Doctors Best Recalls Cholesterol Supplement Due to Presence of Drug

WASHINGTON--Doctor’s Best last week announced a voluntary recall of a dietary supplement that contained a drug that has been approved for the treatment of high cholesterol.

Red Yeast Rice is a dietary supplement marketed to lower cholesterol and distributed nationwide through retail and Internet outlets, but such natural products are not allowed to contain prescription drugs.

Lot 3121005 (7379 bottles) (expiring February 2017), the subject of the recall, contained undeclared lovastatin, according to a recall notice posted on FDA’s website.

Doctor’s Best said there were no adverse events related to the recall. But the company cautioned that supplements found to contain lovastatin sometimes result in serious muscle injury, potentially putting at risk an unborn child and increasing the risks for individuals with a preexisting liver disease. 

Doctor’s Best said it is notifying its distributors and customers about the recall through the mail and arranging for the return of the recalled products. Customers who have the recalled product should discontinue usage and return the unused product to their place of purchase, the company said.

Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Doctor’s Best at 1-844-717-0190 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT and contact their physician/healthcare provider if they have suffered any problems related to the product.