Fish oil and red yeast rice: natural alternatives to statins?

"Has your doctor prescribed statins to lower your cholesterol? Would you rather not take them because you are worried about their side effects? If so, there may be an alternative. After three months of following 74 patients with high blood cholesterol who were randomly assigned to either an alternative treatment group, which took red yeast rice and fish oil daily, or a statin group, which took Zocor (simvastatin) daily, researchers saw a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels (the bad kind) in both groups. However, while the reductions were similar - 42.4% for the alternative treatment group versus 39.6% for the statin group - the alternative therapy group also had a substantial reduction in triglycerides and lost more weight. (Becker, DJ, et al. Mayo Clin Proc. 83(7):758-764, 2008.) 'These results are intriguing and show a potential benefit of an alternative, or naturopathic, approach to a common medical condition,' notes the study's lead author, David Becker, M.D., a Chestnut Hill Hospital and University of Pennsylvania Health System cardiologist in a prepared statement"