Hi,

I have been trying to find a way to lower my numbers for a couple years, since taking paxil added 40 pounds and shot all my numbers through the roof. Well, I have been off the paxil (now lexapro), lost the weight (now back to my normal 190) and have tried a bunch of supplements, but the numbers still weren't great. UNTIL I tried red yeast rice. It's been almost 1 month (I thought it would take a lot longer) but the results have been incredible. Each day, I take 1200 mg ryr, 4800 mg fish oil and 50 mg coq10:

PRE Red Yeast Rice

TC 213 (high of 259)
Trig 215 (high of 580)
HDL 25
LDL 120

After less than 1 month of RYR:

TC 168 !
Trig (not sure - haven't done fasting test yet... after eating and drinking coffee it was 350 :) )

I also haven't tested HDL or LDL yet - I'm using the bioscanner 2000 between actual lab tests. Anyway, I'm excited about the reduction of total cholesterol. It's never been this low.

I do, however, need to find some way to raise HDL. Mine has always been between 25 and 30 (my father, who is 65 with no heart problems, has also always had HDL around 25 and high triglycerides)

Anyway, has anyone else had this kind of dramatic tc reducation with ryr?

Greg

When you do get it tested again, I'd do it with the same lab as before.

PRE Red Yeast Rice

TC 213 (high of 259)
Trig 215 (high of 580)
HDL 25
LDL 120

After less than 1 month of RYR:

TC 168 !

Nice results. Most find some success with Red Yest Rice for the same reasons most find success with lipitor and zocor - all are statins.

Hi PCovers,

Thanks :)

I did a lot of reading beforehand, and as far as I understand it, there has never been a case of liver problems resulting from the use of Red Yeast Rice, where, it seems, with some of the drugs, there has. It seems that the Red Yeast Rice was the safer choice to try, is a natural part of many Asian diets, and is cheap :)

It seems the dosage of cholesterol-lowering component in Red Yeast Rice is much lower than in the pharmaceuticals.

Thanks again,

Greg

Did you take anything else with the red yeast rice?? I'm thinking about giving it a try later this month. I'm currently on lipitor and they keep upping my doage and its making me nervous. I want to try something else that hasn't been shown to distroy my liver. =/ i understand that it has the same stuff as the drugs, but they've never found side effects. Anyway, back to the original question, i was researching and saw some people take other things with it. Just curious if you did too. =)

I'm curious to know if the side effects of red yeast are the same as the side effects from statins. I was unable to take statins and don't want to play with red yeast if the effects are the same/similar. Or is this natural substance less toxic than statins?

Me too cokids. I am a little scared of RYR. The lable states about the side effects you need to watch for.

Hi.. If it is banned where do you find it?

I read an article that says artichoke extract from a health food store is just as effective as statins in lowering cholesterol. I just purchased a bottle from gnc. Also the o.j. from minute maid for cholesterol is suppose to help lower cholesterol. I will have a blood work done on Oct. 1, then i'll let you know if it works.

Well, I had a reaction to statins within a week of starting them earlier this year. I got terrible muscle and joint aches. I started red yeast rice 5 days ago, so far, so good. I'll post again in a couple of weeks.

Red Yeast Rice, eh? That's a new one on me. What is in it that is supposed to reduce cholesterol?

See my thread on FH for some other neutricutical products.

As for raising HDL, is very difficult. I'm trying to do the same. Mine was at 34 a few weeks ago.

However, I just discovered that I have metabolic syndrome, and I cut out nearly all sugar. Its already reduced my appetite, but just as important there is an association between insulin resistance and HDL repression.

Apart from drastically reducing sugar, I'm taking a glass of red wine each day. Nothing new in that suggestion except that alcohol INCREASES sensitivity to insulin. I'm expecting a pop in HDL from these dual actions.

Alcohol also increases HDL levels, but its efficacy is controversial since it raises HDL3 at least as much as HDL2, the latter of which is the operative type we need. What isn't disputed is the rise in Apolipoprotein A in your HDL which makes it more efficient at removing LDL. Nor is it disputed that light drinking generally improves health for most people. The negative effects of stronger drinking...and I think also the fact that it doesn't get dispensed from a pharmacy inhibit its prescription.

No more than 10 drinks a week is probably best in order to avoid negative effects from the alcolol itself.

exercise and weight loss are supposed to raise HDL, but they've never done so for me. I'm wondering now if I never experienced that rise before because of insulin resistance.

Torcetrapib is a promising new drug that raises HDL, and broad trials for it began in April. When that baby comes out in a few years, there'll be quite a tidal wave of people like me running to get it.

I wish I could think of some other foolproof ways to raise HDL.

mark

I've been a RYR user for a couple of years now under doctors instructions. Had great success until FDA ban. 6 mos ago I was able to find another source. Trouble is, the price is high. Can anyone tell me where their supply comes from?

I've been a RYR user for a couple of years now under doctors instructions. Had great success until FDA ban. 6 mos ago I was able to find another source. Trouble is, the price is high. Can anyone tell me where their supply comes from?

It's available at all health food stores on the eastcoast; Walmart even sells it.
Frankie

Red Yeast Rice, eh? That's a new one on me. What is in it that is supposed to reduce cholesterol?

RYR is a natural statin. Basically, it made by fermenting red yeast (Monascus purpureus) on rice. It has been recently noted that red yeast produces the by-product, mevinolin, while it ferments rice. Mevinolin is structurally and functionally similar to lovastatin.
Due to its distinct similarity to lovastatin, red yeast rice extract was banned in the United States by the FDA in 2001.
But is now available in most health food stores and over the internet.

Frankie

My recent research indicates that it is now legal because it has been chemically altered from its original composition. It is still supposed to be effective however.

Best I can tell is that it is still completely illegal in the U.S.A. and it was banned because it contained lovastatin which is mandated to be available only by prescription here. Some manufacurers are still selling products that USED to contain red yeast rice but alas they have RYR in them no more.

It's reminiscent of all the formery effective ephedra products that USED to help with weight loss now have the same names but CAFFEINE as the active ingredient...very EXPENSIVE caffeine.

My guess is that if you buy any "red yeast rice" product in the U.S.A. that's not shipped from abroad, you're being ripped off. If it's the real stuff from abroad you risk a customs seizure. (Not fun, I lost a couple hundred dollar item a couple of decades ago that way!)

I don't know what to make of the red yeast rice situation, but quite honestly I can see no reason why it should be illegal. Out of curiosity, I read the labels on a few red yeast rice supplements in the Vitamin Shoppe a couple of weeks ago. One brand in particular (Nature's Plus, I think) did state that it was standardized for something at about 1.7%. I don't know. It just doesn't make sense to ban a quality red yeast rice product that contains effective ingredients. After all, even though Niaspan is only available by prescription, they still sell niacin over the counter. That isn't illegal. If a quality red yeast rice product no longer exists, I'll bet that the drug companies had something to do with it.

Best I can tell is that it is still completely illegal in the U.S.A. and it was banned because it contained lovastatin which is mandated to be available only by prescription here. Some manufacurers are still selling products that USED to contain red yeast rice but alas they have RYR in them no more.

My guess is that if you buy any "red yeast rice" product in the U.S.A. that's not shipped from abroad, you're being ripped off. If it's the real stuff from abroad you risk a customs seizure. (Not fun, I lost a couple hundred dollar item a couple of decades ago that way!)

Zip & Arizona,
Red Yeast Rice was banned, but is now readily available. Several of the top nutritional supplement companies sell RYR in 600mg capsules.

The first product to contain RYR was Cholestin in 1998.
[see ban info below from CareFirst BC/BS]

My primary care physician suggested I use RYR instead of one of the statins to lower my cholesterol. My LDL was 162 and lowered to 90 in 6 months, along with diet and exercise. The recommended dose is 2 - 600mg capsules, but I took only one daily with 50mg CoQ10.
Also took 500mg C, 400 IU d-alpha Vit E and a multi-vitamin.

Additional info from PDR Health about RYR.

Frankie


Source: PDR Health
What It Is; Why It Works

Red Yeast Rice (monascus purpureus Went) is made, quite simply, by fermenting red yeast on rice. A special process is used to isolate a higher concentration of the natural ingredient mevinolin. This substance is similar to the "statin" drugs, such as Zocor, Pravachol, and Lipitor, that doctors prescribe for high cholesterol. An extract of mevinolin, however, can be purchased without a prescription as an over-the-counter dietary supplement.

Red Yeast Rice (and "statin" drugs) block the action of an enzyme in the liver that triggers cholesterol production. It is also speculated that the unsaturated fatty acids in Red Yeast Rice could contribute to its beneficial effects.

Avoid If...
In very high doses, the mevinolin in Red Yeast Rice has been known to damage the liver. Do not take it if you have liver disease, are in danger of developing it, or consume more than two alcoholic beverages a day.

Ban info from CareFirst BC/BS
Cholestin(TM) was originally marketed as a non-prescription dietary supplement; on 5/20/98, the FDA announced that Cholestin(TM) was an unapproved drug, and, therefore, cannot be marketed as a dietary supplement. In May 1997, the FDA detained a shipment of Chinese red yeast used in the manufacturing of Cholestin(TM); Pharmanex challenged FDA's decision in court; a hearing on 6/15/98 in the district court of Utah overturned the FDA ban and allowed Pharmanex the right to import red yeast rice and distribute Cholestin(TM) as a dietary supplement (press release 5/20/98).

Edited for additional info:
Source: Fred Meyer.com
Active constituents: In addition to rice starch, protein, fiber, sterols, and fatty acids, red yeast rice contains numerous active constituents, including monacolin K, dihydromonacolin, and monacolin I to VI.

Researchers have determined that one of the ingredients in red yeast rice, called monacolin K, inhibits the production of cholesterol by stopping the action of a key enzyme in the liver (e.g., HMG-CoA reductase) that is responsible for manufacturing cholesterol.6 The drug lovastatin (Me****r®) acts in a similar fashion to this red yeast rice ingredient. However, the amount per volume of monacolin K in red yeast rice is small (0.2% per 5 mg) when compared to the 20–40 mg of lovastatin available as a prescription drug.7 This has prompted researchers to suggest that red yeast rice may have other ingredients, such as sterols, that might also contribute to lowering cholesterol.

For more technical info on RYR from PDR Health:
Google:monacolin K mevinolin

In addition to natural pigments such as monascorubin and monascin (azaphilone derivatives), red yeast rice contains starch, fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, linolenic, palmitic, stearic), phytosterols (beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol), isoflavones and monacolins. Monacolins possess hydroxymethyglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase-inhibitory activity. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors are commonly known as statins. The first statin introduced in the U.S., for use as a cholesterol lowering agent, was lovastatin. Lovastatin was originally derived from Monascus ruber, and was first called monacolin K. Monacolin K is a lactone which is converted in the body to the active form of the statin, the corresponding beta-hydroxy acid of monacolin K (lovastastin, mevinolin).

The proprietary red yeast rice product that was first introduced in the U.S. was processed to yield 0.4% HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors in the final product. In addition to monacolin K or lovastatin, which comprises 0.2% of this product, it contains the corresponding beta-hydroxy acid of monacolin K at a concentration of 0.1%, and much smaller amounts of dihydromonacolin, monacolin I, monacolin II (hydroxy acid form), monacolin III, monacolin IV, monacolin V and monacolin VI, to give a total of 9 HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Traditional red yeast rice does not contain as high an amount of these substances. The yeast in red yeast rice is inactive.

heart:

More confusion:
This is from a 2000 article from Whole Heath MD:
Because of the FDA withdrawal of red yeast rice, its distributors, NuSkin International, chose to reformulate its product Cholestin by replacing the red yeast rice with other substances, namely plant sterols and stanols and policosanol, which is derived from beeswax and sugar cane. These new ingredients will still positively affect your cholesterol profile, even though red yeast rice is no longer an ingredient of Cholestin. Likewise, NuSkin no longer licenses red yeast rice to other supplement manufacturers, so other products that also once contained red yeast rice no longer do.

Again from the same year 2000 article:
In addition, because of the FDA action, all other manufacturers stopped using red yeast rice, so any supplements containing this effective substance have disappeared. Some people have been able to locate supplies of red yeast rice on the Internet; it is possible that red yeast rice may return some day, but it will require a doctorís prescription. But for now, this very effective natural product is history.

I always find this troubling: is it real or is it Memorex! Same thing with androstenedione. It was banned effective this spring (2004) but this summer I wandered into Vitamin Shoppe and asked for it. Sure, they had it, but the $50 for the bottle turned me away.
Maybe I should have asked for some "Black Beauties"?? ;) :D)

Does anyone have good current info on the RYR? (or the androstenedione for that matter?)

heart:

Does anyone have good current info on the RYR?
(or the androstenedione for that matter?)

Hi Zip,

I purchased red yeast rice in a Florida health food store.
So it is out there. $20 for 120 capsules. It's just plain ole RYR.
They sell it in Walmart too.

I went to the FDA website to see the status of RYR, as most articles say, "It's an ongoing debate."

2001 the FDA sent warning letters to 4 companies:
Nutraceutical International Corporation & Maypro
~ Red Yeast Rice Product/Lacks Approved New Drug Application/Misbranded
Nature's Sunshine Products, Inc. & Twin Labs
~ Lovastatin/Red Yeast Rice Product/Lacks Approved New Drug Application
Under the column for "Response Posted", simply a 'NO'. I searched all thier archives for warning letters sent for RYR, and that was it.

Maybe the drug companies can't be bothered with fighting all the RYR distributors. 120 pills of any statin cost a heck of a lot more than $20.

And "androstenedione"..... are you a body-builder ??? <grin>
March 11, 2004, FDA sent warning letters to 23 companies.
Guess their warning letters don't mean too much.
Google 'androstenedione' and FDA piece is the 3rd from the top.

Frankie

What is the walmart sku on the bottle folks.. i can't find this anywhere..

or the exact name of the product, form the bottle lable??

F.

What is the walmart sku on the bottle folks..
i can't find this anywhere..
or the exact name of the product, form the bottle lable??
The product is simply called "Red Yeast Rice".
Walmart website doesn't list nutritional supplements.
Ask someone in the pharmacy if they stock red yeast rice.
Or you can search on the internet. Most nutritional supplement
companies carry RYR.

Sadly I had to stop my RYR, due to side effects just like the statins cause me. I started off with 1200mg/day. Reduced to 600mg/day, and still couldn't take because of muscle weakness, aches and flu like symptoms. Wish I hadn't bought 3 bottles of it, lol.

To the originator of this thread (I can't see your name now), your regimen of supplements to me are splendid. I take all and more, and do so wish I could take this RYR. Good luck.

How long before those side effects showed up..?

F.

About 8-9 days for the flu like symptoms, and fatigue, but only 2 days for groin muscle pain. Same for me with statins.

Jack

Thanks Jack.

I am on my 5th day of 1200mg RYR per day and i noticed i am getting a little woozy in the mornings. So far it is only in the mornings for a few hours..

question.. Should I take 1200mg all at once or 600 2x per day?

BTW.. How much COQ-10 is needed..? My doctor is somewhat clueless and told me to take 100mg x2 per/day. Is this too much..?

Thanks,
Fabian.