Natto Red Yeast Rice Supplement Regulates Lipid Profiles: A Multicenter, Double-Placebo, Double-Blinded, Randomized...

Natto Red Yeast Rice (NRYR) is a dietary supplement used to lower blood lipid. However, evidence on its effects on regulating lipid levels is limited.

The aim of this study was to assess whether NRYR can lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and regulate other lipids, both alone and in addition to simvastatin.

We enrolled 1,110 participants who were randomized into 4 groups to receive a 3-month intervention of placebo, NRYR (1,950 mg/d), simvastatin (20 mg/d), or NRYR (1,950 mg/d) plus simvastatin (20 mg/d). The primary outcome was the change in LDL-C levels after 3 months, which were evaluated using linear mixed models. The primary analyses were conducted according to the modified intention-to-treat principle. Safety outcomes were also recorded.

Significant reductions in LDL-C levels were observed in the NRYR, simvastatin, and combination group. The differences in the absolute/percent change in LDL-C levels from baseline to 3 months were -21.02 mg/dL (95% CI: -27.98 to -14.06 mg/dL)/-13.21% (95% CI: -17.88% to -8.54%), -25.80 mg/dL (95% CI: -32.64 to -18.97 mg/dL)/-17.08% (95% CI: -21.67% to -12.50%), and -32.74 mg/dL (95% CI: -39.74 to -25.73 mg/dL)/-21.22% (95% CI: -25.92% to -16.52%), respectively, compared with placebo (all P < 0.001). Compared with simvastatin alone, adding NRYR demonstrated a significant decrease in LDL-C levels with a net absolute/percent change of -7.95 mg/dL (95% CI: -13.79 to -2.11 mg/dL; P = 0.008)/-5.05% (95% CI: -8.87% to -1.24%; P = 0.009) at 1 month, but the effect was not significant at 3 months. Adverse event rates were similar across the 4 groups.

NRYR alone lowered LDL-C levels, and its combination with simvastatin was associated with numerically but not significantly lower LDL-C levels than using simvastatin alone. (ChiCTR2200064214, ChiCTR2200064215).