Red Yeast Rice

Fermented Rice Supplement

Red yeast rice is rice fermented with Monascus species. Some preparations contain monacolin K, chemically identical to lovastatin, so statin-like muscle, liver, pregnancy, and interaction risks can apply. Product potency and citrinin contamination vary; milligrams of rice extract are not a reliable active-drug dose.

Pharmacokinetic model

A route-level PK model for red yeast rice is being prepared from published data. Dosing references, studies, and documented interactions are below; the app catalog is updated as models are validated.

Key facts

Category
Fermented Rice Supplement
Suggested cadence
once daily

Research behind this entry

  1. Safety and Efficacy of the Consumption of the Nutraceutical "Red Yeast Rice Extract" for the Reduction of Hypercholesterolemia in Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Trogkanis E, Karalexi MA, Sergentanis TN, Kornarou E, Vassilakou T · Nutrients, 2024 DOI

    This systematic review pooled heterogeneous red-yeast-rice trials and reported lipid-lowering effects. Variation in products, monacolin dose, follow-up, and adverse-event ascertainment limits transfer to an unspecified…

  2. Low dose red yeast rice with monacolin K lowers LDL cholesterol and blood pressure in Japanese with mild dyslipidemia: A multicenter, randomized trial Minamizuka T, Koshizaka M, Shoji M, Yamaga M, Hayashi A, Ide K, Ide S, Kitamoto T, Sakamoto K, Hattori A, Ishikawa T, Kobayashi J, Maezawa Y, Kobayashi K, Takemoto M, Inagaki M, Endo A, Yokote K · Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2021 DOI

    Eighteen adults with mild dyslipidemia were randomized to diet therapy alone or 200 mg/day of a specific red-yeast-rice product containing 2 mg monacolin K for eight weeks. LDL cholesterol fell more in the product…

2 published studies referenced in the app, each with a plain-language summary.