Red yeast rice
Synonym(s): Monacoline K, Red Rice
Nutrient group: plant extracts & active ingredients
Sources and physiological effects
| Dietary sources |
Red yeast rice is a traditional food from Asia, which is produced by fermentation of rice with the help of the yeast fungus Monascus purpureus. There is scientific evidence for its cholesterol-lowering effect, which can be traced back to the constituent Monacolin K, also known as Lovastatin, and 8 other related substances (1).
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| Physiological functions |
| Fat metabolism |
- Blood lipid-lowering effect by inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase (natural statin)
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Detailed information
| Natural statin |
| The mechanism of action of red yeast rice is based on that of statins: by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, biosynthesis of new cholesterol is prevented and a long-term reduction in cholesterol levels is achieved. Due to the higher affinity of statins to HMG-CoA reductase (a significant reduction in serum cholesterol levels can be measured after only a few days), the effect of red yeat rice is correspondingly lower (2). In addition to its effect as an HMG-CoA inhibitor, other ingredients such as sterols, isoflavones and monounsaturated fatty acids also play an important role in reducing blood lipids in red rice (1). Since 2011, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has also had a legally recognized health claims confirming the positive effects of red yeast rice on cholesterol levels (3). |
| Non-alcoholic fatty liver |
| A 2012 study suggests that Monacolin K may inhibit the progression of a non-alcoholic fatty liver. An increase in adiponectin levels leads to reduced fat accumulation in the hepatocytes, which could prevent the formation of steatohepatitis. In addition to Monacolin K, other ingredients of red yeat rice, such as GABA, could also be responsible for the reduced progression of the disease (4). |
| Osteoporosis |
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In animal studies, the intake of red yeast rice led to both increased bone density and increased bone healing rates following transplantation. An in vivo study also found cell-proliferating effects in osteoblasts. Whether red yeast rice can be used in the future to prevent osteoporosis still has to be clarified, since at the present time there are no meaningful studies and it is not certain whether the administration of red yeast rice stimulates the extracellular calcium stores, which are essential for bone formation (5).
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| Coenzyme Q10 and statins |
| The interruption of the body's own cholesterol synthesis by statins simultaneously inhibits the formation of mevalonate, a precursor of the coenzyme Q10, which results in a long-term emptying of Q10 stores. A daily intake of 80 mg atvorstatin, for example, causes the coenzyme Q10 stores to be depleted by about 45 % after only four weeks (6). Therefore, a joint intake of red yeast rice with coenzyme Q10 should be considered. |
Indications
Description and related substances
| Description of the micronutrient |
| Red yeast rice |
| Related substances |
| Monacolin K |
References
| References |
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1) Yang, C. W., Mousa, S. A. 2012. The effect of red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus) in dyslipidemia and other disorders. Complement Ther Med. 466-74.
2) Patakova, P. 2013. Monascus secondary metabolites: production and biological activity. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol. 169-81.
3) Anon. 2011. Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to monacolin K from red yeast rice and maintenance of normal blood LDL cholesterol concentrations (ID 1648, 1700) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA Journal 9. no.7:2304.
4) Fujimoto. et al. 2012. Study of the effects of Monacolin K and other constituents of red yeast rice on obesity, insulin-resistance, hyperlipidemia, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis using a mouse model of metabolic syndrome. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2012:1–11.
5) Cho, Y. E. et al. 2010. Red yeast rice stimulates osteoblast proliferation and increases alkaline phosphatase activity in MC3T3-E1 cells. Nutrition Research 30. no. 7:501–510.
6) Pacanowski, M. A. et al. 2008. Plasma coenzyme Q10 predicts lipid-Lowering response to high-Dose atorvastatin. Journal of Clinical Lipidology 2. no.4:289–297.
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