Review of 93 studies shows that Red Yeast Rice is effective in lowering cholesterol

The National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, University of Tromso, in Norway has performed a review of the research on Red Yeast Rice. The meta-analysis includes ninety-three randomized trials covering 9625 study participants. The combined results shows a significant ability to lower cholesterol (lowered by at least 16%), LDL-cholesterol levels (lowered by 22%), and triglyceride levels (dropped a minimum of 7%), and also an ability to raise beneficial and protective HDL levels compared to placebo. The activity to lower LDL-cholesterol was often comparable to statin drugs. Side effects were mild. The study appears in the November 2006 issue of the journal Chinese Medicine.

USDA study shows plant Sterols lower cholesterol

Scientists from the USDA?s Agricultural Research Service placed 53 men and women who were already on a low-fat diet on 2.2 grams of plant Sterol Esters a day split into two servings. The Agricultural Research Service Administrator Floyd P. Horn said cholesterol reductions nearly doubled by adding the Sterols to the low-fat diet.

The 53 volunteer subjects in the study ate all of their meals at the research center for six weeks. The first three weeks was a low fat, controlled diet, and for the second three weeks the Sterol Esters were added to the diet. On diet alone total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol dropped 7.3 and 8.4% respectively. When the Sterol Esters were added the total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol dropped 14.1 and 18.2 percent, the figure for LDL is of course better than double, and for total cholesterol the percentage dropped nearly double. However, in 5 of the subjects (that?s about 10% of participants) the low fat diet had no effect and the cholesterol did not drop until they were placed on Sterol Esters. The study information is available on the US Department of Agricultures website.