ESPThe most effective way to lower cholesterol is through a healthy diet, exercise, and quitting smoking. But, if you are interested in stacking your cholesterol lowering efforts in your favor, try red yeast rice.
Red yeast rice is rice fermented with Monascus purpureus mold, used in Asian cuisine for color and flavor (like in Peking duck and fermented tofu) and in traditional medicine for its cholesterol-lowering effects due to the presence of monacolin K, which is chemically identical to the statin drug lovastatin. Red yeast rice can be purchased in supplement pill form but while it can help lower cholesterol, it carries risks like statins, including potential muscle and liver damage, and some products may contain harmful contaminants like citrinin, making consultation with a healthcare provider essential before use.
