
What drugs interact with red yeast rice?
Red Yeast Rice and Drug Interactions. Niacin. Coenzyme Q-10 or ubiquinone. St. Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) Gemfibrozil (Lopid) Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Anticoagulants (blood thinners), including warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix), and aspirin. Hereof, does red yeast rice interfere with medications? Red yeast contains the statin drug lovastatin. Lovastatin might harm the liver in some people.
Does red yeast rice help weight loss?
Several studies show that red yeast rice can help control your weight. We know that obesity is one of the risk factors for getting heart disease. Red yeast rice offers the best natural way to control your cholesterol levels. However, more studies need to be carried out before we can say with 100 percent surety that it can help you fight weight loss.
Does red yeast rice really lower cholesterol?
Studies showing the benefits of red yeast rice extract Studies in the United States have shown that high doses of red yeast rice extract (2.4 gm/day) can reduce your total cholesterol level as much as 20-25%, although usually less. The effects of red yeast rice extract were also tested in China in a study that included almost 5,000 patients.
What you should know about red yeast rice side effects?
Yet, like a statin, it can cause several unwanted side effects, including:
- Liver damage
- Muscle damage and pain
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Gas and bloating

What does red yeast rice do for the body?
Red yeast rice, also called Went Yeast, has been used for centuries in China as both food and medicine. 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, improve blood circulation, and improve digestion.
Does red yeast rice cause weight loss?
Helps You Lose Weight and Controls Obesity Studies show that red yeast rice helps to control your weight. Red yeast rice is one of the best natural ways to control your cholesterol levels.
How long should you take red yeast rice?
The recommended dose of red yeast rice is 1,200 mg taken orally twice daily with food. In studies, patients started to see a reduction in cholesterol levels at about 12 weeks.
How long does it take for red yeast rice to lower cholesterol?
Studies have shown that certain red yeast rice products that contain statin can significantly lower levels of total cholesterol and specifically LDL, or "bad" cholesterol. One showed that taking 2.4 grams per day reduced LDL levels by 22% and total cholesterol by 16% in 12 weeks.
When should I take red yeast rice morning or night?
What should I do? Take the red yeast rice supplement before you go to bed, whether your belly is full or not. Because the body naturally produces more cholesterol at night, you'll wind up benefiting more from the supplement this way.
Do doctors recommend red yeast rice?
Red yeast rice is capable of lowering blood cholesterol levels and total blood cholesterol levels. While the supplement is generally considered safe, it might carry the same potential side effects as statin cholesterol drugs.
Is red yeast rice better than statins?
24, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A natural cholesterol-lowering supplement called red yeast rice could pose the same health risks to users as statin drugs, a new study contends. Red yeast rice could increase risk of muscle injury or liver damage, Italian researchers reported after reviewing 13 years of patient data.
What supplements should not be taken with red yeast rice?
Avoid using red yeast rice together with other herbal/health supplements that can harm your liver, such androstenedione, chaparral, comfrey, DHEA, germander, kava, niacin, pennyroyal oil, and others. Grapefruit may interact with red yeast rice and lead to unwanted side effects. Avoid the use of grapefruit products.
Which is better to lower cholesterol niacin or red yeast rice?
Niacin is very effective at lowering LDL, beyond its ability to raise high-density lipoprotein and shift LDL particle size to a less atherogenic type. When statins cannot be tolerated at all, red yeast rice can be used if proper formulations of the product are obtained.
Should red yeast rice and CoQ10 be taken together?
Coenzyme Q10 Red yeast rice also may deplete CoQ10 from the body. It is important to supplement your diet with CoQ10, 150 - 200 mg at night, while you are taking red yeast rice products, and for 4 weeks after you stop taking red yeast rice.
What is the best natural supplement to lower cholesterol?
Niacin. Niacin is a B vitamin. Doctors sometimes suggest it for patients with high cholesterol or heart concerns. It increases the level of good cholesterol and reduces triglycerides, another fat that can clog arteries.
How can I lower my cholesterol in 30 days?
5 Easy Steps to Reduce Cholesterol in 30 DaysSwitch to a Mediterranean Diet. ... Increase Exercise. ... Supplement Fiber. ... Lose Weight. ... Drink Alcohol in Moderation. ... Let South Denver Cardiology Associates Help.
Does red yeast rice increase metabolism?
Potential benefits. The potential benefits of red yeast rice include: improved heart health. reduced risk of metabolic syndrome.
What supplements should not be taken with red yeast rice?
Avoid using red yeast rice together with other herbal/health supplements that can harm your liver, such androstenedione, chaparral, comfrey, DHEA, germander, kava, niacin, pennyroyal oil, and others. Grapefruit may interact with red yeast rice and lead to unwanted side effects. Avoid the use of grapefruit products.
Does red yeast rice remove plaque?
Compared with the model group, treatment with RYR decreased the levels of Hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α (P<0.01). RYR also reduced the protein levels of NF-κB and MMP-9 of the aorta. Conclusions: RYR has the anti-atherosclerotic and stabilizing unstable plaque effects.
Do you need to take CoQ10 with red yeast rice?
Red yeast rice also may deplete CoQ10 from the body. It is important to supplement your diet with CoQ10, 150 - 200 mg at night, while you are taking red yeast rice products, and for 4 weeks after you stop taking red yeast rice.