Q. At the recommendation of my doctor, I began taking red yeast rice (RYR) to lower my cholesterol. I had already tried niacin without success.
Within a month, my arms started to hurt. Soon the pain was so bad that I stopped taking the RYR.
Ten weeks later, my upper arm muscles are still excruciatingly painful. I cannot change gears in my car or even lift a cup of coffee.
Is there any way to undo this muscle damage? I’ve always been very fit and active and would not wish this on my worst enemy. I feel like a pelican with a broken wing.
A. Red yeast rice is a natural product that contains compounds similar to prescription statins. Many people assume that it is harmless because it is natural and available over the counter. There is limited FDA supervision of such dietary supplements and therefore purity and dose can’t be guaranteed.
Some people seem especially susceptible to muscle damage from statin-type medications to lower cholesterol. Drugs such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor) can all cause muscle pain or even a rare condition called rhabdomyolysis.
Red yeast rice can also cause muscle problems. It is hard to say how long it may take for your muscles to recover. Adding Coenzyme Q10 to your regimen might help, but there are no studies to demonstrate accelerated healing from statin injury.
