Expert: Dr. Kristina Conner - 1/31/2011

Question
Hi
Two questions. What are the best natural remedies for acid reflux and for cholesterol? I've heard ginger or papaya for the acid and red yeast rice for the cholesterol.

If there is some lovastatin in some red yeast rice, will this have any effect on my liver enzymes as my current 20mg Prevastatin prescription does? I read there are other ingredients in some of the RYR supplements that may counter that. My enzyme count is a little high and I am currently taking Milk Thistle but I figure if I could get off the Prevastatin to help my liver and take a natural herb like RYR for my cholesterol, I'd be in good shape.

And the acid reflux--I feel occasional pressure, some chest discomfort and minor spasms (no real burning) and I am taking Prevacid but I would like to get off that as well and use something natural.

Hope you can offer some opinion!

Thanks!

Answer
Hello Ed,
There is no single remedy that works for everybody, but the ones you mention can be effective.  The red yeast rice may be safer for the liver than statin medications, but still needs to be used with caution in many cases.  It is not as safe as some of the other supplements used for high cholesterol such as fiber, garlic, niacin, and guggullipid.  It's probably still a good idea to check your liver function tests to make sure it does not cause a similar effect to the medications.  
Acid reflux may be due to high or low stomach acid, and the treatment will vary depending on the cause.  Ginger and papaya would both help in overall digestive function but are not specific for that purpose, so they may be helpful but there are other supplements that could be beneficial if that does not work.  They are both fairly safe to take, but I'd always check for any interactions before trying new supplements.  Often food sensitivities may contribute to reflux, so that may be another area to investigate if the over the counter supplements do not help you.  
And ideally, natural treatment should help with decreasing the need for any medications,  even natural ones.  You may want to consider seeing a naturopathic doctor or holistic doctor near you for more specific recommendations.  You can find that on www.naturopathic.org or www.holistic.org.  
In health,
Dr Conner