Red yeast rice adverse reactions, interactions:
A potentially harmful toxin has been found in red yeast rice. Citrinin is a potential cancer causing toxin found in a concentration of 0.2 to 17.1 micrograms per gram in all of the commercially produced samples of red yeast rice extract tested in a study by Sabater-Vilar M. et al. A standardized method of lab testing for cancer producing toxins was performed with the citrinin found. A dose dependent mutagenic response was noted to occur from citrinin. (5)
Purity concerns of red yeast rice: There are serious concerns about reliable purity and standardization of red yeast rice extract supplements. The total amount of active ingredients varied from 0% to 0.58%. Only 1 out of 9 brands had the full spectrum of active compounds. Citrinin is a mutagenic toxin was found to be present in 7 of the 9 preparations. (6)
