FDA Warning against Red Yeast Products

I was quite concerned when I read the press release issued on August 9, 2007 by the FDA warning consumers not to buy three Red Yeast products being sold on the internet.

I have a bottle of Red Yeast that I bought from my favorite manufacturer, Wonderlaboratories. It is not on that list but I am concerned if the bottle I have also contained the drug lovastatin which is found in red yeast. It does not say on the bottle that lovastatin is in the product so that is a good sign.

Drugs are regulated by the FDA and since dietary supplements do not come under the same regulation, any red yeast sold that does contain lovastatin is illegal.

Lovastatin is the active ingredient that helps lower blood cholesterol and if the red yeast that I have does not contain the active ingredient, then what good is it for? Definitely not for lowering cholesterol! Might as well chuck it away, eh! The dietary supplement should also not be promoted as a cholesterol lowering product if it does not do what it claims to do!

Further reading: Non Prescription Cholesterol Lowering.