Red yeast rice

Tier 2 — promising · Cholesterol · Cardiovascular

Contains monacolin K, which is chemically identical to the prescription statin lovastatin. Multiple meta-analyses (Gerards 2015, Cicero 2019) consistently find it lowers LDL cholesterol by roughly 15–25 percent at effective monacolin K doses. However, because it contains an actual statin, it carries the same risk of muscle pain and liver issues. Product quality varies wildly between brands. EFSA withdrew its cholesterol health claim in 2022 due to safety concerns at effective doses.

Dose: 1,200–2,400 mg/day providing 3–10 mg monacolin K; monitor liver enzymes and CK