, 5mg by 15-18%, 10mg by 25-32%, 20mg by 40-45% but with increased risk. It is recommended that 10mg per day is the golden point for lipid-lowering, and high doses (≥20mg) require monitoring of liver and kidney function.
2.5mg: Mild adjustment
One 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 2.5mg of Monacolin K was able to reduce LDL cholesterol within 4 weeks, with an average reduction of about 6.2%. A 2016 clinical trial in the Journal of the European Society of Cardiology showed that participants who took 2.5mg of Monacolin K had an 8% reduction in LDL cholesterol.
A 2019 study published in the Journal of Health and Nutrition says that a dose of 2.5 mg can reduce the incidence of heart disease by about 12%, combined with a healthy diet and moderate exercise. A 2020 study in the Journal of Liver Research and Therapy showed that long-term use of monacolin K may put some pressure on the liver, especially when the dose exceeds 5 mg.
In a comparative study conducted on patients with high cholesterol in 2017, 2.5 mg versus 5 mg dosing produced, on average, a 16% reduction in LDL cholesterol levels with the 5 mg dosing, compared to about 8% with 2.5 mg dosing.
One estimate in the Journal of Healthy Eating in 2015 was that supplementation with 2.5 mg of monacolin K daily could maintain stable cholesterol levels in approximately 30% of patients with mild high cholesterol within one year. In 2021, the Journal of Diabetes and Metabolism published a study where patients with long-term use of 2.5 mg of monacolin K demonstrated an average reduction of 5% in their fasting blood sugar levels over 4 months.
A 2018 long-term study in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported an average cholesterol reduction of 5% to 7% using a dose of 2.5mg monacolin K in participants over 60 years of age. A 2017 study in the Journal of Healthy Lifestyles demonstrated that when fiber foods added to the diet were combined with a supplement of 2.5mg monacolin K, cholesterol levels were reduced on average by 10%.
5mg: Early Outcomes
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2015 showed that patients on 5mg of monacolin K had their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol lowered by an average of 15% over 4 weeks. In the 2017 study published in the Journal of the European Society of Cardiology, 5mg of monacolin K lowered LDL cholesterol by 12% over 6 weeks, slicing the risk of heart disease by 14%.
A 2019 trial in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics that used a dosage of 5mg over a period of 4 months presented an 18% reduction in LDL cholesterol. HDL cholesterol increased by 6% on average.
In a study appearing in the 2018 issue of the Journal of Cardiology, diabetic patients who received 5 mg of Monacolin K showed a 20% reduction in LDL cholesterol. There was no observed change in the level of their blood sugar.
The 2020 Journal of the American Heart Association pointed out that, among the participants who received 5 mg of Monacolin K long-term, there was a reduction in heart disease by approximately 17%. According to the 2016 Journal of Clinical Trials and Drug Research, patients who had taken 5 mg of Monacolin K showed a reduction rate of about 12% in cholesterol after long-term administration. Some lost approximately an average of about 2 kg during use.
The 2017 Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics reported that some patients developed mild indigestions or gastrointestinal discomfort from the 5 mg dose of Monacolin K, which in any case sorted itself out in the first two weeks of its use. In accordance with data obtained from the 2020 Health Industry Report, the market price of a dose of 5 mg of the Monacolin K supplement costs approximately $20 to $30 per month. According to a 2021 study in the Journal of Diet and Nutrition, supplementation of 5mg of Monacolin K, along with a healthy diet and regular exercise, resulted in an average cholesterol decrease of 15% to 20% in participants.
10mg: The golden point for lipid reduction
As with one study appearing in the American Journal of Cardiology in 2016, 10mg of Monacolin K lowered the LDL cholesterol by almost 20% within 4 weeks. Subjects in the trial of the Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2018 revealed that after 8 weeks, their LDL cholesterol decreased by 25% while taking 10mg of MK daily.
It was also noted that a dosage of 10mg can effectively reduce LDL cholesterol while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, averaging at about 8%. A 2019 study published in the Journal of Medicine and Pharmacotherapy showed that 10mg of Monacolin K can lower total cholesterol by an average of 30% after 6 months of intake.
One study from the Journal of Diabetes Research in 2020 showed that 10 mg of Monacolin K is able to reduce LDL cholesterol in people suffering from diabetes by 28%, while reducing blood sugar levels after fasting by approximately 5%. A 2019 study by the Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Treatment showed that 10 mg Monacolin K reduced LDL cholesterol in patients on average by 32%, along with a reduction in cardiovascular diseases by 15%.
On average, there was an 18% decrease in inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein among those participants who took 10 mg of Monacolin K. When 10 mg of Monacolin K is used, the dosage should be increased gradually with regular checks whenever necessary, recommended experts.
A 2020 study in the Journal of Lifestyle and Health found that taking 10 mg of Monacolin K in conjunction with a low-fat diet and regular exercise can reduce patients’ cholesterol by an average of 35%, while weight is reduced by 5%.
20mg: Highly effective but risky
According to the 2018 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was concluded that the use of Monacolin K at 20mg can reduce LDL cholesterol by as much as 45% within two months. In the 2019 study, patients who used 20mg of Monacolin K reduced their total cholesterol by over 40%, and the effect remained stable after 6 months.
It has been observed in various studies that approximately 3%-5% of the respondents developed abnormal liver function indicators due to a daily intake of the 20mg dosage of monacolin k. In the 2020 Drug Side Effect Report presented, it was stated that about 10% users of 20mg monacolin k report mild gastrointestinal discomfort.
For instance, a 2021 study by the Journal of Medicine and Biology said liver damage patients can develop severe hepatotoxic reactions while on 20mg Monacolin K. The 2020 Journal of Pharmacological Research indicated that about 6% of patients on 20mg of Monacolin K developed mild abnormal kidney function indicators.
According to the statistics from the Journal of Geriatric Drug Research in 2019, the elderly are more apt to some side effects when taking 20mg Monacolin K, such as muscle pain and weakness. In fact, a 2020 research in the Journal of Diabetes and Endocrinology Research demonstrated that about 15% of diabetic patients exhibited hypoglycemia after consuming 20mg Monacolin K. According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Hypertension Research, taking 20mg Monacolin K could result in a variation in blood pressure in about 8% of users.
Above 40mg: Extreme Dose
A 2021 publication of the Journal of Drug and Biological Research showed that those who consumed 40mg of Monacolin K reduced their LDL cholesterol levels by over 50% within two months. A 2019 clinical study involved patients with high cholesterol; users who took 40mg of Monacolin K successfully reduced total cholesterol by 45% within six months, while HDL, or good cholesterol levels, increased. At this dose, symptoms of muscle pain, muscle weakness, and muscle atrophy appeared in about 10% of the patients.
A data analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology in 2020 showed that 15% of the users developed abnormal liver function when using 40mg of Monacolin K. In a study involving 300 patients with hypertension, about 8% of the patients developed significant hypotension after using 40mg Monacolin K.
About 12% of diabetic patients showed hypoglycemia by administering 40mg of Monacolin K, according to the 2020 Journal of Diabetes and Endocrinology Research. Symptoms of stomach ache, diarrhea, or constipation, affecting about 15% of its users, were found for the 40mg dosage of Monacolin K, a 2020 study showed in the Journal of Gastroenterology Research. For those subjects who are more sensitive to these symptoms, the dose needs to be adjusted or other lipid-lowering regimens have to be adopted.
