Red Yeast Rice - Talk Medical

Generic Name: red yeast rice

Brands: Cholestin

What is the most important information I should know about Red Yeast Rice?

· Contact you doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if it is accompanied by flu-like symptoms.

· Alcohol and Red Yeast Rice can both be damaging to the liver. Do not drink alcohol while taking Red Yeast Rice. If you choose to drink alcohol, discuss with your doctor the use of Red Yeast Rice. Another product or medicine may be more appropriate for you.

· Red Yeast Rice has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of Red Yeast Rice may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.

What is Red Yeast Rice?

· The use of Red Yeast Rice in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous.

· Red Yeast Rice is also known as Cholestin, monascus, zhithai, and xuezhikang. Red Yeast Rice is not currently available for use in the United States.

· Red Yeast Rice has been used with diet and exercise, and under the care of a doctor, to lower elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels that are in the mild to moderate range. HDL (good) cholesterol levels have been increased with read yeast rice. Red Yeast Rice has not been recommended for treating a disease and should not be substituted for prescription medications.

· Red Yeast Rice may also have uses other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Red Yeast Rice?

· Do not take Red Yeast Rice if you ·are at risk for liver disease, have liver disease, or have a history of liver disease; ·consume more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day; ·have a serious infection; ·have undergone an organ transplant; ·have a serious disease or medical disorder; or ·have recently undergone surgery.

· Red Yeast Rice may be dangerous if taken under any of the circumstances listed above.

· Before taking Red Yeast Rice, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional if you have any other medical conditions, allergies, if you are already under the care of a doctor to lower cholesterol, or if you take other medicines or other herbal/health supplements. Red Yeast Rice may not be recommended in some situations.

· Do not take Red Yeast Rice without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant. Red Yeast Rice has been reported to have the potential to harm an unborn baby.

· Do not take Red Yeast Rice without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. It is not known whether Red Yeast Rice will be harmful to a nursing infant.

· The manufacturer of the Cholestin brand of Red Yeast Rice does not recommend the use of this product by children younger than 20 years of age. Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without first talking to the child's doctor.

How should I take Red Yeast Rice?

· If you choose to take Red Yeast Rice, use it as directed on the package or as directed by your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

· Standardized extracts, tinctures, and solid formulations of herbal/health supplements may provide a more reliable dose of the product.

· Red Yeast Rice is available in a capsule formulation.

· Other formulations of Red Yeast Rice may also be available. Do not use different formulations (e.g., tablets, topical formulations, teas, tinctures, and others) of Red Yeast Rice at the same time, unless specifically directed to do so by a health care professional. Using different formulations together increases the risk of an overdose of Red Yeast Rice.

· Red Yeast Rice should be taken with food to reduce stomach upset.

· Do not take more than 4 Cholestin capsules within any 24-hours period, unless specifically directed otherwise by your doctor.

· Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Red Yeast Rice. The interaction could lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit and grapefruit juice with your doctor if you choose to take Red Yeast Rice. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.

· Store Red Yeast Rice as directed on the package. In general, Red Yeast Rice should be protected from light and moisture and stored in a sealed container.

What happens if I miss a dose?

· No information is available regarding a missed dose of Red Yeast Rice. Consult your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional if you require further information.

What happens if I overdose?

· Seek emergency medical attention.

· Symptoms of a Red Yeast Rice overdose have been reported to include stomach distress.

What should I avoid while taking Red Yeast Rice?

What are the possible side effects of Red Yeast Rice?

· If you experience any of the following rare but serious side effects, stop taking Red Yeast Rice and seek emergency medical attention or notify your doctor immediately: ·an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives); or ·unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness-especially if accompanied by flu-like symptoms.

· Other less serious side effects have been reported more frequently. Talk to your doctor if you experience: ·an upset stomach, heartburn, flatulence, or other digestive or gastrointestinal symptoms; or ·dizziness.

· Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect Red Yeast Rice?

· Do not take Red Yeast Rice without first talking to your doctor if you are taking any of the following medications: ·cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf); ·erythromycin (E-Mycin, Ery-Tab, Eryc, E.E.S., others), clarithromycin (Biaxin), or troleandomycin (Tao); ·clofibrate (Atromid-S); ·gemfibrozil (Lopid); ·fenofibrate (Tricor); ·niacin (Niacor, Nicobid, Niaspan, Nicolar, Nicotinex, Slo-Niacin, others); ·itraconazole (Sporanox) or ketoconazole (Nizoral); ·danazol (Danazol, Danocrine); ·nefazodone (Serzone); ·a protease inhibitor such as amprenavir (Agenerase), indinavir (Crixivan), lopinavir-ritonavir (Kaletra), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir), or saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase); or ·delavirdine (Rescriptor).

· You may not be able to take Red Yeast Rice, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.

· Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines or other herbal/health supplements.

Where can I get more information?

· Your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider may have more information about Red Yeast Rice.

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