Red Yeast Rice/Statins
Red yeast rice contains naturally-occurring substances called monacolins. Monocolins, particularly one called lovastatin, is believed to be converted in the body to a substance that inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme that triggers cholesterol production. This is the way the popular statin drugs work.
Red yeast rice products have been found to contain citrinin, a toxic mold by-product of the fermentation process (suspected to cause kidney and liver damage in humans).
First make sure the potentially toxic by-product, citrinin has been removed from the fermentation process. You only want to use the extract form of red yeast rice.
Red yeast rice products have been found to contain citrinin, a toxic mold by-product of the fermentation process (suspected to cause kidney and liver damage in humans).
First make sure the potentially toxic by-product, citrinin has been removed from the fermentation process. You only want to use the extract form of red yeast rice.