Rising Cholesterol Levels? Try Red Yeast Rice

Red Yeast Rice

Rice that has been fermented using yeast is known as Red Yeast Rice and is the staple food of the Chinese, Japanese and Asian communities residing in the US.

Red Yeast Rice Benefits:

The Chinese have been using Red Yeast rice for more than 1000 years for medicinal uses. Red yeast rice supplements are known as a drug that improves blood circulation and relieves indigestion and diarrhea. Recently developed red yeast rice by the Chinese has been known to lower lipids including triglycerides.
Research has revealed that red yeast rice has shown significant results in lowering the artery damaging cholesterol levels. Another good thing about this rice is that while it reduces the bad cholesterol or LDL, it does not affect the HDL or good cholesterol. Red yeast rice is an amazing drug for people who cannot take statin drugs due to their side effects.

Red Yeast Rice Side effects:

Red yeast rice has shown a few mild side effects such as minor headaches, upset stomach and heartburn. Red yeast rice shares its side effects with Statins, a class of drugs that contain lovastatin. Few types of red rice may have more side effects than others due to enhanced citrinic acid levels.

Who should avoid:

Red yeast rice should not be consumed by anyone who falls under any of the following categories:

1. Kidney patients
2. People with lever disorders
3. Pregnant women
4. Mothers who are breastfeeding babies.

In addition to the above conditions, anyone who is on the following drugs should abstain from eating red yeast rice:

1. Statins to control cholesterol.
2. Drugs to curb the immune system, such as cyclosporine
3. Antidepressants like Serzone.
4. Antifungal drugs such as Nizoral, Diflucan and Sporanox.
5. The antibiotics erythromycin and Biaxin
6. Cholesterol drugs such as Lopid and Tricor
7. Protease inhibitors

Since the rice has been fermented using red yeast, people who have allergies to yeast or fungus should avoid its consumption. There is no denial to the possibility of red yeast rice interacting with thyroid and blood pressure drugs and hence advice of a medical practitioner is a must if you have any of these problems.

You must remember that all brands do not follow strict manufacturing codes and hence the quality of red yeast rice may vary from brand to brand. There are a number of brands of red yeast rice available in the market and choosing the best red yeast rice brand can be a herculean task. The best way to home on to a good product is to consult an expert. Few good brands that offer online shopping for red yeast rice include Doctor’s Best Red Yeast Rice and Vitacost Smart Basics Red Yeast Rice.

It is advised not to blindly agree to the promises made by red yeast rice sellers in commercials. Also, if you know someone who has benefited from red yeast rice, do no start following the same dosage because all human bodies have different tendencies and your body may not react the same way as your friend’s. Armed with this information on red yeast rice, you are certain to make an informed decision should you desire to combat your rising cholesterol levels with red yeast rice.