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Medical Video: Red yeast rice wine 红曲米酒 homebrew #2
Angkak is plain white rice that undergoes a fermentation process with the Monascus purpureus mushroom, thus obtaining a distinctive purplish red color known to many people. This brown rice has been used by Chinese people and almost all Asian communities around the world as food preservatives, food coloring agents, spices mixtures, and also ingredients in rice wine.
Besides its reputation in the culinary world, Angkak rice has also been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine which is believed to be beneficial for improving blood circulation and reducing digestive disorders, such as diarrhea.
What does the modern medical world say about the health benefits of Angkak rice?
Various health benefits from Angkak (red yeast rice)
1. Cure dengue fever (DB)
In Indonesia, Angkak is one of the most popular herbal medicines for curing dengue fever which appears frequently during the rainy season. Angkak can increase blood platelets significantly thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects. This is evident in a study from the Faculty of Medicine Airlangga University who reported that there was a drastic decrease in TPO levels (thrombopoietin), the main benchmark in assessing the severity of DB infection and the potential for life-threatening bleeding, in the spinal cord of patients with dengue fever.
READ ALSO: 5 Easy Steps to Prevent Dengue Fever
2. Lower blood pressure
Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the chronic medical conditions that has the potential to endanger life. Reporting from Mayo Clinic, human studies show that Angkak can facilitate blood flow by dilating blood vessels and reducing inflammation thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. However, further research is still needed to determine the effect of RYR on symptoms of heart disease and the risk of death caused by these two conditions.
3. Lower cholesterol
Reporting from Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Angkak generally contains a number of compounds similar to the active ingredient in high cholesterol prescription drugs called statins. Doctors prescribe statins to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and help reduce the risk of heart disease. In particular, this red yeast rice may contain monacolin K, a chemically identical compound with lovastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug. Some studies show that Angkak is effective in reducing bad cholesterol (LDL and triglycerides), which is 10-33% in LDL cholesterol.
READ ALSO: 9 Things You Should Ask a Doctor When Checking Cholesterol
However, researchers are still unsure if red yeast rice lowers cholesterol because of statin chemicals such as or because of other things red yeast rice, such as unsaturated fatty acids, isoflavones, and phytosterols which can reduce cholesterol other than monacolin K, the cholesterol-lowering mechanism of Angkak still unclear.
In addition, because of the high content of monacolin K, Angkak extract supplements are classified by the FDA as medical drugs (which have not been approved) when viewed from all possible side effects, drug interactions, and preventive measures generalized with lovastatin. This is the reason behind why the FDA requires manufacturers to recall every Angkak product containing monacolin from the market.
According to the FDA, the legal illegality of selling red yeast rice supplements that contain cholesterol-lowering levels that exceeds the limit and also to promote Angkak rice as an alternative to lowering cholesterol levels. First, statin drugs are associated with muscle and kidney injury when used alone or in combination with other drugs.
There is concern that patients who are on medication using statins can increase their risk of chronic muscle injury and / or pain or severe kidney injury with or without consuming Angkak (both in its natural form and herbal supplements). Secondly, the FDA considers that cholesterol-lowering supplement products containing Angkak extract are still new, have not been approved for safety, and violate Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act regulations.
READ ALSO: 6 Ways to Reduce Cholesterol in the Body
Other benefits of Angkak
In addition to the three conditions above, red yeast rice is also used to help with other health conditions, although its effectiveness is unknown. These conditions include:
- High cholesterol related to HIV
- Diabetes
- Liver disease, for example fatty liver
- Coronary heart disease
- Digestive problems, including diarrhea and other digestive disorders
The use of angkak for health conditions above is still based on tradition and scientific theories that are very limited. Often, these theories have not been thoroughly tested in humans, and their effectiveness and safety are not always guaranteed. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and must be evaluated by quality health care providers.
