What does it do?
There are hundreds of studies that show proof that red yeast rice lowers overall cholesterol
.₁ Red yeast rice helps to increase good cholesterol while lowering bad cholesterol. Red yeast rice works in your body the same way statin drugs do. Except since red yeast rice is coming from a natural source there tend to be fewer side effects.
How safe is it?
Red yeast rice has been used in Asia for over two thousand years. It is used in coloring for many food dishes such as Peking Duck. There doesn't seem to be any side effects when using red yeast rice when preparing traditional foods.
However, once you start using red yeast rice in higher quantities that can lower cholesterol you beware of a very dangerous side effect. Red yeast rice will block an enzyme that your body uses to create cholesterol and CoQ10. Without adequate amounts of CoQ-10, you will develop congestive heart failure, cause high blood pressure, and have muscle loss and weakness.
What can be done to mitigate the negative side effects?
If you supplement with CoQ-10 and ubiquinol at the same time as you take red yeast rice you will reduce the risk of CoQ-10 deficiency.
In the United States, red yeast rice being sold as supplements may have the active ingredient, Lovastatin, removed. Since 2007 the FDA has been asking supplement companies who withdraw their red yeast rice products that have been found to contain Lovastatin. Without this ingredient, red yeast rice does not lower cholesterol effectively.
Other notes:
In addition to taking CoQ-10, it has been suggested that taking Omega-3 pills at the same time as Red Yeast Rice will increase absorption (so you may be twice as effective in lowering your cholesterol).
Other things that can help you lower cholesterol include:
Niacin
Olive oil
Oats
Apples
Brussel sprouts
Omega 3
Nuts and seeds
Beans
₁. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=red+yeast+rice
