Red Yeast Rice Dosage

People who are currently taking or thinking of taking red yeast rice often wants to know what the effective dosage amount is.

When it comes to treating high cholesterol, the dosage of red yeast rice that is recommended often depends on the amount of lovastatin that is contained in the supplement. Lovastatin is naturally produced in red yeast rice during the process where it is fermented. The lovastatin that is contained in the red yeast rice is very effective for reducing high cholesterol levels.

It should be noted that lovastatin is not contained in all red yeast rice products. Red yeast rice that is often used in foods has very little to no lovastatin. The production of red yeast rice is a result of fermenting a special type of yeast. It is during this fermentation process that manufacturers are able to control the levels of lovastatin that is contained in the red yeast rice. It is for that particular reason why these supplements are created to help lower cholesterol.

Dosage of Red Yeast Rice for High Cholesterol

The correct dosage of red yeast rice to treat high cholesterol was based on a study that was conducted. In the study the subjects were given a dosage of 1200 mg, 2 times a day. It should be noted that the study also had the subjects taking between 7-8mg of lovastatin per day.

It should be noted that lovastatin is an unapproved drug by the FDA. Many supplements do not contain this product that is key for reducing cholesterol. As a result of this the ones that do not contain lovastatin may not have any effect of cholesterol.

There is no real way to tell which product contains lovastatin as many companies are unwilling to put that information on their products due to the FDA banning its use.

Is Red Yeast Rice Without Lovastatin Effective?

Red yeast rice is a popular supplement that is used to treat high cholesterol. There have been many research studies that have proven the effectiveness of the supplement. It should be noted that during these studies the red yeast rice contained lovastatins which are proven to help lower cholesterol. The FDA has banned products containing lovastatins as they are not an approved drug.

As a result of this, are most red yeast rice supplements that are currently being sold effective? without the lovastatin’s, the red yeast rice supplements are considered to be useless. The supplements can be sold as long as they do not contain lovastatin according to the FDA, however most manufacturers know that their products won’t work unless they contain it.

Lovastatin is a prescription statin is a prescription medication that is used to treat high cholesterol. It occurs naturally in red yeast rice and that is why it is effective. Many people are unaware that the product contains a statin, as a result they need to be aware of what they are taking.

People who have health problems should consult with their doctor before they take red yeast rice.

Red Yeast Rice and Fish Oil For The Treatment of High Cholesterol

It is widely known, based on scientific evidence that statins (cholesterol-lowering medications) are very effective at stopping coronary artery disease. However, according to a new study taking red yeast rice supplements, fish oil and proper exercise and diet can also be just as effective to help in reducing cholesterol like the statins.

There was a study that was conducted to show the effectiveness of taking red yeast rice and fish oil supplements along with proper diet and exercise when it comes to treating individuals with high cholesterol.

Red Yeast Rice & Fish Oil Study

In this study 74 people who had high cholesterol were used as subjects. They were divided into two equal groups where one half took red yeast rice and fish oil supplements, while the others took Zocor a statin drug. This trial was conducted over a period of 12 weeks.

Red yeast rice comes from yeast grown on rice and it is extremely popular in China for the treatment of many medical conditions. The red yeast rice contains many different compounds that are known to stop the production of cholesterol in the body. Triglycerides in the body of also been shown to be lowered by fish oil.

During the course of the study, the group who took Zocor on a daily basis for a given 40 mg of the medication and also receive counseling and reading material related to exercise and diet.

The other group was given three fish oil capsules two times a day. It was also noted that people who had LDL cholesterol that was higher than160 mg/dL were also given 3.6 g of red yeast rice a day. For individuals who had LDL cholesterol lower than160 mg/dL they were given 2.4 g of red yeast rice a day.

The group who also took supplements also participated in meetings that focused on exercise and diet. This group was also encouraged to follow a strict that and do more exercise.

The Results of the Study

After three months of participants in the study had their bad cholesterol levels checked. In both groups the levels had decreased almost the same. The group that took Zocor noticed a reduction in their LDL cholesterol by 39%. The group that the supplements noticed a 42% drop in theirs.

It was also noted that the group who took the fish oil and red yeast rice supplements also lost on average about 10 pounds in 12 weeks. The group who took Zocor did not see any significant reduction in their weight.

The lead researchers are likely that the results of the study showed that taking supplements can reduce cholesterol levels if mixed with a proper diet and exercise regimen.

The researchers note that there needs to be a bigger, longer and more diverse trial that will be able to show long term benefits associated with the use of these supplements.

Red Yeast Rice Important Information

Despite the potential benefits that are associated with the use of red yeast rice, there are some things that need to be known about the product.

What to Do Before Taking Red Yeast Rice

It is very important that before taking red yeast rice supplements that you consult with a doctor. The doctor will be able to advise you about the product and how it can affect your condition and your health.

The doctor should also tell you about the risks, especially if you have specific medical conditions. People who have kidney disease, asthma, drink alcohol on a regular basis and pregnant should all not use red yeast rice. The danger of this product is increased if you suffer from the above mentioned conditions.

If you are pregnant or planning on getting pregnant then the red yeast rice should be avoided. There is no research that shows how the product can affect an unborn child and if you are breast-feeding.

People should be aware that if they take red yeast rice, it can result in a condition that causes the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue. When this occurs, it can cause kidney failure.

If you are experiencing symptoms such as muscle tenderness, muscle pain, fever, weakness and dark urine, then you should consult a doctor immediately.

 

Red Yeast Rice Important Information

 

People should be aware that the FDA has not approved red yeast rice for the treatment for any medical conditions. For that reason it should not be substituted for medications that are prescribed by doctors.

The FDA has not tested red yeast rice for effectiveness and safety when it comes to the treatment of medical conditions. As a result of this the potential risks might not be known. Certain red yeast rice products that are available on the market have been shown to contain toxic metals. To reduce the risk of contamination it is always good to purchase the product from a reputable source.

The Effectivness Of Red Yeast Rice

red-yeast-rice-effectivnessIngesting Chinese red yeast rice has shown the possibility of being able to reduce cholesterol levels almost as successfully as statin medications. The benefit of red yeast rice is you get the benefits associated with statin drugs, but then wond have deal with the  without the possible harmful side effects that are common with using statin’s for long periods of time.

A research study was conducted comprising a host of trials that were taken at random. Thus was done to find out how effective three different kinds of red yeast rice products acted on the levels of blood cholesterol. These three products were Xuezhikang, Zhibituo and Cholestin

Pharmanex is a drug company based in the United States that makes the rate yeast rice brand Cholestin. Xuezhikang is created by combining red yeast, alcohol and rice together and then running a specific process that will ensure that a large amount of rice gluten is removed.

The studies were looked at by researchers as they wanted to compare the results of how effective red yeast was in treating people who suffered from hyperlipidemia. Hyperlipidemia is a medical condition where people often will have abnormal levels and concentrations of lipids in the blood. The researchers were able to show that mixtures such as Zhibituo, Cholestin and Xuezhikang were all able to drastically reduce the overall blood cholesterol. The results were compared against the people who took a placebo. For the three products that were taken, the patients experienced a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels, blood cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels. Also, patients saw an increase in their good HDL cholesterol. This was drastically different from the people who took the placebo. Researchers were also able to show that Zhibituo and Xuezhikang were the two most effective preparations. The differences between the two were very small.

The red yeast rice products were also shown to be as effective as statin drugs when it comes to reducing the levels of lipid cholesterol. The benefit however was the fact that statins can have a negative effect on muscle damage, liver function, pain, sexual dysfunction and depression. When it came to red yeast rice, the only problems were the occasional gastrointestinal uneasiness and dizziness.

In China for over 1,000 years, red yeast rice has been an important product when it came to treating diarrhea, improving circulation and calming indigestion. Red yeast rice is made from fermenting rice using special red yeast that is called Monascus purpureu. This yeast is commonly used as a food color and preservative.

In the end it has been documented that the use of red yeast rice does carry with it dangerous side effects that are common with of statin drugs. The red yeast rice is also natural, relatively inexpensive most importantly safe.