Red Yeast Rice is a traditional fermented product that has been used for brewing rice wine for centuries, as a flavor enhancer, food coloring agent, and can promote digestion and metabolism.
Modern medicine has discovered that red yeast rice extract has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor activity, and has potential help for the prevention and improvement of some chronic diseases, including hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, dementia, and cancer
What are the benefits of red yeast rice supplements? Are there any side effects?
Table of Contents
- What is red yeast rice?
- What are the benefits of red yeast rice?
- Are there any side effects of red yeast rice?
- Safety Precautions
- Where can I buy the red yeast capsule recommended by most people?
What is red yeast rice?
Red Yeast Rice is produced by fermenting Monascus on rice or yam and has been used in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine for a long time.
During the fermentation process, various secondary metabolites produced by red yeast rice are the key to its medical value, including monascin, ankaflavin, Monacolin K, dimerumic acid, GABA
Among them, the chemical composition of Monacolin K is similar to that of the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin, which can reduce the effect of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (a rate-determining step in cholesterol synthesis) and indirectly inhibit cholesterol synthesis
What are the benefits of red yeast rice?
1. Red yeast rice is good for cardiovascular health (lower blood fat)
Although cardiovascular deaths have fallen by 31% in the past decade, they still account for one-third of the total deaths and are considered the world’s leading killer. Atherosclerosis caused by dyslipidemia is the main cause of cardiovascular disease Potential reasons.
Elevated blood lipids cause a series of reactions in the blood vessel wall, including endothelial dysfunction, smooth muscle cell proliferation, lipid accumulation, foam cell formation, and eventually lead to necrosis and plaque formation.
A literature meta-analysis (Meta-Analysis, including 13 randomized placebo-controlled trials, a total of 804 patients with dyslipidemia) pointed out that oral red yeast rice extract on TC (total cholesterol), TG (total triglyceride), LDL -C (low density lipoprotein cholesterol) has a significant lowering effect, but the effect on HDL-C (high density lipoprotein cholesterol) is not obvious.
*Conclusion: Red yeast rice extract is an effective and relatively safe method for the treatment of dyslipidemia, but it is limited by the small sample size, and it must be further confirmed by a long-term, strictly designed randomized controlled trial.
2. Red yeast rice benefits blood pressure regulation
Hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, is one of the most common chronic diseases.
High blood pressure can cause stroke, heart disease, heart, and kidney failure, and it is also associated with dementia and sexual dysfunction.
Common symptoms associated with high blood pressure are headache, dizziness, hot flashes, and emotional disturbances (low mood, depression, irritability), chest tightness, palpitations, back pain, constipation, and decreased vision.
A systematic review (systematic review, including 21 randomized controlled trials, a total of 4558 hypertensive patients) pointed out:
Compared with placebo + conventional treatment, red yeast rice + conventional treatment has a significant reduction effect on serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), CRP, but on systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride Ester (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) have no significant effect.
Compared with conventional treatment, red yeast rice + conventional treatment has a significant effect on reducing systolic blood pressure, TC, LDL-C, and CRP, but has no effect on diastolic blood pressure, TG, and HDL-C.
Red yeast + conventional treatment and statins + conventional treatment have no significant difference in blood pressure and blood lipid improvement.
*Conclusion: Oral red yeast rice extract may have a positive effect on blood pressure control, but due to the heterogeneity and bias between studies, more rigorous trials are still needed to confirm its clinical benefit.
3. Red yeast rice benefits blood sugar regulation
Diabetes is a growing public health problem. Nearly one-third of adults over the age of 60 in the United States have diabetes, about half of which are undiagnosed, and another third There is pre-diabetes.
Symptoms include periodic increases in blood sugar levels due to insufficient insulin produced by the body or tissue resistance to insulin.
Poor blood sugar control may cause short-term severe shock and various long-term complications, including stroke, neuropathy, kidney disease, and vision problems.
A randomized, double-blind clinical study (16 weeks, 39 diabetic patients) pointed out that the use of red yeast rice extract (Monascus purpureus NTU 568 fermented yeast) helps improve fasting blood glucose and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol level.
*Conclusion: For diabetic patients, oral red yeast extract may be helpful for blood sugar regulation, but limited by the small sample size, more large-scale trials are still needed to corroborate.
Are there any side effects of red yeast rice?
Rhodotorula contains a chemical substance (monacolin K) similar to the prescription drug statins (statins) and therefore may have similar side effects after use.
Possible side effects that have been reported include Unexplained muscle pain weakness, unusual fatigue, upper abdominal pain, liver damage, nausea, heartburn, headache, memory loss, etc., constipation, loss of appetite, dark urine, gray stools, Yellow skin or eyes… etc.
Safety Precautions
1. People with muscle and nerve-related diseases, such as Myasthenia Gravis, do not use (may cause symptoms to worsen).
2. Improperly fermented red yeast rice may contain citrinin. Long-term exposure to citrinin will damage the heart, liver, kidneys, and reproductive system. Please choose the brand carefully before purchasing it.
3. Do not use it for pregnant women, as it may cause birth defects.
4. Don’t use breastfeeding women, children, or those with poor liver and kidney function, because the related safety is unknown.
5. People who have been allergic to red yeast rice products should not use it. There have been cases of serious allergic reactions caused by the consumption of red yeast rice. Allergy-related symptoms include difficulty breathing, swelling of the face/lips/tongue or throat, sneezing, rhinitis, Conjunctivitis, systemic itching.
6. The metabolite monacolins in red yeast rice are the same as Statin drugs, and it will also hinder the synthesis of coenzyme Q10 in the body, causing the concentration of coenzyme Q10 to decrease.
7. Coenzyme Q10 is an important enzyme in the cell, which can help to synthesize energy. If it is lacking, it will cause fatigue, muscle pain, heart failure, and other symptoms. It may even cause rhabdomyolysis (so if you take red yeast extract, it is recommended to supplement Q10, Or add the compound ingredient of Q10, can reduce the occurrence of such side effects).
8. Do not use in combination with alcoholic beverages, it may increase the chance of liver damage.
9. The combined use of Cyclosporine, Niacin, and Gemfibrozil may increase the incidence of myopathy.
10. Do not use in combination with hepatotoxic drugs, which may increase the incidence of liver injury. Related drugs are acetaminophen, amiodarone, carbamazepine, isoniazid, methotrexate, methyldopa, fluconazole, itraconazole, erythromycin, phenytoin, lovastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin.
11. Do not use in combination with cholesterol-lowering drugs (Statins), which may increase the incidence of side effects. Related drugs are cerivastatin., atorvastatin., lovastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin.
12. Do not use together with drugs and herbs that need to be metabolized by the liver cytochrome P450 enzyme system, which may affect the efficacy of drugs. Common related drugs are amiodarone., clarithromycin, diltiazem, erythromycin, indinavir, ritonavir., saquinavir.
Where can I buy the red yeast capsule recommended by most people?
In recent years, food safety problems in various countries have exploded, and it is not healthy but black-hearted products that everyone spends on. Therefore, European and American products with relatively strict quality control have become popular products.
And iHerb.com is a large-scale medical cosmetics e-commerce company in the United States. It has a high satisfaction rate of 97% in the evaluation of Google customers. It provides global home delivery so that you can buy it without risking buying fakes through purchasing high-quality health products.
