Red yeast rice and cholesterol
What 4 graded rows on red yeast rice agree on for cholesterol, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Red yeast rice page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Red yeast rice page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Red yeast rice and cholesterol
4 rows · 1,617 peopleMostly an improvement: 3 of 4 rows, and most of the people. 1 found no difference.
- BGrade B× 2
- CGrade C× 1
- DGrade D× 1
- Rows
- 4
- Trials
- 29
- People
- 1,617
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a meta-analysis of 804 people (2014) and found an improvement.
The 3 rows that found an improvement were larger: a median of 705 people, against 46 people for the row that found no difference.
Only the 3 rows that found an improvement include pooled reviews of several trials (2 of 3); the row that found no difference is a single study.
The best grade is B among the rows that found an improvement, and D among the row that found no difference.
The rows
3 improved · 1 no difference- BGrade BLDL cholesterol in dyslipidaemia · Improved
Meta-analysis, 13 studies · n 804 · 2014 · Adults with dyslipidaemia in 13 placebo-controlled RCTs
Varied by trial · Varied
LDL −0.87 mmol/L (95% CI −1.03 to −0.71), total cholesterol −0.97 mmol/L and triglycerides −0.23 mmol/L vs placebo; HDL unchanged. No serious side effects reported in the trials.
Row on the Red yeast rice page · PubMed 24897342 (opens PubMed)
- BGrade BLDL and total cholesterol in hypercholesterolaemia · Improved
Meta-analysis, 14 studies · n 705 · 2024 · Adults with hypercholesterolaemia in 14 double-blind trials (10 in Europe, 3 in Asia, 1 in the USA)
0.67–10 mg monacolin K a day (167–1,200 mg red yeast rice) · 4–24 weeks
LDL −35.82 mg/dL (95% CI −43.36 to −28.29) and total cholesterol −37.43 mg/dL versus control; HDL, triglycerides and apolipoproteins did not change significantly. No life-threatening side effects were linked to red yeast rice.
Row on the Red yeast rice page · PubMed 38794691 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CLDL cholesterol in people who stopped statins for muscle pain · Improved
RCT · n 62 · 2009 · Adults with dyslipidaemia who stopped statins because of myalgia (community cardiology practice)
1,800 mg twice daily · 24 weeks
LDL fell 35 mg/dL at 24 weeks vs 15 mg/dL with placebo (P = 0.011); muscle enzyme (CPK) and pain scores did not differ.
Row on the Red yeast rice page · PubMed 19528562 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DLDL cholesterol after 28 days versus placebo and a low-dose statin · No difference
RCT · n 46 · 2023 · Adults with LDL 70–189 mg/dL, raised 10-year cardiovascular risk and no cardiovascular disease (SPORT trial, USA)
Listed in the trial registry as 1,200 mg, 2 capsules per day · 28 days
LDL fell 6.55% with red yeast rice and 2.63% with placebo; none of the six supplements lowered LDL significantly versus placebo, while rosuvastatin 5 mg lowered LDL 35.2% more than placebo. Adverse event rates were similar across groups.
Row on the Red yeast rice page · PubMed 36351465 (opens PubMed)