I wonder if anyone has used this supplement? Have any information to share?

I talked to several people while I was away this weekend who talked about how helpful this was for cholesterol reduction. However, there are some potential drawbacks...I need to do more investigating.

Here's one link for some information. There are many, many links if you just google it.
www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-yeast-rice/NS_patient-redyeast

quote:

Originally posted by Caine:
What I do take to control my cholesterol is a combination of Policosanol, Phytosterols, fish oil capsules, Co-Q-10, and psyillium husk capsules (Metamucil, only cheaper).

I also take CoQ10 and fish oil capsules.

I've been buying them at GNC for years, so it's good to hear that Vitamin World is cheaper because they are actually just as convenient here in my new town as GNC is, which wasn't the case when I lived in the DC area.

I had an adverse reaction to Lipitor, so I never took red yeast rice because I knew there are naturally occuring statins in it. That was why the pharmaceutical companies managed to get it banned, until public outcry got it back. They couldn't handle the competition!

What I do take to control my cholesterol is a combination of Policosanol, Phytosterols, fish oil capsules, Co-Q-10, and psyillium husk capsules (Metamucil, only cheaper). I also take cinnamon extract to help metabolize sugar.

I shop at Vitamin World because they're convenient, I get a discount, and I think they're cheaper than GNC, but all of these supplements are available from any health food store, vitamin store, or most places vitamin and mineral supplements are sold, even Wally World!

Thanks, Sheri.

I know that when on the RRY you need to have regular liver testing/medical supervision. I know that there are potential problems assoc with it. I am, however, looking at the possiblity of needing a statin and have learned the the RRY can be far less damaging to one's liver than prescription statins.
I'd never take it without thorough discussions with my cardiologist and internist. (BTW, it looks like more and more docs are advising patients to take the RRY.)
I'm just looking at options right now...
I never imagined I would be in this postion at 41 with a healthy body weight and a very good diet.

Sandy: I bought a bottle of this a few years ago and then a close friend told me that red rice yeast is a statin, just as Lipitor (a prescription cholesterol-lowering drug is a statin, except that it is unregulated and uncontrolled by the FDA, which makes it potentially even more dangerous. As a statin, it could have the same dangers (potential liver damage, muscular problems, etc.) as a prescription statin but without the oversight of a doctor and regular liver testing that is required with a prescription statin.

Personally, what I learned about red rice yeast totally put me off--esp. considering that I was pretty adamant about staying off of statins if possible because of the potential side effects (and the fact that my mother had already suffered the side effects from prescription statins)--so I threw my bottle of red rice yeast away and that was the end of it for me.