Monascus rice powder co-supplemented with coenzyme Q10 improves serum lipids and LDL-lag time on hypercholesterolemia subjects.

Recent studies showed a possibly interruption of monacolins, byproducts of Monascus rice powder, on coenzyme Q10 biosynthesis. Thus, a clinical trial was conducted to investigate lipid-lowering and antioxidative effects of combined red yeast rice extract and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on hypercholesterolemia subjects. 37 subjects were recruited and were randomly divided into three groups such as Monascus rice powder 250 mg (M), equivalent to monacolins 6 mg; Monascus rice powder 250 mg plus CoQ10 15 mg (MQ), and Monascus rice powder 500 mg plus CoQ10 30 mg (HMQ) by different doses supplementation. The supplementations administrated for 6 weeks, blood samples were collected every two weeks for cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) lag time determination. Results showed that all of the groups had lower serum total cholesterol (19.6%, 32.7%, and 19.6% decrease from baseline, p<0.05) and LDL cholesterol concentration (28.6%, 42.3%, and 29.0% decrease from baseline, p<0.05) after three weeks of supplementation. Moreover, there were no alterations on high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level of all subjects. In LDL-lag time, the data displayed a significant slower production of conjugated dienes in all groups after six weeks of supplementation. However, in CoQ10 supplementing groups, the effect sustained after ceasing supplementation for two weeks. The results reconfirmed the lipid-lowering effects of monacolins and 250 mg Monascus rice powder, (equivalent to monacolins 6 mg) supplementation didn’t affect the LDL oxidative process through disruption of CoQ10 metabolism. Furthermore, addition of at least 15 mg CoQ10 could significantly enhance LDL antioxidative capacity in hypercholesterolemia subjects.