Red yeast rice has been used for centuries in China as both a food and a medicinal product. It is made by fermenting a type of yeast called Monascus purpureus over red rice. In Chinese medicine, red yeast rice is used to lower cholesterol, promote blood circulation, and aid digestive problems.

Research has shown that red yeast rice contains substances that are similar to prescription statin medications. One of these substances, called monacolin K, has the same makeup as the drug lovastatin. Statins are prescribed to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol levels and help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Researchers aren't sure if the cholesterol lowering effect of red yeast rice was due to the presence of monacolin or other compounds, such as unsaturated fatty acids, isoflavones, and phytosterols, in red yeast rice. But because many red yeast rice supplements did contain monacolin, the Food and Drug Administration considered them to be drugs, not supplements, and required that manufacturers remove any red yeast rice products that contained monacolin from the market. As a result, many of the red yeast rice products now on the U.S. market may not contain monacolin. Consumers cannot distinguish between red yeast products that contain monacolin from those that don't because manufacturers make no label claims for monacolin content.

Therapeutic Uses:

Prevention

Red yeast rice has been shown in several studies to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol levels. High cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease. Research has shown that red yeast (Monascus purpureus) stops the action of an enzyme in the body called HMG-CoA reductase, which helps make cholesterol. Red yeast rice contains substances known as monacolins. One of these, monacolin K, has the same chemical makeup as lovastatin, a prescription drug that lowers cholesterol. Some researchers think that this substance is responsible for red yeast rice's cholesterol lowering properties. But others note that the amount of lovastatin in red yeast rice is below what you would find in the prescription drug, and think there may be other substances in red yeast rice that help lower cholesterol. More research is needed.

Treatment

Several studies suggest that red yeast rice significantly reduces high cholesterol. However, most of the studies have used a formulation of red yeast rice -- Cholestin -- that is no longer available in the U.S. Although a product called Cholestin is available, it no longer contains red yeast rice. The Food and Drug Administration requires any red yeast product discovered to contain monacolin to be taken off the market. It may be hard for American consumers to know what the red yeast rice product they buy contains.

These studies support the ability of red yeast rice to lower cholesterol