Red yeast rice is supposed to be a good supplement for lowering cholesterol triglycerides. Is this available here in Thailand from chain pharmacies that sell supplements or some sort of nutra shop. For reference, here's a product on amazon that has shown very good results http://www.amazon.com/Herbal-Actives-Extended-Release-Yeast/dp/B004NG67EA/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1378303867&sr=1-2&keywords=cholesterol+supplements

If you are going to take a statin, why would you insist on taking one that is below pharmaceutical quality?

It is not a statin.

I haven't seen it in Thailand, though.

Red yeast rice and drugs[edit source | editbeta]

In the late 1970s, researchers in the United States and Japan were isolating lovastatin from Aspergillus and monacolins from Monascus, respectively, the latter being the same fungus used to make red yeast rice but cultured under carefully controlled conditions. Chemical analysis soon showed that lovastatin and monacolin K are identical. The article "The origin of statins" summarizes how the two isolations, documentations and patent applications were just months apart.[5] Lovastatin became the patented, prescription drug Mevacor for Merck & Co. Red yeast rice went on to become a contentious non-prescription dietary supplement in the United States and other countries.

Lovastatin and other prescription "statin" drugs inhibit cholesterol synthesis by blocking action of the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase. As a consequence, circulating total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol are lowered. In a meta-analysis of 91 randomized clinical trial of ≥12 weeks duration, totaling 68,485 participants, LDL-cholesterol was lowered by 24-49% depending on the statin.[6] Different strains of Monascus fungus will produce different amounts of monacolins. The 'Went' strain of Monascus purpureus (purpureus = dark red in Latin), when properly fermented and processed, will yield a dried red yeast rice powder that is approximately 0.4% monacolins, of which roughly half will be monacolin K (identical to lovastatin). Monacolin content of a red yeast rice product is described in a 2008 clinical trial report.[7]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_yeast_rice

It is not a statin.

I haven't seen it in Thailand, though.