Cardiologist Recommends Red Yeast Rice to Replace Statins

Approximately 20 percent of all patients taking statin drugs have a dangerous side effect called "myopathy," which means muscle pain, and have to stop taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs.

A study published Monday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that the over-the-counter supplement Red Yeast Rice, combined with diet and lifestyle changes, lowers LDL cholesterol by 20 percent without the risk of side effects.

In a recent CNN article, Cardiologist David Becker says that the statins work for some people, but can cause myalgia symptoms in others, so the supplement is not a panacea for all patients.

In a previous study conducted by Becker, a combination of Red Yeast Rice and Fish Oil outperformed Simvastatin, the generic version of Zocor.

What does this mean to you, the person who has borderline cholesterol that's going to be re-checked at your next yearly check-up? This is the perfect time to make diet and lifestyle changes that will reduce your cholesterol.

As a natural medicine practitioner, I see people improve their cholsterol levels without the aid of medications, but often they have to possess the willpower to make substantial lifestyle changes. Our bodies have the ability to heal themselves if treated correctly.

If that doesn't work, and your doctor suggests that you take a statin drug, I would recommend asking if you can come back for another blood test in three months. Tell him or her you'd like to try a natural remedy and if your levels don't improve you'll happily go on the statin.

Most doctors will agree to this. It's a perfectly reasonable request.

Try taking the recommended dosage of Red Yeast Rice, in conjunction with the recommended dosage of Fish Oil. If you don't have any noticeable side effect after three months, then it's time to take the medication. But the above studies suggest that if you stick to this regimine, you will have lowered your cholesterol by 20 percent without taking medication.

And if you lose your medical insurance for any reason, a walk in the park, Red Yeast Rice and Fish Oil are a lot cheaper than statin drugs. Just sayin'.