This is an educational list of interactions tied to a public source. It is not a complete medication review and it is not medical advice. Ask a pharmacist, or the clinician who prescribes the medicine, before you start, stop, or change a supplement. A pair that is missing here is not a safety clearance. SupplementScore takes no ads, sponsorships, or affiliate income. How this site is funded.
Statins lower cholesterol. Two supplements have a cited problem next to them: red yeast rice, because it can contain the same chemical as lovastatin, and St. John's wort, which can weaken some statins.
NCCIH names simvastatin when it describes St. John's wort. It does not give a separate sentence for every other statin.
Red yeast rice can contain the same chemical as lovastatin
NCCIH says monacolin K in red yeast rice is structurally identical to the prescription drug lovastatin. Products with a meaningful amount can cause the same side effects as statin drugs, including muscle, kidney, and liver damage, and they can have the same kinds of drug interactions. The amount of monacolin K is usually not on the label and varies widely between bottles. Taking that on top of a prescribed statin stacks the same kind of drug. Do not use red yeast rice as a do-it-yourself statin.
St. John's wort can weaken some statins, including simvastatin
NCCIH says St. John's wort can weaken certain statins, and it names simvastatin. It does not give a separate line for every other statin. If you take simvastatin, do not add this herb. If you take a different statin, treat this as a question for the prescriber rather than as proof that your specific drug was studied.