statin pills. Many people cannot tolerate the extremely popular statin pills, especially the side effects of muscle aches. But there’s now some very strong evidence that herbal medicines, including red yeast rice, can be at least as effective as a statin, and without the side effects.”
Dr Richard cites a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology which followed 5,000 heart attack victims for five years. Half the victims took red yeast rice and half took a placebo. Those who regularly took the red yeast rice extract “significantly decreased the recurrence of coronary events.” The full report on the study was published here, although users need to register to gain access.
Dr Richard’s post also carries a warning about buying the right product when it comes to using red yeast rice for therapeutic purposes: “It’s important to buy the proper Chinese version of xuezhikang [red yeast rice in alcohol extract form], since there are reports of pills being doctored with actual statin medicines.”
There have been other studies in recent years indicating red yeast rice may also stimulate bone formation, which has implications for the treatment of osteoporosis.