Cholesterol is a soft fatty substance that is made by your body and found in some foods. High blood cholesterol levels puts you at risk for coronary heart disease, strokes and heart attacks. It can be lowered by eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising or taking cholesterol lowering medications. Certain supplements may also be able to lower cholesterol levels. Red yeast rice is a supplement that may have a lowering effect on your blood cholesterol levels.
Historical Perspective
When red yeast, also named Monascus purpureus, grows on rice, the resulting product of this combination is red yeast rice. The Chinese used red yeast rice as a food coloring, spice and as an ingredient in rice wine. Red yeast rice is a popular food in Japan, China and Asian communities in the United States. For over a thousand years, red yeast rice has been used for it's medicinal properties to improve blood circulation, alleviate indigestion and relieve diarrhea in China. In recent times, it is has been sold as a cholesterol-lowering agent in the form of over-the-counter supplements such as Cholestin.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol can be obtained by food and is also made by your liver. According to the Mayo Clinic, red yeast rice contains a group of compounds known as monacolins. Red yeast rice may be able to reduce cholesterol levels due to this monacolin content. The monacolin found in red yeast rice is called lovastatin. It is also the active ingredient in the cholesterol-lowering drug Mevacor.
Mevacor
Cholesterol can be lowered by a group of prescription medications known as statins. Examples of statins are Mevacor, Lipiptor, Zocor and Prevachol. Mevacor reduces blood cholesterol levels by blocking an enzyme that the body requires for cholesterol synthesis to occur. Since red yeast rice contains the active ingredient of Mevacor, it may be effective in lowering your blood cholesterol levels and may also have the same side effects as Mevacor.
Studies on Red Yeast Rice
According to the University of Maryland Medical center, several studies have been performed to see if red yeast rice reduces blood cholesterol levels. The medical center reports that one such study was performed by the UCLA school of medicine on 83 participants with high blood cholesterol levels. It resulted in significant low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride decreases in those who took red yeast rice over a 12 week period when compared to those who received a placebo. The high density lipoprotein cholesterol, or good cholesterol levels, remained unchanged in all of the participants.
Side Effects
According to the Mayo Clinic, there is limited evidence about the side effects of red yeast rice. However, mild headaches and stomach discomfort can occur with red yeast rice. It may also have the same side effects as Mevacor, which are gas, bloating, muscle pain or damage, dizziness, heartburn, asthma and kidney problems. The Mayo Clinic also suggests that red yeast rice may increase your risk for bleeding.
Warning
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, if you are at risk for or have liver disease, kidney disease, thyroid disorders or musculoskeletal disorders, you should not take red yeast rice. The center states that if you drink more than two alcoholic beverages a day, have a serious infection or physical disorder, or have undergone an organ transplant, you should also avoid using red yeast rice.
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