red rice yeast

[Guest guest]

hi Noel

 

you say you use it without consequence, but how do you know?

what tests are you conducting to determine CoQ10 levels, myocardial

function, etc?

one of the problems is that nobody is tracking the health effects of

red rice yeast, because it is being taken without medical supervision

what agency would you report side-effects to? where is the database of

consumer complaints?

 

the deleterious effects associated with statins or red rice yeast won't

happen overnight

but remember, if you want to use a statin or red rice yeast to control

cholesterol the patient will have to take it forever, just like statins

are prescribed, because once you stop, sure enough cholesterol levels

will rise again

 

red rice yeast is far from being the natural health food consumed in

Chinese medicine or used as a flavoring agent

it contains a standardized amount of mixed mevinolinic acid monacolins,

and acts to lower cholesterol in exactly the same way as any other

statin, by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase - in otherwords red

rice yeast extract is a natural compound that is spiked with

standardized amounts of drug-like compounds

 

red yeast might not contain as much of the active drug as lipitor,

etc., but it is the SAME substance working in EXACTLY the same way

its use to lower cholesterol was preceded by the development of the

statin drugs, not the other way around, i.e. there is no significant

body of empirical evidence to suggest that Chinese herbalists ever used

it to lower cholesterol, primarily because hypercholesterolemia wasn't

recognized - it was used for digestion primarily

 

i am suggesting that inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase to reduce to some

arbitrary parameter like a cholesterol reading is foolish and myopic

cholesterol is not "bad" - its a key nutrient that is the base molecule

used to manufacture steroid hormones (testosterone, estrogen,

progesterone etc.) and provides integrity to the cell membrane

 

when it is elevated in the blood it indicates an inflammatory condition

of the arteries

cholesterol is being secreted to repair that damage, to restore

integrity to the arterial wall - think of it as the chewing gum in the

dam about to burst

 

but what is causing the damage? THAT is the question that a doctor who

spends 5 minutes with their patient doesn't want to answer because it

is a large question that calls into assumption not only their clinical

knowledge but also there very basis of their understanding of

cardiovascular disease

for this i suggest you check out the research of Dr. Gerald Reaven, and

his description of "metabolic syndrome x"

for more info look here: http://www.toddcaldecott.com/synX.html

 

you may be aware that the makers of the statins recently applied for

access to the OTC market with low dose statins, like what has been

approved in the UK

it was rejected, primarily because regulators weren't sure that people

should take even low dose statins without supervision - so where does

that leave red rice yeast? currently in limbo, but i am sure that it

will be taken off the market eventually, and while i support health

freedom i won't won't be crying over this one

 

in the US, as you are aware, there is a fairly liberal set of

regulations called Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA),

that was designed to protect the use of empirically tested,

time-honored natural remedies

 

unfortunately natural health care companies looking to make a quick

buck have used it to sell all manner of "natural" compounds, including

semi-synthetic nutraceuticals likes red rice yeast

 

in most cases there is very little or NO data on these products, and i

for one won't sit around and let people be guinea pigs, at least not

without some comment

 

btw, here is what the PDR says about red rice yeast extract:

(http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/

red_0329.shtml)

 

"Since the principal bioactive substance in red yeast rice is

lovastatin, all of the warnings, precautions and interactions of

pharmaceutical lovastatin apply to red yeast rice, as well.

The use of red yeast rice for the management of hyperlipidemia must be

medically supervised.

Those with a past history of liver disease and those who routinely use

alcoholic beverages should exercise caution in the use of red yeast

rice.

Lovastatin and other HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors occasionally cause

myopathy. This is manifested as muscle pain or weakness associated with

elevated levels of creatine kinase. Rhabdomyolysis with or without

acute renal failure secondary to myoglobinuria, has been reported

rarely and can occur at any time. Those using red yeast rice should

report promptly to their physicians unexplained muscle pain, tenderness

or weakness.

Bleeding and/or increased INR values have been reported in a few

patients taking warfarin concomitantly with lovastatin.

Persistant increases (to more than 3 times the upper limit of normal)

in serum aminotransferases (transaminases) occurred in 1.9% of adults

who received lovastatin for at least one year in some early clinical

trials. It is recommended that liver tests be performed before starting

red yeast rice, at 6 and 12 weeks after starting its use, and

periodically thereafter.

Lovastatin has been reported to lower coenzyme Q (CoQ10) levels."

 

>

> Thanks Todd . I am grateful for your input. You are right except, Red

> Yeast

> Rice is a natural Lipitor without all the side effects and I have used

> it

> quite successfully on many clients. I have see many people with high

> Cholesterol turned away from their Doctors because of a fatty liver;

> and the

> combination of the two "L-Carnitine & Red Yeast Rice" have worked

> wonders.

> You are right about the Co Q 10 Depletion but you shouldn't have to

> worry

> unless you are a Vegetarian. This is usually not the case in a fatty

> liver

> but I should have mentioned it. Caldecott

todd

www.toddcaldecott.com

 

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public

relations, for Nature cannot be fooled."

-Richard P. Feynman