I found some new information about Red Yeast Rice. I am doubtful that people should take it now.
A WHO (World Health Organization) report said that there is a very good chance that Statin drugs, and probably Red Yeast Rice as well, are associated with a very high incidence of ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease.
I read a reader comment that a supplement can alleviate or eliminate the ALS symptoms. So far, the drug companies are denying that there is a problem. The lawsuits are piling up, though.
The FDA is doing nothing at this point. I would be wary of both Statin drugs and Red Yeast Rice at this time. Here is a link to a site and post about the problem:
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2009/07/31/statins-and-als/
I left this post up so that people can get an idea of the whole story but put it in strike through so people will be alerted that there is a problem with it.
One of the problems people often face in emergencies is not being able to get medications. It may be helpful to have some alternative medicines on hand for your health problems in case you can not get needed regular medications during an emergency.
This post is about Red Yeast Rice to lower cholesterol. It is an alternative medicine. It comes from traditional Chinese medicine. You, or someone you care about may have high cholesterol.
It is comforting to know there is an alternative to drugs in the event of a disaster where drugs are not available. I like Red Yeast Rice as a medical preparedness item.
Studies have revealed that Red Yeast Rice actually does lower cholesterol. It has the same effect as one of the types of drugs to lower cholesterol.
The name of the type of drug that works in the same way as Red Yeast Rice is, "statin" drugs. The effect of Red Yeast Rice is usually milder than the statin drugs.
A big advantage of Red Yeast Rice is that it may be purchased over the counter. I am even able to purchase it in a discount store, so it is easy to stock up on.
Here is what WebMD has to say about Red Yeast Rice:
"Several studies have shown good evidence that red yeast rice can
significantly lower total and "bad" LDL cholesterol. One component of
red yeast rice, monacolin K, is identical to the active ingredient of
the cholesterol drug Mevacor (lovastatin). Red yeast rice does not seem
to be as effective as most conventional statin drugs, however. But these
supplements may be a good choice for people who cannot tolerate statins
or who could benefit from a slight lowering of cholesterol."
Here is a link to WebMD's site:
The side effects of Red Yeast Rice can be the same ones you can get from use of statin drugs.
It is a bad idea to take Red Yeast Rice without consulting a physician. You
need to take possible drug interactions into account before taking Red Yeast Rice. The possible side effects should also be considered.
that some sources have very unpredictable amounts of the active ingredient in them. It is best to use a source that provides predictable amounts.
Red Yeast Rice has traditional uses for treatments of ailments besides high cholesterol. Those additional uses for Red Yeast Rice have not been tested scientifically, however.
There is much more information available about Red Yeast Rice on the internet, if you want to learn more. WebMD is a good place to start your research.
You too, may wish to consider Red Yeast Rice for your preparedness supplies. It is probably worth your consideration if you have high cholesterol, or one of your loved ones has high cholesterol.
