Dr. Weil on Red rice yeast and CoQ10

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Red rice yeast (Monascus purpureus) is a natural source of statins, but unlike

pharmaceutical products, it provides a mix of these compounds rather than a

single one. The complex mixture interacts with the body more smoothly and is

less likely to cause toxicity.

One active ingredient in red rice yeast extract, monacolin K, is the active

component of the FDA approved statin Mevacor. The lead researcher of the new

study, Becker, M.D., of Chestnut Hill Cardiology in Pennsylvania, said

that because the dose of monacolin K in the red rice yeast supplement used in

the study was five times smaller than the amount in a typical Mevacor

prescription, " something else is having a powerful lipid-lowering effect. "

Healthy lifestyle changes among the study participants probably didn't account

for the difference.

This is a valuable study, but I wouldn't recommend switching from a statin to

red rice yeast without your physician's approval and supervision. Because

supplements are unregulated and the demand for quality ingredients is growing,

some products will not actually contain any red rice yeast extract and, as a

result, won't be effective.

I have put many patients on red rice yeast products with excellent results and

have seen only two patients who could not tolerate them because of side effects.

Note that anyone taking statins, either as red rice yeast or prescription drugs,

should be on daily supplements of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Statins inhibit the

body's production of this coenzyme along with lowering cholesterol. CoQ10 is

necessary for optimum function of muscles, including heart muscle.

Weil, M.D.