# Red Yeast Rice Extract...Statins or no statins?



## brodus (Mar 23, 2012)

I know the Fed's told Red Yeast Rice Extract makers that they can't sell Statins, and I know the industry took steps to ensure there is no toxic citrinin in the RYRE, but if there are no statins in the RYRE, why take it?

I just got a (possibly) great product from NOW that has Fish Oil, CoQ10, and Red Yeast Rice Extract in one capsule.  I'm using it for post-cycle and general cardiovascular and lipid health.

But I really want to know what the hell is up with RYRE...are there still statins in there or not?


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## hypo_glycemic (Mar 23, 2012)

^^ Thats one of our best sellers in my family supp store. NOW Sports puts out quality herbs and vitamins!!!


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## Ezskanken (Mar 23, 2012)

I read a while ago that RYR was a useless supplement after the all makers were forced to remove the ingredient that made it worth while and wanted.  I forgot what it was now though, have things changed?


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## brodus (Mar 23, 2012)

Yeah, the thing is, they can't remove the ingredient, from what I gather. But I'm not sure.

The yeast that makes the rice turn red produces the statins as a byproduct.  So if it's red yeast rice, it should have the stuff you want.

But I want opinions because I heard the same thing--that the feds told manufacturers to remove the goodies.


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## Ichigo (Mar 23, 2012)

[h=3]What is the present status of red yeast rice?[/h]  Small scale studies using pharmaceutical-grade red rice  yeast have continued to demonstrate efficacy and safety. However, in the  United States it is no longer legal to sell supplements of red yeast  rice that contain more than trace amounts of cholesterol lowering  substances.  For example, the active ingredients of red rice yeast have  been removed from Cholestin marketed in the United States. (Hypocol,  another product containing red yeast rice is no longer being sold in the  United States.) 
 The reasons the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has  ruled that it is illegal to sell red yeast rice that contains more than  trace amounts of the cholesterol-lowering substances and to promote red  yeast rice for lowering cholesterol levels. 


First, statin drugs are associated with muscle and kidney injury  when used alone or combined with other medications. There is concern  that patients who already take statin drugs with or without these other  medications may increase their risk of muscle or kidney injury.
Second, the FDA considers the products containing red yeast  rice with high levels of cholesterol lowering substances to be new,  unapproved drugs for which marketing violates the Federal Food, Drug,  and Cosmetic Act.

[h=3]What are the different preparations of red yeast rice?[/h]   There are three major preparations of red yeast rice:


Zhitai,
Cholestin or Hypocol, and
Xuezhikang.
 *Zhitai* 
 Zhitai is produced by the fermentation of a mixture of different strains of  _Monascus purpureus_ on whole grain rice. Zhitai contains mainly rice and  yeast, but is mostly rice by weight.
*Cholestin or HypoCol*
 Cholestin or HypoCol is produced by the fermentation of selected  strains of _Monascus purpureus_, using a proprietary process that produces a certain  concentration of monacolin K (monacolin K is lovastatin, which is believed to be  the major cholesterol-lowering ingredient).  
*Xuezhikang* 
 Xuezhikang is produced by mixing the rice and red yeast with alcohol and then  processing it to remove most of the rice gluten. Xuezhikang contains 40% more  cholesterol-lowering ingredients than Cholestin or Hypocol.
 In Singapore, red yeast rice is available as Hypocol (NatureWise, Wearnes  Biotech & Medicals (1998) PTE LTD). 

[h=3]What is the composition of HypoCol and Cholestin?[/h] At one time, Cholestin contained red yeast rice, and at that  time scientists at Pharmanex and the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition  analyzed the properties  Cholestin. The composition by weight is:


starch (73%),
protein (5.8%)
moisture (3%-6%),
unsaturated fatty acids (1.5%),
monacolins (0.4%),
ash (3%), and
trace amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, and copper.
 There are no additives, preservatives, heavy metals, or toxic substances, such as citrinic acid.
 In 1977, Professor Endo in Japan discovered a natural cholesterol-lowering substance that is produced by a strain of Monascus yeast. This substance inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme that is important for the production of cholesterol in the body. Professor Endo named this substance moncacolin K. Since then, scientists  have discovered a total of eight monacolin-like substances that have cholesterol-lowering properties.
  Monacolin K is lovastatin,  the active ingredient in the popular statin drug, lovastatin (Mevacor), which is used for  lowering cholesterol. Lovastatin also is believed to be the main cholesterol-lowering ingredient in HypoCol. The lovastatin in  Mevacor is highly purified and concentrated, the lovastatin in HypoCol  is not. Thus, they contain much lower concentrations of lovastatin than Mevacor. For example, each 600-mg capsule of Cholestin contains less than 2.4 mg of lovastatin (when this ingredient  was contained in the product), whereas tablets of Mevacor contain 10 mg or more of this ingredient.
 Because none of the components are purified and concentrated, HypoCol and Cholestin  (marketed outside of the US) contain a mixture of the eight yeast-produced monacolins, unsaturated fatty acids, and certain anti-oxidants. Some scientists believe that these other monacolins, unsaturated fatty acids, and anti-oxidants may work together favorably with lovastatin to enhance its cholesterol-lowering effects, as well as its ability in  lowering triglycerides and increasing HDL cholesterol. (HDL is considered the "good" form of cholesterol since high levels of HDL cholesterol protect against heart attacks.) Further studies in animals and humans will be necessary to test these theories.

This is the link to the rest of this article.

Red Yeast Rice: Cholesterol Lowering Supplement on MedicineNet.com


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