Crestor, also called rosuvastatin, belongs to the group of cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. It helps lower both your triglyceride levels and your low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol, levels while increasing your high-density lipoprotein, or good cholesterol, levels. If you have high cholesterol along with other heart disease risk factors, your doctor may prescribe this medication. However, it interacts with other medications and herbal treatments, so make sure to tell your doctor about all of the supplements and medications you are taking, including red yeast rice.
Red Yeast Rice
Red yeast rice is an herbal supplement that some people take to try to lower their cholesterol levels. Red yeast rice supplements used to contain the same active ingredient as the statin drug lovastatin. However, the FDA no longer allows these supplements to contain this substance, although outside of the United States, you can still find some that do. Red yeast rice supplements may contain anywhere from 0 mg to 5 mg per pill of statins.
Interaction
Because red yeast rice may contain a type of statin like that found in Crestor, you shouldn't take them at the same time. The amount of statin in red yeast rice supplements and the effects of these supplements are unpredictable, so taking red yeast rice along with Crestor could result in too high of a dose of statins and may increase your risk for adverse effects.
Side Effects and Safety
Crestor and red yeast rice have many of the same side effects and safety considerations. Side effects may include stomach pain, headache, nausea, constipation, muscle pain, joint pain or allergic reactions. If you are pregnant or nursing or have diabetes, liver or kidney disease or thyroid problems, you should not take Crestor. If you are Asian you may need a lower dose. Crestor can also interact with other medications, including birth control pills, antacids, fibrates, protease inhibitors, blood thinners, spironolactone, niacin, ketoconazole, cyclosporine and cimetidine. Avoid drinking alcohol or consuming grapefruit while taking Crestor.
Considerations
Speak with your doctor before taking red yeast rice supplements to make sure these would be safe for you. Do not self-treat high cholesterol with red yeast rice supplements or take these supplements in place of following the cholesterol-lowering treatment prescribed by your doctor. Statin medications such as Crestor are a more reliable treatment for high cholesterol than is red yeast rice.
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