Red yeast rice is fermented rice whose main active compound is the same as a cholesterol-lowering drug. A standardized extract consistently lowers blood fats and, after a heart attack, reported fewer repeat events. Western capsules vary and lack that event record. Muscle and liver injury can occur. Product identity decides whether this is a modest medicine or an uncharacterized product. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ApoB | <80 mg/dL; <60–70 mg/dL if prior infarct or very high arterial risk | Tracks atherogenic particle number, the prevention target |
| LDL-C | <70–100 mg/dL depending on baseline risk | Confirms the expected HMG-CoA effect |
| Non-HDL-C | <100–130 mg/dL | Captures cholesterol in all atherogenic particles when ApoB is unavailable |
| Triglycerides | <80–100 mg/dL | Secondary lipid effect is inconsistent |
| hs-CRP | <1.0 mg/L | Residual inflammatory risk; Xuezhikang can move this early |
| ALT and AST | ALT often <25 U/L (women) / <33 U/L (men) | Detects drug-class hepatitis |
| CK | Near the person’s own baseline; investigate >3× rise or any dark urine | Detects myopathy before rhabdomyolysis |
| Creatinine / eGFR | eGFR >90 mL/min/1.73 m² preferred | Kidney context for muscle breakdown and for citrinin-type toxins |
| Fasting glucose / HbA1c | Glucose ~75–90 mg/dL; HbA1c ~4.8–5.3% | Watches the statin-class glucose signal |
Cadence: Baseline before first dose; safety labs at 4–8 weeks, or sooner if muscle pain, dark urine, or right-upper-quadrant symptoms, then every 3–6 months in the first year and every 6–12 months if lot, dose, and picture are stable; any brand switch restarts the 4–8-week check