Red Yeast Rice

Medical Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hi Dr. Baraki,
My wife’s Dr. has recommended Red Yeast Rice by Designs for health to lower her LDL as an alternative to taking Statins.
Do you concur?
Thanks -Doug Carr

2

Hey Doug!

Thanks for the post. Monocolin K is the active ingredient of lovastatin, which was later found to be in red yeast rice extract. Since lovastatin was already on the market however, red yeast rice extract with active monocolin K was banned from the market, as supplements aren’t allowed to contain existing pharmaceuticals. That being said, red yeast rice extract remains for sale- though the amount of monocolin K present in these supplements varies wildly- though most contain none.

If given the option to take a statin where the dosing, purity, and efficacy are all well-established OR take an unregulated supplement where dosing, purity, and efficacy are unsubstantiated…I’d take the statin. Additionally, if someone is keen to take a statin-like supplement, they’d probably be keen to take the statin too…

3

Thanks Jordan you rock!