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Product Reviews
Red Yeast Rice Supplements Review
Initial Posting: 8/16/18 Last Update:2/8/20
Find the Best Red Yeast Rice Supplement
Some Red Yeast Rice Supplements Up To 15X Stronger Than Others
Red yeast rice supplement brands compared in this review
Amazing Nutrition Red Yeast Rice
Nature's Plus Herbal Actives Red Yeast Rice
Solaray Red Yeast Rice
HPF Cholestene Red Yeast Rice
Nature's Sunshine Red Yeast Rice
Thorne Research Choleast
Mason Natural Red Yeast Rice
Nature's Way Red Yeast Rice
Whole Foods Red Yeast Rice
Make sure the red yeast rice supplement you use provides what you need and is not contaminated!
Isn't your health worth it?
Clinical studies show that red yeast rice products can dramatically lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol. But our tests reveal that the concentration of cholesterol-lowering compounds in some products can be as much as 15 times that of others and, factoring in differences in suggested daily serving sizes, the amount you get per day can vary by nearly 30 times!
In fact, we found that the suggested daily servings of only two products provided the amount of lovastatin compounds shown to lower cholesterol levels. It's questionable whether other products — which is most of them — would have a clinically significant effect.
Four of the red yeast rice products we purchased for this review are the same ones tested in our last review but, as we discovered, now contain as much as 81% less lovastatin (a natural cholesterol-lowerer) than versions purchased in 2014. This suggests that they may be less potent than before.
Red yeast rice supplements don't list their amounts of lovastatin, so there's no way for you to know what's really in these supplements. ConsumerLab.com tested them, providing you with invaluable, head-to-head comparisons. This is a must-see report for anyone using or interested in red yeast rice. Results of an earlier report on red yeast rice by ConsumerLab.com were deemed so important to the medical community that they were published in the prestigious Annals of Internal Medicine. Our latest red yeast rice results may be even more important!
You must be a member to get the full test results for nine red yeast rice supplements along with ConsumerLab.com's recommendations.
In this comprehensive review, you'll discover:
How much cholesterol-lowering lovastatin is in each product
Which products are most similar to those shown to work in clinical trials
Which red yeast rice supplements are contaminated with citrinin and which are not
Usage and dosage information for red yeast rice
Potential side effects of red yeast rice and cautions with this popular supplement
Red Yeast Rice Supplements Reviewed by ConsumerLab
Learn More About Red Yeast Rice Supplements
ConsumerLab.com Answers -- for Red Yeast Rice Supplements Review
Question: If I already take red yeast rice, would adding high-dose niacin help further reduce my cholesterol levels, and would this be safe? Get the answer >>
Question: When taking a statin drug like Lipitor or Crestor, are there supplements I should avoid or take? Get the answer >>
Question: How much should I expect to pay for supplements? Are higher-priced supplements any better than low-priced brands? Get the answer >>
Question: What is lunasin and does it really reduce cholesterol? Get the answer >>
Question: Which supplements can help lower cholesterol and keep my heart healthy? Are there any to avoid? Get the answer >>
Question: I have been having dizziness for the past few months and am wondering if it could be a side effect of supplements I take. Which supplements cause dizziness? Get the answer >>
Question: Are red yeast rice supplements legally permitted to contain statins, like lovastatin, since these are drugs? Get the answer >>
Question: For two years, I used a red yeast rice brand which ConsumerLab.com's report showed to contain the highest amount of lovastatin. With just one pill per day, it kept my cholesterol lower (down to 205 from 260 before starting). I switched to a supermarket store brand because it was cheaper and my cholesterol jumped to 278 (taking 2 pills per day)! I don't think the store brand had anything in it -- is that possible? Can you test it? Get the answer >>
Question: I started taking red yeast rice and soon after developed insomnia. Could my red yeast rice supplement be the problem? Get the answer >>
Question: My doctor warned me that red yeast rice can cause liver damage - is that true? Get the answer >>
Question: When is the best time of day to take red yeast rice? Get the answer >>
Question: What are the side effects of red yeast rice? Get the answer >>
Question: I read that statins can cause diabetes. Is this true also with red yeast rice? Get the answer >>
