Cautionary tale In yet another display of twisted logic, the FDA sent out a press release earlier this month warning consumers against several red yeast rice products. The release refers to the products in question as "potentially harmful." But as it turns out what they're really warning people against isn't the red yeast rice itself -- it's one of the active ingredients in these products: naturally occurring lovastatin. According to the news release "These red yeast rice products are a threat to health because the possibility exists that lovastatin can cause severe muscle problems leading to kidney impairment." If that's true, then wouldn't those warnings also apply to patentable statin drugs containing lovastatin -- you know, the ones they keep pushing on all of us by repeatedly lowering the guidelines for what's considered "healthy" cholesterol levels? Why are they concentrating all their efforts on demonizing red yeast rice supplements? Ah, of course…For the same reason they persecute every other natural remedy that can do the same job as a patent drug: There's nothing in it for them. And, unfortunately, since the FDA approved the lovastatin-containing drug Mevacor back in 1987 it has a legal leg-up on the supplement industry in terms of regulating any and all products containing it, natural or not. So they're wielding their power not only by attempting to force the supplement manufacturers to stop selling their red yeast rice products but also -- and even worse -- by manipulating the information to portray red yeast rice as dangerous while it do the exact same exact job as the patented version of lovastatin does (but for a whole lot less money). It's not that the FDA doesn't want you taking lovastatin. Quite the contrary, actually. They just don't want you taking the version that isn't helping to line their excessively deep pockets. This particular battle is one that has been going on for nearly a decade and, unlike your ability to get red yeast rice supplements, it's probably not going to go away anytime soon. In the meantime, there are lots of other safe and effective means of lowering your cholesterol levels. In particular is one that Dr. Wright has recommended numerous times over the years -- policosanol. For details on this natural remedy, refer back to the January 2002 issue of Nutrition & Healing. Source:
"FDA News: FDA warns consumers to avoid red yeast rice products on Internet as treatments for high cholesterol," FDA (www.fda.gov), 8/9/07 | 
