Documented concern based on cited evidence — not a personalized safety check, not medical advice, and not a decision to combine or avoid. That decision belongs with your prescriber.
Significant interaction — talk to your prescriber before combining
Significant documented interaction. Talk to your prescriber before combining these two.
Mechanism and evidence
Monacolin K is lovastatin identical: adding red yeast rice to a statin is two statins at once, and the monacolin K content of these products varies widely from bottle to bottle. Documented outcomes include severe rhabdomyolysis with kidney injury.
Evidence tier: case-reports-review
The tier names the strongest cited study design. Some anchors studied the supplement on its own, or a related drug in the same class — in those pairs the grade rests on that evidence plus established pharmacology, as agreed with our medical reviewer.
What to discuss with your prescriber
- Do not take red yeast rice alongside any statin.
- Muscle pain, weakness, or dark urine on this combination is an urgent symptom.