How To Compare Red Yeast Rice With Statin Drugs

If you have high cholesterol, your physician may have prescribed statin drugs to help control and treat your condition. Statins help you to reabsorb blood cholesterol that can lead to arterial plaque buildup, which can cause heart attack, stroke, arthrosclerosis and coronary disease. Red yeast rice naturally contains statin-like compounds called monacolins -- one being HMG-CoA reductase, the active ingredient in common statin drugs. Due to this drug-like property, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has disallowed red yeast rice containing significant amounts of these compounds from the market, although it is available abroad. However, you can purchase several versions of red yeast rice at many health food stores as a dietary aid. Comparing this product with statin drugs is relatively simple.

Step 1

Read the label of the red yeast rice product. In the U.S, any claim for lowering cholesterol indicates the present of monacolins, which the FDA regards as a drug, making the item illegal. Instead, you may see wording stating that the product is fermented in accordance with traditional Asian methods. This allows manufacturers to market their products with negligible amounts of monacolins, which occur during the fermentation process of the yeast.

Step 2

Purchase red yeast rice from reputable sellers only, such as a local, reputable health store. This is particularly important as some red yeast rice may contain high amounts of monacolins, which can result in liver and kidney damage, muscle pain and muscle damage, according to MedlinePlus. These side effects are identical to those of statin drugs.

Step 3

Compare red yeast rice in health stores to that available in grocery stores. Grocery store versions of red yeast rice are for use in cooking rather than a health aid. Red yeast rice is the flavoring and coloring agent in Asian dishes, such as Peking duck. The health store version of red yeast rice comes in supplement form with a dosing of about 1,200 mg, twice a day.

Step 4

Take red yeast rice as a dietary aid and not a means to lower your cholesterol. MedlinePlus says red yeast rice may help to treat indigestion, diarrhea, improve blood circulation and reduce spleen and stomach problems, although further research is necessary. The traditional Chinese use of red yeast rice was to treat these particular ailments and not cholesterol, according to MayoClinic.com.The gastric relief is attributed to the red yeast fungus, which may help facilitate digestion, prevent diarrhea and soothe an irritated stomach, Judith Brown says in her book "Nutrition Through the Life Cycle."

Tips and Warnings

Always follow the directions set forth by the manufacturer. Generally, dosing should not exceed 2,400 mg per day, depending on its use.
Never use red yeast rice in place of your statin drugs. Despite chemical similarities, red yeast rice is not a substitute for medicine. Avoid combining red yeast rice with statin drugs as this can result in serious side effects, such as liver damage. You should always consult your physician prior to use, as the side effects of red yeast rice are serious.