Announcements
Visit the Cholesterol Management 101 blog.
New US Diet Guidelines: What Not to Eat
Instead of just giving Americans a list of healthy food choices, the federal government takes a stab at showing us what not to eat. Get the facts here.
New US Diet Guidelines: What Not to Eat
Instead of just giving Americans a list of healthy food choices, the federal government takes a stab at showing us what not to eat. Get the facts here.
Is Red Yeast good for you?
sandichot posted:
I am 70 yrs.old. I have had high cholesterol that Dr. said is hereditary. I was put on Lipitor for 10 yrs. I am also on medication for osteoporosis. Lately I developed tingling/twitching feet that no one knows what caused it. I stopped both medications on my own. The twitching stopped but the tingling subsided but not go away. I tried experiment of going back to each drug alternately for a short time. Each time I had more tingling with both drugs, so now I stopped both again.
I am trying diet which I have been good anyway with eating lots of fibers, now I am eating more fruits, vegies, low on carb, no red meat, more fish and fish oil. My last check up my cholesterol was 260 down from 276 last time. One of my docs. mentioned Red Yeast but she said wait awhile for a few more months, they might come up with more investigation/acceptance. I am thinking I want to start now anyway before I start having a heart attack. Any one has any experience good or bad with Red Yeast please reply.-Thanks, Sandi
I am trying diet which I have been good anyway with eating lots of fibers, now I am eating more fruits, vegies, low on carb, no red meat, more fish and fish oil. My last check up my cholesterol was 260 down from 276 last time. One of my docs. mentioned Red Yeast but she said wait awhile for a few more months, they might come up with more investigation/acceptance. I am thinking I want to start now anyway before I start having a heart attack. Any one has any experience good or bad with Red Yeast please reply.-Thanks, Sandi
83 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?<i>I am 70 yrs.old. I have had high cholesterol that Dr. said is hereditary. I was put on Lipitor for 10 yrs. I am also on medication for osteoporosis. Lately I developed tingling/twitching feet that no one knows what caused it. I stopped both medications on my own. The twitching stopped but the tingling subsided but not go away. I tried experiment of going back to each drug alternately for a short time. Each time I had more tingling with both drugs, so now I stopped both again.<br />I am trying diet which I have been good anyway with eating lots of fibers, now I am eating more fruits, vegies, low on carb, no red meat, more fish and fish oil. My last check up my cholesterol was 260 down from 276 last time. One of my docs. mentioned Red Yeast but she said wait awhile for a few more months, they might come up with more investigation/acceptance. I am thinking I want to start now anyway before I start having a heart attack. Any one has any experience good or bad with Red Yeast please reply.-Thanks, Sandi <br /></i>
Dear sabb410:
You are lucky to get your chol down.If mine goes down to 245 I will be happy too. Right now as of last check up it was 260. I will check again in June. If it gets down a little more, maybe I won't have to take anything. That'll be my happiest day.
Sandi
You are lucky to get your chol down.If mine goes down to 245 I will be happy too. Right now as of last check up it was 260. I will check again in June. If it gets down a little more, maybe I won't have to take anything. That'll be my happiest day.
Sandi
Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?Dear sabb410:<br />You are lucky to get your chol down.If mine goes down to 245 I will be happy too. Right now as of last check up it was 260. I will check again in June. If it gets down a little more, maybe I won't have to take anything. That'll be my happiest day.<br />Sandi
I buy it at GNC. The brand name is NOW and it comes in a white bottle with an orange label with purple trim. I wouldn't trust anything from overseas but I'm sure you could order NOW RYR online. It's made in Illinois.
Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?I buy it at GNC. The brand name is NOW and it comes in a white bottle with an orange label with purple trim. I wouldn't trust anything from overseas but I'm sure you could order NOW RYR online. It's made in Illinois.
Thanks very much LUSIW. I will talk to my doc. and see what he thinks.
Sandi
Sandi
Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?Thanks very much LUSIW. I will talk to my doc. and see what he thinks. <br />Sandi
naturewise responded:
Red Yeast Rice is not the same as statins. It contains only a fractional amount of statins. An approved RYR product in Taiwan, LipoCol Forte, containing only 5.7 mg grams of lovastatin, produces the same effect as a 20 mg Mevacor (lovastatin by Merck). Pharmacokinetic studies indicated that the active metabolite of lovastatin, alpha-hydroxy lovastatin, from LipoCol Forte reached the desired blood level sooner than lovastatin with shorter half-life and residual time. This means LipoCol Forte is safer than lovastatin. A drug interaction study indicated that it did not interact with verapmil, a drug metabolized by Cyp 3A4.
Not all RYR products are the same. Some contain a large amount of a mycotoxin, citrinin, which has nephrotoxicity. Some did not contain enough yeast or lovastatin to produce the choleterol-lowering effect.
Not all RYR products are the same. Some contain a large amount of a mycotoxin, citrinin, which has nephrotoxicity. Some did not contain enough yeast or lovastatin to produce the choleterol-lowering effect.
Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?Red Yeast Rice is not the same as statins. It contains only a fractional amount of statins. An approved RYR product in Taiwan, LipoCol Forte, containing only 5.7 mg grams of lovastatin, produces the same effect as a 20 mg Mevacor (lovastatin by Merck). Pharmacokinetic studies indicated that the active metabolite of lovastatin, alpha-hydroxy lovastatin, from LipoCol Forte reached the desired blood level sooner than lovastatin with shorter half-life and residual time. This means LipoCol Forte is safer than lovastatin. A drug interaction study indicated that it did not interact with verapmil, a drug metabolized by Cyp 3A4.<br />Not all RYR products are the same. Some contain a large amount of a mycotoxin, citrinin, which has nephrotoxicity. Some did not contain enough yeast or lovastatin to produce the choleterol-lowering effect.
Christistheonlyway777 replied to sandichot's response:
You must change your diet along with the exercise you are getting. Try the mediterranean diet.
Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?You must change your diet along with the exercise you are getting. Try the mediterranean diet.
sandichot replied to Christistheonlyway777's response:
Hi Christeonlyway: What is the mediterraneon diet?
Sandi
Sandi
Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?Hi Christeonlyway: What is the mediterraneon diet?<br />Sandi
bobby:
I finally am able to watch the video of Panchita the costarican woman. Impressive! I may have to find wood to chop in my old age
Joking aside, I appreciate all your suggestions and comments. Will try to live clean,healthy and happy as always and see how long I can live.
Sandi
I finally am able to watch the video of Panchita the costarican woman. Impressive! I may have to find wood to chop in my old age
Joking aside, I appreciate all your suggestions and comments. Will try to live clean,healthy and happy as always and see how long I can live.
Sandi
Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?bobby:<br />I finally am able to watch the video of Panchita the costarican woman. Impressive! I may have to find wood to chop in my old age <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0"> <br />Joking aside, I appreciate all your suggestions and comments. Will try to live clean,healthy and happy as always and see how long I can live.<br />Sandi
bobby75703 replied to sandichot's response:
Thats great Sandi. I was also impressed with that 100 year old woman chopping wood. One of the most memorable health videos I have ever seen.
Due to her life in the dense forest of Costa Rica, I'm willing to bet she never had her cholesterol tested, or even knows or cares what cholesterol is.
The blue zones which studies centenarians around the globe doesn't even mention cholesterol. Instead they found other reasons for these people's longevity. Their naturally active lifestyles. Their attitudes. Their strong support network of family and friends. Its really very interesting to study these people.
Bobby
Due to her life in the dense forest of Costa Rica, I'm willing to bet she never had her cholesterol tested, or even knows or cares what cholesterol is.
The blue zones which studies centenarians around the globe doesn't even mention cholesterol. Instead they found other reasons for these people's longevity. Their naturally active lifestyles. Their attitudes. Their strong support network of family and friends. Its really very interesting to study these people.
Bobby
Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?Thats great Sandi. I was also impressed with that 100 year old woman chopping wood. One of the most memorable health videos I have ever seen. <br /><br />Due to her life in the dense forest of Costa Rica, I'm willing to bet she never had her cholesterol tested, or even knows or cares what cholesterol is.<br /><br />The blue zones which studies centenarians around the globe doesn't even mention cholesterol. Instead they found other reasons for these people's longevity. Their naturally active lifestyles. Their attitudes. Their strong support network of family and friends. Its really very interesting to study these people.<br /><br />Bobby
ring1234 responded:
I too had cholesterol levels of 220. I took a statin for a month and did not like the fact of putting more chemicals in my body. I researach the cholesterol problem and found that along with red rice yeast I found that alpha lipoic acid and black tea capsules helped lower my cholesterol to 187. It is worth a try. I take one capsules of each every day and after three months saw this improvement. Black tea capsules can be found in your health food store. I order vitamins via mail order from Swanson but they did not carry black tea capsules.
Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?I too had cholesterol levels of 220. I took a statin for a month and did not like the fact of putting more chemicals in my body. I researach the cholesterol problem and found that along with red rice yeast I found that alpha lipoic acid and black tea capsules helped lower my cholesterol to 187. It is worth a try. I take one capsules of each every day and after three months saw this improvement. Black tea capsules can be found in your health food store. I order vitamins via mail order from Swanson but they did not carry black tea capsules.
Hi ring1234:
I have used Alpha Lipoic in the past for several months to treat my feet nerve pain. I was diagnosed as having peripheral neuropathy on my feet. I think it was from using Lipitor and another drug for my osteoporosis. Anyhow, it didn't work so I stopped using it. Never tried black tea combination with it though. May try both if I can't find some other things to control my chol. This combo sounds like it can't hurt.Thanks.
Sandi
I have used Alpha Lipoic in the past for several months to treat my feet nerve pain. I was diagnosed as having peripheral neuropathy on my feet. I think it was from using Lipitor and another drug for my osteoporosis. Anyhow, it didn't work so I stopped using it. Never tried black tea combination with it though. May try both if I can't find some other things to control my chol. This combo sounds like it can't hurt.Thanks.
Sandi
Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?Hi ring1234:<br />I have used Alpha Lipoic in the past for several months to treat my feet nerve pain. I was diagnosed as having peripheral neuropathy on my feet. I think it was from using Lipitor and another drug for my osteoporosis. Anyhow, it didn't work so I stopped using it. Never tried black tea combination with it though. May try both if I can't find some other things to control my chol. This combo sounds like it can't hurt.Thanks.<br />Sandi
bobby75703 replied to sandichot's response:
Sandi,
You stated you have osteoporosis. Have you had you vitamin D levels checked?
Bobby
You stated you have osteoporosis. Have you had you vitamin D levels checked?
Bobby
Report This| Share this:Is Red Yeast good for you?Sandi,<br /><br />You stated you have osteoporosis. Have you had you vitamin D levels checked?<br /><br />Bobby
Featuring Experts
There are no Expert stories for this community right nowHelpful Tips
Lower Cholesterol by changing my chemical balance - eating habits
With a history of heart disease in my family (father), I was all to aware of the need to keep my numbers under control. A few years ago, I ... More
Was this Helpful?
19
of
20 found this helpful
Helpful Resources
Related News
Related Drug Reviews
- Drug Name User Reviews
Report Problems to the
Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Other Cholesterol Management Information
More Related Communities
The opinions expressed in WebMD User-generated content areas like communities, reviews, ratings, or blogs are solely those of the User, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. These opinions do not represent the opinions of WebMD. User-generated content areas are not reviewed by a WebMD physician or any member of the WebMD editorial staff for accuracy, balance, objectivity, or any other reason except for compliance with our Terms and Conditions. Some of these opinions may contain information about treatments or uses of drug products that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. WebMD does not endorse any specific product, service, or treatment.
Do not consider WebMD User-generated content as medical advice. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your care plan or treatment. WebMD understands that reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource, but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified health care provider. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or dial 911 immediately.
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
About WebMD Advertise With Us Terms of Use Privacy Policy Sponsor Policy Site Map Careers Contact Us
First Aid WebMD Magazine WebMD Health Record WebMD Mobile Newsletters Dictionary Physician Directory
©2005-2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.