{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]],"date-time":"2026-10-12T23:03:25Z","timestamp":1791846205411,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,11]],"date-time":"2024-05-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1715385600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Previous studies have shown encouraging results regarding the efficacy and safety of nutraceuticals, such as \u201cred yeast rice (RYR) extract\u201d, on reducing hypercholesterolemia in humans. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted from January 2012 to May 2022. The search was strictly focused on clinical trials that examined the association between RYR extract consumption and parameters of the lipid profile in humans. Fourteen double-blinded clinical trials were identified. The interventions lasted 4\u201324 weeks. In most studies, there was one intervention group and one control group. RYR extract consumption statistically significantly reduced total cholesterol (mean absolute reduction: 37.43 mg\/dL; 95% confidence interval [CI]: \u221247.08, \u221227.79) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; mean absolute reduction: 35.82 mg\/dL; 95% CI: \u221243.36, \u221228.29), but not high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoproteins A-I and B. As regards the safety, RYR extract was considered a safe choice with neither threatening nor frequent side effects. The consumption of RYR extract by people with hypercholesterolemia was associated with statistically significant reduction in total cholesterol and LDL-C, whereas it was not associated with an increase in life-threatening side effects. Further research on specific subpopulations and outcomes could establish a consensus on determining the clinical benefits and potential risks, if any, of this nutraceutical.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu16101453","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,13]],"date-time":"2024-05-13T03:34:01Z","timestamp":1715571241000},"page":"1453","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":19,"title":["Safety and Efficacy of the Consumption of the Nutraceutical \u201cRed Yeast Rice Extract\u201d for the Reduction of Hypercholesterolemia in Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4496-777X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Efstratios","family":"Trogkanis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health Policy, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria A.","family":"Karalexi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, 45110 Ioannina, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9355-5528","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Theodoros N.","family":"Sergentanis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health Policy, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eleni","family":"Kornarou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health Policy, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9993-1897","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tonia","family":"Vassilakou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health Policy, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Clemente-Su\u00e1rez, V.J., Beltr\u00e1n-Velasco, A.I., Redondo-Fl\u00f3rez, L., Mart\u00edn-Rodr\u00edguez, A., and Tornero-Aguilera, J.F. 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