Chinese Red Yeast Rice Reduces Heart Attack Rates

According to this report:

A clinical study on patients who have suffered a heart attack found that a partially purified extract of Chinese red yeast rice, Xuezhikang (XZK), reduced the risk of repeat heart attacks by 45%, revascularization (bypass surgery/angioplasty), cardiovascular mortality and total mortality by one-third and cancer mortality by two-thirds.

The researchers however haven’t determined the mechanism how Chinese red yeast rice confer this benefit.

Hm. This is embrassing, being currently based in Asia, but I have to admit, I have no idea what Chinese red yeast rice is. Good thing there’s the web. From Medicine.net:

Red yeast rice is rice that has been fermented by the red yeast, Monascus purpureus. It has been used by the Chinese for many centuries as a food preservative, food colorant (it is responsible for the red color of Peking duck), spice, and ingredient in rice wine.

And from the same article, it seems that the red yeast rice’s effect on cardiovascular health is already widely recognized. There’s even a book about it as well as dietary supplements based on it.