Share
Cholesterol is one of many measures used to screen patients for heart disease. High cholesterol, also known as hyperlipidemia, is an increasing concern in the United States and worldwide as metabolic disease has become more prevalent. Essentially, cholesterol levels tell us how much fat is circulating in the bloodstream and can be easily measured with a simple blood test, which most patients have at their annual visits to their primary care physician.
High cholesterol typically involves high levels of LDL or Low-Density Lipoprotein. This is what we commonly call bad cholesterol and represents the fats likely to stick to the arterial walls and cause atherosclerosis and long-term heart disease. HDL, or High-Density Lipoprotein, is known as good cholesterol and benefits the arteries. Triglycerides are also considered harmful and represent a separate fat measurement with its own heart disease risk factors.
What is considered high cholesterol, and what are good options for treatment?
The cut-off for high cholesterol is 200. Anything above 200 is considered high, though how this affects a person’s heart health varies between individuals. For example, some patients have genetically high cholesterol and will never develop heart disease. Others can develop heart disease with normal cholesterol levels. But when cholesterol is above 200, we typically see an increased risk for coronary artery disease.
What About Treatments?
Assuming no other indicators of imminent heart concerns exist, most patients will start with a comprehensive effort to improve their diet and exercise program. Dietarily, eliminating saturated fats, typically found in oils, red meat, and full-fat dairy, is a great start. Removing added sugar is also essential, as diabetes can narrow the blood vessels, making them more prone to atherosclerosis and ultimately causing significant damage to those vessels and other structures around the body.
Of course, we know that lifestyle change is never easy, and as such, some patients will end up on statin drugs. Statins are a class of prescription drugs that lower cholesterol levels in the blood. For many, getting on prescription drugs is not ideal, but it may be necessary to slow the progression of heart disease.
When looking for alternatives to prescription drugs for high cholesterol, many patients will come across red yeast rice, also known as red goji rice, and some physicians may even offer it as a natural alternative to statins. Red yeast rice is cultivated by growing a specific mold on a base of white rice, and it has proven beneficial in lowering cholesterol.
Should I Take Red Yeast Rice?
Interestingly, red yeast rice has the same active ingredient as Lovastatin, one of the market’s most widely prescribed statin drugs. To that end, you may think a red yeast rice supplement is more available, cheaper, and potentially safer than its prescription counterpart. However, as with any supplement or natural extract, red yeast rice does not fall under full FDA oversight, and as such, it becomes incumbent upon the consumer to verify the supplement’s purity, quality, and dosage. The highest-quality supplement manufacturers often validate their products with third-party lab testing. But even here, you must rely on the manufacturer to produce a consistent product.
So, What’s the Answer?
Of course, we always want you to try diet and exercise first, which is the first step toward reducing cholesterol. If that has failed, and you need to move on to supplements or prescription drugs, be aware of their quality if you choose a supplement. Look for a company with a good reputation that backs up its claims with third-party laboratory testing and does so under the supervision of your prescribing doctor. If, instead, you go with the prescription drug, you have assurances about the quality of the medication you are taking because of FDA oversight.
The Bottom Line
Red yeast rice has the same active ingredient as in a common prescription statin, and plenty of data supports its effectiveness. However, as the consumer, it does fall on you to ensure that the red yeast rice you buy lives up to its manufacturer’s potency and purity claims. There’s always some doubt whether this is the case because there is little FDA oversight of supplements. That said, you can advocate for yourself by choosing a supplement company with a good reputation and one that validates data with third-party laboratory testing.
