According to a new study released in the journal Nutrition, taking a nutrition supplement made of a number of cholesterol lowering ingredients including red  yeast rice can effectively lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), which is known to be an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Statins are known to be very effective in lowering cholesterol.  But these cholesterol lowering medications are not readily available in poor countries and even if available, some people may not want to use them, particularly for a long term, which is desired because side effects such as muscle pain etc. can result from the treatment.  A natural cholesterol lowering supplement like the red yeast rice formula is highly desirable for that reason.

The trial conducted by researchers in India was intended to test the nutritional supplement made of red yeast rice, red yeast rice, grape-seed, niacinamide, and folic acid for its efficacy in lowering LDL-C in individuals who were recently diagnosed with hyperlipidemia but had not been subject to treatment with statins.

In the multicenter, double-blind trial, 191 patients who were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline were randomly assigned to receive the red yeast rice supplement or placebo twice a day for 12 weeks.   All participants in both arms were advised to modify their lifestyle habits.

The trial results show that LDL-C in patients who received the red yeast rice supplement decreased by 29.4%, compared to a 3.5% reduction in LDL-C seen in controls who took placebo.  The formula also lowered non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) by 30% while the placebo decreased it by 10%.

Of the patients taking the red yeast rice supplement, 43.4% kept LDL-C at desirable levels and 55.4% got non-HDL-C to the desirable levels at the end of the 12 week intervention. In comparison, only 0% and 1.1% maintained the desirable levels of LDL-C and non-DHL-C at baseline, respectively.

No adverse effects associated with the red yeast rice supplement were reported.

The researchers say that the magnitude of LDL-C reduction rendered by the red yeast rice supplement is similar to that seen with moderate-intensity statin therapy. 

The red yeast rice supplement under the brand name called PreLipid® was manufactured by PreEmptive Meds, Inc. in USA.  The formula is made of red yeast rice powder, grape seed powder, black pepper powder, miacinamide (niacin) and folic acid or vitamin V9.

The ingredients in the supplement are known to have cholesterol lowering properties and preventative effects against cardiovascular disease.  The researchers say that the combo of bioactive ingredients works better than red yeast rice alone because of its better bioavailability and potential complementary and synergistic mechanisms of the ingredients in lipid metabolism and inflammation pathways.

Red yeast rice contains monacolins which is known to inhibit hydroxymethylglutarylcoenzyme A reductase as statins do.  Many previous trials have demonstrated the efficacy of red yeast rice in lowering cholesterol.  One noteworthy trial tested a partially purified extract of red yeast rice called Xuezhikang in 4870 participants and found the supplement can reduce the incidence of major cardiovascular events by 45%.  Europe has approved red yeast rice as a food for the maintenance of normal cholesterol concentrations.  Red yeast rice is commonly used as a food in China and other Asian countries.

Other ingredients are also beneficial.  Niacin increases HDL-C and lowers LDL-C.  Folic acid lowers homocysteine which is linked to high risk for cardiovascular disease.  The antioxidative grapeseed extract may also lower LDL-C.  Black pepper seed powder boosts the bioavailability of nutrients.

Some similar  supplements made of red yeast rice have been proved to be effective in lowering cholesterol.   It should be noted that red yeast rice or the supplement tested in the trial is not the only supplement that food consumers may use to lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease.   Studies have indicated that berberine , vitamin c, and low fat diet can also help lower cholesterol or maintain a healthy cholesterol level.   Also, the red yeast rice supplements can also help prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus and fight breast cancer and prostate cancer.  (David Liu)

Source: Kasliwal RR, Bansal M, Gupta R, Shah S, Dani S, Oomman A, Pai V, Prasad GM, Singhvi S, Patel J, Sivam S, Trehan N., ESSENS dyslipidemia: A placebo-controlled, randomized study of a nutritional supplement containing red yeast rice in subjects with newly diagnosed dyslipidemia.  Nutrition. 2016 Jul-Aug;32(7-8):767-76. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2016.01.012. Epub 2016 Jan 28.