Why You Should Avoid (statins) Red Rice Yeast

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Why You Should Avoid Red Rice Yeast

Posted by: Dr. Mercola

September 10 2009

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/10/Why-You-Should-Avo\

id-Red-Rice-Yeast.aspx

By Dr. Mercola

Red yeast rice, a mainstay of Chinese medicine since ancient times, is

emerging in drug stores and vitamin shops as a natural tool to lower

cholesterol. The substance is actually derived from a fungus that grows on

rice and is eaten as a dietary staple in certain Asian countries.

As its popularity grows, I wanted to share some important information, and

a warning of sorts, about red yeast rice.

Even though it is natural, red yeast rice is not a panacea or miracle cure

for those of you looking to lower your cholesterol. In fact, using it is an

approach I would recommend avoiding.

What's All the Hype about Red Yeast Rice?

Red yeast rice is sold over-the-counter and is often promoted as an

alternative to cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, especially for those who

stop taking the drugs due to side effects, like unbearable muscle pain.

In one recent study, researchers studied 62 people with high cholesterol,

half of whom were given red yeast rice twice a day for six months while the

other half received a placebo. The people taking red yeast rice also had

weekly meetings for three months during which they learned about how to

incorporate healthy nutrition, exercise and stress management into their

lives.

After six months, the researchers found[1]:

a.. LDL (bad) cholesterol levels decreased by an average of 35 mg/dL in

those taking red yeast rice, compared with 15 mg/dL in the placebo group

b.. Total cholesterol levels improved more in the red yeast rice group

than the placebo group

Although the researchers acknowledged that the study was small and of

short duration, they concluded that red yeast rice, coupled with lifestyle

changes, could decrease LDL cholesterol without increasing pain levels or

liver or muscle enzyme levels (as often happens in people taking statin

drugs). They recommended the yeast rice as a valid treatment option for

people who cannot tolerate statin drugs.

A separate study, this one of 5,000 people who have suffered a heart

attack, also found favorable results. Those who took an extract of red yeast

rice for five years reduced their risk of repeat heart attacks by 45

percent. It also lowered their chances of having a heart procedure such as

bypass surgery or angioplasty, and even appeared to reduce their risk of

cancer by as much as two-thirds.[2]

So why, then, do I NOT recommend you take this " natural " supplement if you

have high cholesterol?

The answer is two-fold and may surprise you:

1.. Red yeast rice is a statin drug -- with all the same side effects

2.. Cholesterol is not your enemy

3..

Red Yeast Rice is a Statin Drug

The " active " compounds in red yeast rice are known as monacolins, and are

substances known to inhibit cholesterol synthesis. One type of monacolin,

" monacolin K, " is also known as mevinolin or lovastatin.[3]

Lovastatin, as you might now recognize, is the first statin drug to be

approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and it goes by the brand

names of Mevacor and Altocor. So if you're taking red yeast rice in the

hopes of avoiding a statin drug -- surprise!

They're essentially the same drug.

And if you are concerned about your cholesterol levels, taking a drug,

even a " natural " drug like red yeast rice, should be your absolute last

resort. And when I say last resort, I'm saying the odds are very high,

greater than 1000 to 1, that you don't need drugs to lower your cholesterol.

To put it another way, among the more than 20,000 patients who have come

to my clinic, only four or five of them truly needed these drugs, as they

had genetic challenges that required it.

Why Statin Drugs -- Including Red Yeast Rice -- Should be Avoided

Count yourself lucky that you probably do NOT need to take

cholesterol-lowering medications of any kind, because these are some nasty

little pills.

Statin drugs work by inhibiting an enzyme in your liver that's needed to

manufacture cholesterol. What is so concerning about this is that when you

go tinkering around with the delicate workings of your body, you risk

throwing everything off kilter.

For starters, statin drugs deplete your body of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10),

which is beneficial to heart health and muscle function.

CoQ10 is a cofactor (co-enzyme) that is essential for a system of enzymes

that create ATP molecules, which are needed for cellular energy production.

Organs, such as your heart, which have higher energy requirements

therefore also need more CoQ10 to function properly.

Statins deplete your body of CoQ10, which can have devastating results.

And because doctors rarely inform people of this risk and advise them to

take a CoQ10 supplement, as your body gets more and more depleted, it can

lead to fatigue, followed by muscle weakness and soreness, and eventually

heart failure.

Congestive heart failure is in fact a very common health risk of statin

drugs, and a major reason to avoid them.

Muscle pain and weakness, a condition called rhabdomyolysis, is the most

common side effect of statin drugs, which is thought to occur because

statins activate the gene atrogin-1 gene, which plays a key role in muscle

atrophy.[4]

It's important to remember that your heart is also a major muscle and can

be affected in the same manner as the other muscles in your body.

By the way, muscle pain and weakness may be an indication that your body

tissues are actually breaking down -- a condition that can cause kidney

damage.

Statin drugs have also been linked to:

a.. An increased risk of polyneuropathy (nerve damage that causes pain

in the hands and feet and trouble walking)

b.. Dizziness

c.. Cognitive impairment, including memory loss[5]

d.. A potential increased risk of cancer[6]

e.. Decreased function of your immune system[7]

f.. Depression

g.. Liver problems, including a potential increase in liver enzymes (so

people taking statins must be regularly monitored for normal liver function)

And a possible association was even found between statins and an increased

risk of Lou Gehrig's disease.[8]

Exposing yourself to these potentially serious risks by taking statin

drugs becomes even more unacceptable when you understand the truth about

cholesterol -- that it is actually your friend, not your enemy.

Why You Need Cholesterol

In the United States, the idea that cholesterol is evil is very much

ingrained in most people's minds. But this is a very harmful myth that needs

to be put to rest right now.

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found not only in your bloodstream

but also in every cell in your body, where it helps to produce cell

membranes, hormones, vitamin D and bile acids that help you to digest fat.

Cholesterol also helps in the formation of memories and is vital for your

neurological function.

As Ron Rosedale, MD, who is widely considered to be the leading anti-aging

doctor in the United States, points out[9]:

" First and foremost, cholesterol is a vital component of every cell

membrane on Earth. In other words, there is no life on Earth that can live

without cholesterol. That will automatically tell you that, in of itself, it

cannot be evil. In fact it is one of our best friends.

We would not be here without it. No wonder lowering cholesterol too much

increases one's risk of dying. Cholesterol also is a precursor to all of the

steroid hormones. You cannot make estrogen, testosterone, cortisone, and a

host of other vital hormones without cholesterol. "

Other " evidence " that cholesterol is good for you?

Consider the role of " good " HDL cholesterol. Essentially, HDL takes

cholesterol from your body's tissues and arteries, and brings it back to

your liver, where most of your cholesterol is produced. If the purpose of

this was to eliminate cholesterol from your body, it would make sense that

the cholesterol would be shuttled back to your kidneys or intestines so your

body could remove it.

Instead, it goes back to your liver.

Why?

Because your liver is going to reuse it.

" It is taking it back to your liver so that your liver can recycle it; put

it back into other particles to be taken to tissues and cells that need it, "

Dr. Rosedale says. " Your body is trying to make and conserve the cholesterol

for the precise reason that it is so important, indeed vital, for health. "

Do You Really Have " High " Cholesterol?

Sally Fallon, the president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, and

Enig, Ph.D, an expert in lipid biochemistry, have gone so far as to call

high cholesterol " an invented disease, a 'problem' that emerged when health

professionals learned how to measure cholesterol levels in the blood. " [10]

And this explanation is spot on.

If you have increased levels of cholesterol, it is at least in part

because of increased inflammation in your body. The cholesterol is there to

do a job: help your body heal and repair.

Conventional medicine misses the boat entirely when they recommend that

lowering cholesterol is the way to reduce your risk of heart attacks,

because what is actually needed is to address whatever is causing your body

damage -- and leading to increased inflammation and then increased

cholesterol.

Further, there is absolutely NO evidence to show that lowering your LDL

cholesterol to 100 or below is good for you, but what do you think the

American Heart Association STILL recommends?

Lowering your LDL cholesterol levels to less than 100.[11]

And to make matters worse, the standard recommendation to get to that

level almost always includes cholesterol-lowering drugs.

The Risks of Lowering Your Cholesterol Too Much

The common mindset in much of the developed world is that lowering your

total blood cholesterol below 200 mg/dL is a key to good heart health. In

reality, lowering your cholesterol does nothing to address any underlying

problems . and lowering it too much can seriously devastate your health.

One large study conduced by Dutch researchers found that men with

chronically low cholesterol levels showed a consistently higher risk of

having depressive symptoms.[12] This may be because cholesterol affects the

metabolism of serotonin, a substance involved in the regulation of your

mood.

On a similar note, Canadian researchers found that those in the lowest

quarter of total cholesterol concentration had more than six times the risk

of committing suicide as did those in the highest quarter.[13]

Dozens of studies also support a connection between low or lowered

cholesterol levels and violent behavior, through this same pathway: lowered

cholesterol levels may lead to lowered brain serotonin activity, which may,

in turn, lead to increased violence and aggression.[14]

And one meta-analysis of over 41,000 patient records found that people who

take statin drugs to lower their cholesterol as much as possible may have a

higher risk of cancer,[15] while other studies have linked low cholesterol

to Parkinson's disease.

What cholesterol level is too low?

Brace yourself.

Probably any level much under 150, an optimum would be more like 200.

So how do you know if your cholesterol really is too high?

How to Find Out What Your Cholesterol Levels Really Mean

Personally, I believe anything above 330 is likely too high. But another

powerful way to determine if you're at risk from abnormal cholesterol

metabolism is to check your ratio of HDL, or " good " cholesterol, and your

total cholesterol.

Your HDL percentage is a very potent heart disease risk factor.

Simply divide your HDL level by your cholesterol. That percentage should

ideally be above 25 percent. Typically, the higher the better, as there are

no known side effects of having too high good cholesterol.

If your ratio falls below 15-20 percent you are at high risk, and below 10

percent, it's a significant indicator of risk for heart disease.

You can also do the same thing with your triglycerides and HDL ratio. That

percentage should be below 2.

Keep in mind, however, that these are still simply guidelines, and there's

a lot more that goes into your risk of heart disease than any one of these

numbers.

Do You Want to Safely and Effectively Optimize Your Cholesterol Levels?

First, please realize that simply lowering your dietary cholesterol intake

is not an effective primary strategy.

Why?

Because 75 percent of your cholesterol is produced by your liver, which is

influenced by your insulin levels. Therefore, if you optimize your insulin

levels, you will also regulate your cholesterol levels.

One of the most powerful ways you can do that is by exercising, and paying

attention to the foods you eat. Foods that increase your insulin levels will

also contribute to high cholesterol by making your liver produce more of it.

With that in mind, here are my primary recommendations for safely

regulating your cholesterol levels:

1.. Get the right amount of exercise. When you exercise you increase

your circulation and the blood flow throughout your body. The components of

your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune

system has a better chance of fighting an illness before it has the

opportunity to spread.

2.. Make sure you're getting plenty of high-quality, animal-based

omega3-fats, such as those from krill oil.

3.. Reduce, with the plan of eliminating, grains and sugars in your

daily diet.

4.. Eat the right foods for your nutritional type.

5.. Eat a good portion of your food raw.

6.. Eat healthy, preferably raw, fats that correspond to your

nutritional type. This includes:

a.. Olive oil

b.. Coconut and coconut oil

c.. Organic raw dairy products (including butter, cream, sour cream,

cheese, etc.)

d.. Avocados

e.. Raw nuts

f.. Seeds

g.. Eggs (lightly cooked with yolks intact or raw)

h.. Organic, grass-fed meats

7.. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol excessively.

8.. Address your emotional challenges. I particularly love Meridian

Tapping Techniques (MTT) for stress management.

As you'll notice, these recommendations are all lifestyle-based, meaning

that with a few key changes to your diet, activity level and emotional

health your cholesterol levels will naturally optimize -- without the need

for statin drugs or supplements like red yeast rice.

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[1] ls of Internal Medicine 2009 Jun 16;150(12):830-9, W147-9.

[2] American Journal of Cardiology 2008 Jun 15;101(12):1689-93.

[3] MayoClinic.com " Red Yeast Rice (Monascus Purpureus) " (Accessed July 2,

2009)

[4] The Journal of Clinical Investigation December 2007; 117(12):3940-51

[5] Mercola.com Sudden Memory Loss Linked to Cholesterol Drugs (Accessed

July 2, 2009)

[6] Nature Medicine September, 2000;6:965-966, 1004-1010.

[7] Nature Medicine, December, 2000; 6: 1311-1312, 1399-1402

[8] , I. Ralph; Star, a; Kiuru, Anne, " Statins,

Neuromuscular Degenerative Disease and an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Like

Syndrome, " Drug Safety, Volume 30, Number 6, 2007, pp. 515-525(11)

[9] Mercola.com, Cholesterol is NOT the Cause of Heart Disease, Ron

Rosedale May 28, 2005 (Accessed July 3, 2009)

[10] Fallon, S. and Enig. " Dangers of Statin Drugs: What You Haven't

Been Told About Popular Cholesterol-Lowering Medicines, " The Weston A. Price

Foundation (Accessed July 3, 2009)

[11] American Heart Association, " What Your Cholesterol Level Means, "

accessed May 22, 2008 (Accessed July 3, 2009)

[12] Psychosomatic Medicine 2000;62.

[13] Epidemiology 2001 Mar;12:168-72

[14] ls of Internal Medicine (1998;128(6):478-487), The Journal of the

American Medical Association (1997;278:313-321)

[15] Journal of the American College of Cardiology July 31, 2007;

50:409-418