A new study has revisited a very old remedy, red yeast rice. In 1998, the FDA declared an older version of a red yeast product (Cholestin) to be an unapproved drug, forcing its manufacturer Pharmanex to remove red yeast rice from its product. Now the University of Beijing, along with a biotech company, has developed a new red yeast rice-based product that shows great promise in reducing cardiac risk and events. This new product, called Xuezhikang (or XZK) seems to bring new life to a 1,000-year-old natural Chinese treatment.

ABOUT THE STUDY

This latest study, recently published in the American Journal of Cardiology, revisits the issue and has generated interest in the XZK formulation of red yeast rice. Researchers looked at the safety and effectiveness of XZK, the purified extract of red yeast rice, in reducing cardiovascular events such as heart attacks. In this double-blind study, 4,870 Chinese heart attack patients were divided into two groups. One group took two capsules daily for an average of four-and-a-half years. The other group took two placebo capsules for the same period of time.

The primary interest of the study was to see how many of these patients experienced a second major coronary event or died from any cause, and whether taking XZK was associated with any change in the occurrence of either outcome, said David Capuzzi, MD, PhD, director of the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, and corresponding author of the study. Dr. Capuzzi termed the results "impressive." There was a 45% decline in the occurrence of a major coronary event in the group taking the red yeast rice product. There was also a 33% drop in both cardiovascular events and all cause mortality... and an unexpected 56% reduction in death from cancer. (Patients with detected cancers at the start of the study had been excluded from participation.)

In addition to the benefits listed above, patients in the XZK group experienced an average reduction in blood cholesterol levels from 207 to180, and a modest decline in their triglyceride levels. A key issue with red yeast rice products is related to their safety, quality and efficacy -- there has also been the question of whether a specific formulation can be approved as a drug or a supplement. These questions remain as yet unanswered. However, this kind of study provides evidence that specific preparation of natural products may have significant and profound effects on our health and well being, provided the safety and effectiveness can be carefully documented and approved by appropriate regulatory authorities. Given the potential adverse effects incurred with a variety of medicinal agents, studies such as these are encouraging. Always work with your doctor before taking a medication or natural product.