Mevacor, Lovastatin News

By Anne Harding

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A regimen of supplements and lifestyle coaching is just as effective as statin medication for reducing levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol, and more effective in helping people lose weight, new research shows.

People with high cholesterol who took red yeast rice and fish oil daily and received counseling on diet, exercise and relaxation techniques showed the same 40 percent drop in LDL cholesterol seen among people taking 40 milligrams of simvastatin daily, Dr. David J. Becker of the University of Pennsylvania Health System's Chestnut Hill Hospital and colleagues found. And they pared off an average of 10 pounds over 12 weeks, compared to less than a pound for patients taking the statin.

Do kids need statins or just a healthier diet? If you read last week's headlines, you might be wondering if your eight-year-old should be taking a statin drug to lower his blood cholesterol and ward off heart ...

In early July the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition issued new cholesterol screening and prescription treatment guidelines for children.

The content of the red yeast rice supplement that manufacturers claim reduces cholesterol, varies dramatically depending on the brand, with some products containing far less of the active ingredient than has ...

A combination of fish oils, red yeast rice and other lifestyle changes reduced cholesterol levels by the same amount as a daily statin pill, according to new research.

A dietary supplement called red rice yeast, combined with fish oil and healthy lifestyle changes, can help reduce "bad" cholesterol as effectively as the statin drug Zocor, new research suggests.

Supplements Author: ConsumerLab.com Last Updated: Jul 1, 2008 - 10:47:42 AM Today, ConsumerLab.com published its first test report on red yeast rice supplements.

A US product survey has found that four out of ten red yeast rice supplements were contaminated with a fungal substance called citrinin that has been linked with kidney problems in animal and human populations.

Evidence continues to accumulate that red yeast rice - at least the kind of red yeast rice that used to be available before the FDA began regulating it - can reduce cholesterol levels and protect against heart ...

Q: I heard on the news that red yeast rice can help lower cholesterol, but I'd like to know more about the pros and cons.

Dear Dr. Gott: I would like to comment on the problem of severe nocturnal leg cramps.

I heard that red yeast rice can help lower cholesterol, but I'd like to know more about the pros and cons.

Merck recently submitted its third application to the Food and Drug Administration to allow it to sell its cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin in 20-mg tablets over the counter.1,2 Targeted consumers are men ...

People who have had a heart attack may be able to reduce the risk of another attack by 45 percent by taking a purified extract of Chinese red yeast rice, a new study suggests.

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet Article Date: 10 Jun 2008 - 1:00 PDT An "extract used in Chinese meals may be good for the heart", The Daily Telegraph reports.

A new study finds that supplements containing extracts from red yeast Chinese rice may dramatically lower the risk of heart attacks.

Last year, this cholesterol-lowering drug was the single most prescribed brand-name medicine in the country.

“Chlamydia is not passed through things like shaking hands or toilet seats.”

Story updated at 11:56 PM on Monday, May 19, 2008 Doctors love Lipitor. Last year, this cholesterol-lowering drug was the single most prescribed brand-name medicine in the country. via Athens Banner-Herald

“This is the first study to suggest a dose-response effect of lipophilic statins on cancer occurrence”

High-doses of cholesterol-lowering statins that are "lipophilic" -- meaning they are soluble in fats -- may offer protection against cancer, according to a new study that found a significant reduction in the ... via Reuters

Most of the cholesterol we need is produced by our liver. Cholesterol is in all of our tissues and is a component of cell membranes and nerves. via GroundReport.com