500 people who took a medication supplement containing red yeast rice in Japan ended up in the hospital.

The Ministry of Health in Japan announced today that approximately 500 people who use health supplements containing red yeast rice have been hospitalized.

THE MEDICATION HAS CAUSED DEATHS BEFORE

These supplements are products produced by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Company and claimed to help lower cholesterol. In March, they were found to be associated with five deaths and became the subject of an investigation. The supplements contain beni koji, a red mold called Monascus purpureus.

Although the exact cause of death has not been determined, the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated in April that "beni koji could be effective in this condition."

According to Japan Times, as of Sunday, 492 people have been hospitalized, with 291 experiencing kidney problems.

Kobayashi is an Osaka-based company that has been producing beni koji products for years. However, they have discovered that the supplements produced in 2023 contain potentially harmful puberulic acid.

The company has recalled these supplements, which can be purchased without a doctor's prescription, and has initiated an investigation into the matter.