Who Red yeast rice is a supplement that people often use to help reduce their cholesterol levels. The product requires a special type of red yeast (Monascus purpureus) that is fermented over rice. The supplement contains monacolins,especially one known as lovastatin. Lovastatin is a very popular statin drug that is prescribed by doctors to help reduce the levels of cholesterol. Many people are turning to the supplement as they have the same effects as statins, without the side effects.
There are many different benefits associated with taking red yeast rice, however it should be noted that the product adds to rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is basically the destruction or death of the skeletal muscle. This is a well known side effect of statin drugs and it is very common in people who have had renal transplants.
The red yeast rice supplement has some of the same side effects like many of the widely used statin drugs. Research studies done on lab mice show that if given large quantities of red yeast rice, there was a rapid reduction in the levels of their coenzyme Q10.
Finally many of the red yeast rice products that were tested show that it contains Citrinin. Citrinin is a fungal metabolite that is very toxic.