Red Yeast Rice for Hyperlipidemia: A Meta-Analysis of 15 High-Quality Randomized Controlled Trials

Study answer

What this study found

RYR was found effective in lowering total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C while raising HDL-C levels. RYR showed a significant positive effect when compared to nutraceuticals and placebo, but was less effective than statins in lowering TC.

Study & population

1,012 participants diagnosed with hyperlipidemia were included, with randomized controlled trials compared RYR to non-RYR interventions.

Intervention

Red Yeast Rice (RYR) was used alone or in combination with other therapies to treat hyperlipidemia.

Key limitation

Limited high-quality RCTs available, potential methodological defects in trials, and high heterogeneity in results due to variations in RYR products.

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Original abstract