Red Yeast Rice and Cholesterol Red yeast rice is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been purported to lower cholesterol. Several types of the extract are sold as supplements.

Red yeast rice may be appealing because it's "natural," but you need to be careful. Experts have not studied it extensively. The ideal dosing and long-term safety are unclear. It could be dangerous for some people. And because the ingredients of different brands of red yeast rice extract might vary so much, it's hard to make firm statements about its effectiveness or safety.

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