What NOW Red Yeast Rice Is
NOW Red Yeast Rice keeps you clear of the citrinin contamination that poorly made red yeast rice can carry, supplying 1,200 mg of organic fermented Monascus purpureus in each two-capsule serving.
Red yeast rice is rice fermented with a particular red mould, and it has been made in China for centuries as a food and a colouring. NOW’s version is certified organic by QAI, produced specifically to avoid citrinin, and packed in a vegetable-polysaccharide capsule, so it suits vegetarians and vegans. There are 60 capsules in the bottle, which is 30 servings. If you are going to take red yeast rice at all, the citrinin control is the part worth paying for.
What Is in Each Serving
From NOW’s own panel, per two-capsule serving.
Organic red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus), 1,200 mg. That is 600 mg per capsule, which is the figure on the front of the bottle. No daily value is established for it.
Capsule shell: vegetable polysaccharide. Nothing else is added.
Made without wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts or sesame, in a GMP facility that handles those allergens elsewhere.
Citrinin. Citrinin is a mould by-product that can form during this kind of fermentation, and it is the reason the quality of a red yeast rice matters more than it does for most supplements. NOW state that theirs is carefully produced to avoid it, and that is the single clearest reason to choose a known brand here over an unbranded one.
Monacolin K, and Why This Bottle Carries Statin Warnings
This is the part a customer most needs and almost no red yeast rice listing provides, so we would rather set it out plainly.
Red yeast rice naturally contains a group of compounds called monacolins. The main one, monacolin K, is chemically the same molecule as lovastatin — a prescription statin. That is not a comparison or an analogy. It is the same compound, arrived at by fermentation rather than manufacture.
That single fact explains every warning on the bottle. NOW’s label says do not use if you are pregnant, may become pregnant or are breastfeeding, because using this product may harm the fetus. It says adults only. It says consult a physician if you take medication, especially statins, or have a history of statin intolerance or liver disease. And it says that if muscle complaints occur, stop taking it and see a physician. Those are the warnings that belong to a statin, and they are on this bottle for exactly that reason.
One group deserves a direct word, because they are the most likely buyers of this product. If you came off a statin because it gave you muscle pain, red yeast rice is often suggested as the natural alternative. It contains the same compound that caused the problem. Please talk to our doctor before you try it rather than afterwards.
And NOW do not state how much monacolin K is in it. Their panel gives the red yeast rice weight and no monacolin figure, so the strength of the active compound in any particular bottle is not something the label will tell you. Our pharmacist will go through what that means for you before you buy.
What the Regulators Did, and When
The position on this ingredient changed recently and in one direction, and you are entitled to know it before you spend money.
June 2022. Regulation (EU) 2022/860 capped monacolins from red yeast rice at under 3 mg per daily portion in food supplements.
July 2024. Commission Regulations (EU) 2024/2041 and 2024/2063 removed the cholesterol claim for monacolin K from the Union list of permitted health claims. It had been authorised since 2012 at 10 mg a day, and the 3 mg cap had made that condition impossible to meet. The European assessment behind the cap had also recorded serious reactions in some people at intakes as low as 3 mg a day.
So there is no approved cholesterol claim for this ingredient any more, and we will not imply one. We stock it because people ask for it by name and because, if they are going to take it, we would rather they took an organic citrinin-controlled one bought from a pharmacist who has told them all of the above.
Where the Cholesterol Claim Actually Lives Now
If lowering cholesterol is why you are here, there is an ingredient that still holds an approved claim for it, and we would rather point you at it.
Glucomannan. A konjac fibre taken with water before meals holds a current approved claim for contributing to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol, at 4 g a day — which is about seven of those capsules, so it is worth reading that page for the dose before you decide. It is a soluble fibre rather than a statin compound, and it is the one thing on our shelves that can still make this claim.
For your heart more generally. EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart from 250 mg a day, and a high-strength fish oil concentrate clears that comfortably. It is a different job from cholesterol, and an approved one.
Our pharmacist can go through all three options with you in a few minutes, and our doctor can arrange the blood test that tells you whether you need any of them.
How to Take It
NOW’s suggested use is two capsules, once or twice daily, preferably with food. At two capsules once daily a 60-capsule bottle covers 30 days; at twice daily it covers 15.
We would ask you to start at the lower end and to speak to us first. Taking it with food is NOW’s own instruction. If you notice any muscle aching, tenderness or weakness, stop and come and see us — that is the one symptom on this product that should never be waited out.
Is NOW Red Yeast Rice Right for You?
- Not if you are pregnant, might become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. This is NOW’s own warning and their own words are that the product may harm the fetus. There is no dose of this we would sell you in that situation.
- Not alongside a statin, unless our doctor has said so. Atorvastatin, simvastatin, rosuvastatin and the rest. Taking this with one means taking two statins at once, and the risk that follows is muscle damage. Bring your prescription to the counter.
- Please talk to us first if you stopped a statin because of muscle pain. This contains the same compound. It is the most important conversation we can have about this product, and our doctor is here for it.
- Please talk to us first if you have liver disease or a liver concern, or take any regular medication. NOW’s label asks for a physician; we would rather it was ours, before you buy.
- Adults only, and stop immediately for muscle symptoms. Aching, tenderness or unusual weakness means stop and see a doctor the same week.
Where to Buy NOW Red Yeast Rice in Kenya
Order online and we deliver countrywide, or collect from our pharmacy at Kahawa Sukari Shopping Center, Nairobi. We send orders to Nairobi and every neighbourhood around it — the CBD, Westlands, Parklands, Gigiri, Muthaiga, Runda, Rosslyn, Kitisuru, Lower Kabete, Lavington, Kileleshwa, Kilimani, Karen, Langata, South B, South C, Eastleigh, Buruburu, Donholm, Embakasi, Ngong Road, Kasarani, Roysambu, Zimmerman, Githurai, Ruaka, Banana Hill, Two Rivers, Village Market and Pride Lands — and across Kiambu, Thika, Juja, Ruiru, Kikuyu, Limuru and Ngong.
Beyond the capital we deliver to Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos, Athi River, Kitengela, Kajiado, Naivasha, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Siaya, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Webuye, Kitale, Nandi Hills, Iten, Kapenguria, Embu, Meru, Chuka, Kerugoya, Murang’a, Othaya, Nyahururu, Nanyuki, Maralal, Isiolo, Marsabit, Moyale, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Lodwar, Kitui, Mwingi, Makueni, Emali, Kibwezi, Voi, Taveta, Wundanyi, Mariakani, Diani, Ukunda, Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi, Lamu and Hola. At two capsules a day a pack runs for a known length of time, so tell us the pack size you want and we will work out how many months that covers before you order.
Across Africa, ask us before you order. We have sent orders to Uganda, Tanzania, Somaliland and as far as Malawi, and we will quote for Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and the rest of the continent. Tell us the destination and we will confirm any import paperwork before the parcel leaves us.
Living abroad? Order from wherever you are and we deliver to your family here in Kenya. Kenyans in the UK, the United States, Canada, South Africa and the Gulf order from us regularly for parents and relatives at home. A red yeast rice like this one taken steadily month after month does far more than a single pack, so tell us who it is for and how many months you want covered and we will set up the repeat.
Why Buy Your NOW Red Yeast Rice from HealthAlone Kenya?
HealthAlone is a pharmacist-led health ecosystem licensed by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, and our stock is original, sealed and correctly stored. Kahawa Sukari is a real counter with real pharmacists behind it.
Our pharmacists will go through the statin interaction and the pregnancy warning with you before you buy, and check this against every medicine on your list. Our doctor is here too if you would rather have the whole question looked at properly.
It is one more step in our vision: building Africa’s most trusted health ecosystem, accessible to everyone, everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is red yeast rice?
Rice fermented with the red mould Monascus purpureus, made in China for centuries as a food and a natural colouring. NOW’s is certified organic and produced specifically to avoid citrinin, a mould by-product that can form during this kind of fermentation. Each two-capsule serving supplies 1,200 mg.
Does it contain a statin?
In effect, yes, and this is the most important thing to know before buying. Red yeast rice naturally contains compounds called monacolins, and the main one, monacolin K, is chemically the same molecule as lovastatin, a prescription statin. That is why NOW’s own label warns about pregnancy, statins, liver disease and muscle complaints. Please speak to our pharmacist or our doctor before you start.
How much monacolin K is in it?
NOW do not state it. Their panel gives the red yeast rice weight, 1,200 mg per serving, with no monacolin figure and no standardisation statement, so the strength of the active compound is not something the label will tell you. We would rather say that plainly than guess. Our pharmacist will talk you through what it means for you.
Can I take it with my statin or my cholesterol medicine?
Not unless our doctor has said so. Taking this alongside atorvastatin, simvastatin, rosuvastatin or any other statin means taking two statins at once, and the risk that comes with that is muscle damage. Bring your prescription to the counter and let us look at the whole list, and keep taking what you have been prescribed.
I stopped my statin because of muscle pain. Is this a gentler alternative?
Please come and talk to our doctor before you try it. Red yeast rice is often suggested as the natural alternative to a statin, and it contains the same compound that caused the problem. That makes this conversation more important for you than for almost anybody else who buys it.
Can I take it if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
No. NOW’s warning is explicit and we will repeat it in their words: do not use if you are pregnant, may become pregnant or are breastfeeding, because using this product may harm the fetus. There is no dose of this we would sell you in that situation.
Is there an approved cholesterol claim for it?
Not any more. There was one from 2012 for monacolin K at 10 mg a day, and it was removed from the European list of permitted health claims in July 2024, after a 2022 rule capped monacolins at under 3 mg per daily portion and made the 10 mg condition impossible to meet lawfully. We stock the product because people ask for it by name, and we would rather they heard this from a pharmacist than from nobody.
What should make me stop taking it?
Muscle aching, tenderness or unusual weakness. NOW’s own instruction is to discontinue use and consult a physician if muscle complaints occur, and that is the one symptom on this product that should never be waited out. Come and see us, or see our doctor the same week.
How do I take it, and how long does a bottle last?
NOW suggest two capsules, once or twice daily, preferably with food. At two capsules once a day the 60-capsule bottle covers 30 days, and at twice a day it covers 15. We would ask you to start at the lower end and to speak to us before you begin.
Is it suitable for vegetarians, vegans and people avoiding allergens?
Yes to all three. The capsule is vegetable polysaccharide and nothing else is added, and it is made without wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts or sesame, in a facility that handles those allergens elsewhere.
Where can I buy red yeast rice in Kenya, and what does it cost?
From HealthAlone, online for delivery countrywide or over the counter at Kahawa Sukari Shopping Center, Nairobi. The current price is shown at the top of this listing. We deliver across Nairobi — the CBD, Westlands, Parklands, Gigiri, Muthaiga, Runda, Kitisuru, Lavington, Kilimani, Karen, Langata, South B, South C, Eastleigh, Kasarani, Roysambu, Githurai, Ruaka and Banana Hill — and to Kiambu, Thika, Juja, Ruiru, Kikuyu, Limuru, Ngong, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos, Kitengela, Naivasha, Narok, Kericho, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Kitale, Embu, Meru, Nanyuki, Nyahururu, Isiolo, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Lodwar, Kitui, Makueni, Voi, Taveta, Mariakani, Diani, Ukunda, Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi and Lamu. Outside Kenya we have delivered to Uganda, Tanzania, Somaliland and Malawi, and we quote for Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and the rest of Africa on request. On this particular product we would ask you to speak to our pharmacist before you order rather than after.
