quote:

'Red Yeast Rice' Statin Alternative Not Harmless
The supplements linked to muscle pain, other adverse effects similar to statins

From the WebMD Archives
By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Jan. 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.

"These findings raise the hypothesis that the safety profile of red yeast rice is highly similar to that of synthetic statins and warrants further investigations to finally characterize the safety profile of red yeast rice," the researchers concluded.

American heart experts said it's not surprising that the researchers discovered adverse reactions to red yeast rice that are similar to those produced by statins.

That's because one of the compounds in red yeast rice -- monacolin K -- has the same chemical structure as the statin drug lovastatin, said Dr. Paul Thompson.

"Statins actually exist in nature, in fungi and molds and stuff like that," said Thompson, an American College of Cardiology fellow. "Patients need to know there is lovastatin in this product." (Brand names for lovastatin are Mevacor and Altoprev.)

However, the new report only details 55 reports of adverse reactions during the entire study period. To Thompson, this indicates they are "a very rare problem."

"It's a tempest in a teapot," Thompson said of the new study.

Red yeast rice is concocted from yeast grown on rice. U.S. sales of red yeast rice dietary supplements totaled about $20 million a year in both 2008 and 2009, the most recent years for which data are available, according to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration views red yeast rice products containing more than trace amounts of monacolin K as unapproved new drugs, since they are chemically identical to lovastatin, and cannot be sold legally as dietary supplements.

But dozens of red yeast rice products remain on the market. And products tested as recently as 2011 have been found to contain monacolin K in substantial amounts, the NCCIH says.

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
Jimbo54: you are taking a statin, just one that hasn't been studied as well as the prescription medications:

quote:

'Red Yeast Rice' Statin Alternative Not Harmless
The supplements linked to muscle pain, other adverse effects similar to statins

From the WebMD Archives
By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Jan. 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.

"These findings raise the hypothesis that the safety profile of red yeast rice is highly similar to that of synthetic statins and warrants further investigations to finally characterize the safety profile of red yeast rice," the researchers concluded.

American heart experts said it's not surprising that the researchers discovered adverse reactions to red yeast rice that are similar to those produced by statins.

That's because one of the compounds in red yeast rice -- monacolin K -- has the same chemical structure as the statin drug lovastatin, said Dr. Paul Thompson.

"Statins actually exist in nature, in fungi and molds and stuff like that," said Thompson, an American College of Cardiology fellow. "Patients need to know there is lovastatin in this product." (Brand names for lovastatin are Mevacor and Altoprev.)

However, the new report only details 55 reports of adverse reactions during the entire study period. To Thompson, this indicates they are "a very rare problem."

"It's a tempest in a teapot," Thompson said of the new study.

Red yeast rice is concocted from yeast grown on rice. U.S. sales of red yeast rice dietary supplements totaled about $20 million a year in both 2008 and 2009, the most recent years for which data are available, according to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration views red yeast rice products containing more than trace amounts of monacolin K as unapproved new drugs, since they are chemically identical to lovastatin, and cannot be sold legally as dietary supplements.

But dozens of red yeast rice products remain on the market. And products tested as recently as 2011 have been found to contain monacolin K in substantial amounts, the NCCIH says.

Link: WebMD

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
bisley ,
did your doctor not say anything about the amount of salt in those sardines, and its effect on blood pressure

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
You can try the Krill Oil as well. Seems to offer the same benefits and is (for me) burpless. We usually buy the Sam's Club branded (cheaper) rather than the Mega Red brand.