Red Yeast Rice & CholesterolInteresting that the Food and drug Admin took
action against a food because it acted better than a drug.
Red yeast gave Ginger the redness in pickled ginger and other foods.

Still haven't got a reply from my email to the FDA. Has anyone on the list
tried a direct inquiry?

Ed
  -----Original Message-----
  From: Denise Every [mailto:deni...@citlink.net]
  Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 7:17 PM
  To: silver-list@eskimo.com
  Subject: Re: CS>Red Yeast Rice & Cholesterol


  So was ephedra, but they got that banned.... but maybe red yeast rice
hasn't been linked to anyone dying, so they had less grounds?
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: oldgl...@bigcountry.net
    To: silver-list@eskimo.com
    Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 10:04 PM
    Subject: CS>Red Yeast Rice & Cholesterol


      Hi Denise,

      Red Yeast Rice was here long before Mevacor, so perhaps the
'grandfather' clause saved it.  I'm sure the FDA would love to keep this one
off the market for their buddies but to say it was chemically too similar to
the prescription Mevacor as an excuse was idiotic, even for them.

      Jean

      *************************

      I did find an article on WholeHealthMD.com  that mentions the FDA
withdrawing it, it said, "In 2001, however, red yeast rice extract, a
"natural" unregulated nutritional supplement, was withdrawn by the FDA. This
decision followed the agency's determination that it was chemically too
similar to the prescription statin medication Mevacor, and thus should be
classified as a "drug," which by law is strictly controlled by the federal
government."

      Denise