Brown Rice Bran, Cereal Fiber, Dietary Fiber, Fibre Alimentaire, Fibre Céréalière, Huile de Son de Riz, Oryza sativa, Rice Bran Oil, Ricebran Oil, Riz de Son, Salvado de Arroz, Son de Riz, Son de Riz Brun, Son de Riz Stabilisé, Stabilized Rice Bran.
Rice is a plant. The outer layer of the grain (bran) and the oil made from the bran are used for medicine. Rice bran oil is popular as a “healthy oil” in Japan, Asia, and particularly India. Be careful not to confuse rice bran with other forms of bran such as oat and wheat bran.
Rice bran is used for treating diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, alcoholism, obesity, and AIDS; for preventing stomach and colon cancer; for preventing heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease; for strengthening the immune system; for increasing energy and improving athletic performance; for improving liver function; and as an antioxidant.
Rice bran oil is also used for high cholesterol.
Some people apply rice bran directly to the skin for an allergic skin rash called eczema (ectopic dermatitis).
How does work?
Rice bran might help lower cholesterol because the oil it contains has substances that might decrease cholesterol absorption and increase cholesterol elimination. One of the substances in rice bran might decrease calcium absorption; this might help reduce the formation of certain types of kidney stones.
Possibly Effective for...
- High cholesterol, when added to a reduced-fat diet. Following a low-fat diet and taking 85 grams of full-fat rice bran per day seems to lower total cholesterol by 8% and “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 14%. Rice bran does not seem to affect other blood fats such as triglycerides or “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Taking 11.8 grams of rice bran in a reduced-fat form doesn't work as well. Both full-fat and reduced-fat rice bran work about as well as oat bran for reducing high cholesterol.
Rice bran oil also seems to be effective for high cholesterol. There is some evidence that rice bran oil can reduce total cholesterol by 14%, LDL by 20%, triglycerides by 20%, and increase HDL by 41%.
- Preventing kidney stones in people with high levels of calcium.
- Allergic skin rash (atopic dermatitis).
- Preventing stomach cancer.
Possibly Ineffective for...
- Preventing cancer of the colon (bowels) or rectum.
Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...
- Diabetes.
- High blood pressure.
- Alcoholism.
- Weight loss.
- AIDS.
- Strengthening the immune system.
- Increasing energy.
- Enhancing athletic performance.
- Improving liver function.
- Preventing heart and blood vessel disease.
- Other conditions.
SLIDESHOW
Could I Be Allergic? Discover Your Allergy Triggers See SlideshowRice bran is safe for most people when taken by mouth. Increasing the amount of bran in the diet can cause unpredictable bowel movements, intestinal gas, and stomach discomfort during the first few weeks.
Rice bran is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when added to baths, but it can cause itching and skin redness. People have experienced rash and itching from rice bran infested with a pest called the straw itch mite, but this is rare.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Rice bran is safe in amounts found in food, but there's not enough information to know if it's safe in the larger amounts that are used as medicine.Gastrointestinal (GI) conditions: Don't use rice bran if you have a digestive tract problem such as intestinal ulcers, adhesions, conditions that cause narrowing or blockage of the digestive tract, slow digestion, or other stomach or intestinal disorders. The fiber in rice brain could block your digestive tract.
Swallowing: Use rice bran with caution if you have trouble swallowing. The fiber it contains might cause choking.
Medications taken by mouth (Oral drugs)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.
Rice bran contains a large amount of fiber. Fiber can decrease how much medicine the body absorbs. Taking rice bran along with medicine you take by mouth can decrease the effectiveness of your medication. To prevent this interaction take rice bran at least one hour after medications you take by mouth.
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
BY MOUTH:
- For lowering high cholesterol: 12-84 grams rice bran per day or 4.8 grams rice bran oil per day.
- For reducing the risk of kidney stones: 10 grams rice bran twice daily for 3 to 5 years.
Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Alberts DS, Martinez ME, Roe DJ, et al. Lack of effect of a high-fiber cereal supplement on the recurrence of colorectal adenomas. Phoenix Colon Cancer Prevention Physicians' Network. N Engl J Med 2000;342:1156-62. View abstract.
Anon. Consensus statement on cereals, fibre and colorectal and breast cancers. Proceedings of the European Cancer Prevention consensus meeting. Santa Margheritia, Italy, 2-5 October 1997. Eur J Cancer Prev 1998;7:S1-83. View abstract.
Chiesara E, Borghini R, Marabini. Dietary fibre and drug interactions. Eur J Clin Nutr 1995;49:S123-8.
Covington TR, et al. Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. 11th ed. Washington, DC: American Pharmaceutical Association, 1996.
Ebisuno S, Morimoto S, Yasukawa S, Ohkawa T. Results of long-term rice bran treatment on stone recurrence in hypercalciuric patients. Br J Urol 1991;67:237-40. View abstract.
Ebisuno S, Morimoto S, Yoshida T, et al. Rice-bran treatment for calcium stone formers with idiopathic hypercalciuria. Br J Urol 1986;58:592-5. View abstract.
Fuchs CS, Giovannucci EL, Colditz GA, et al. Dietary fiber and the risk of colorectal cancer and adenoma in women. N Engl J Med 1999;340:169-76. View abstract.
Fujiwaki T, Furusho K. The effects of rice bran broth bathing in patients with atopic dermatitis. Acta Paediatr Jpn 1992;34:505-10. View abstract.
Gerhardt AL, Gallo NB. Full-fat rice bran and oat bran similarly reduce hypercholesterolemia in humans. J Nutr 1998;128:865-9. View abstract.
Ghoneum M. Anti-HIV activity in vitro of MGN-3, an activated arabinoxylane from rice bran. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1998;243:25-9. View abstract.
Guerra MJ, Jaffe WG [Nutritional studies with rice bran]. Arch Latinoam Nutr 1975;25:401-17. View abstract.
Iida T, Hirakawa H, Matsueda T, et al. [Therapeutic trials for promotion of faecal excretion of PCDFs by the administration of rice bran fiber and cholestyramine in Yusho patients]. Fukuoka Igaku Zasshi 1993;84:257-62. View abstract.
Jahnen A, Heynck H, Gertz B, et al. Dietary fibre: the effectiveness of a high bran intake in reducing renal calcium excretion. Urol Res 1992;20:3-6. View abstract.
Jariwalla RJ. Rice-bran products: phytonutrients with potential applications in preventive and clinical medicine. Drugs Exp Clin Res 2001;27:17-26. View abstract.
Kestin M, Moss R, Clifton PM, Nestel PJ. Comparative effects of three cereal brans on plasma lipids, blood pressure, and glucose metabolism in mildly hypercholesterolemic men. Am J Clin Nutr 1990;52:661-6. View abstract.
Kumar B, Chaudhuri DK. Isolation, partial characterization of antithiamine factor present in rice-bran and its effect on TPP-transketolase system and Staphylococcus aureus. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1976;46:154-9. View abstract.
Ludwig DS, Pereira MA, Kroenke CH, et al. Dietary fiber, weight gain, and cardiovascular disease risk factors in young adults. JAMA 1999;282:1539-46. View abstract.
Noronha IL, Andriolo A, Lucon AM, et al. [Rice bran in the treatment of idiopathic hypercalciuria in patients with urinary calculosis]. Rev Paul Med 1989;107:19-24. View abstract.
Ohkawa T, Ebisuno S, Kitagawa M, et al. Rice bran treatment for hypercalciuric patients with urinary calculous disease. J Urol 1983;129:1009-11. View abstract.
Ohkawa T, Ebisuno S, Kitagawa M, et al. Rice bran treatment for patients with hypercalciuric stones: experimental and clinical studies. J Urol 1984;132:1140-5. View abstract.
Reddy BS. Role of dietary fiber in colon cancer: an overview. Am J Med 1999;106:16S-9S. View abstract.
Schatzkin A, Lanza E, Corle D, et al. Lack of effect of a low-fat, high-fiber diet on the recurrence of colorectal adenomas. Polyp Prevention Trial Study Group. N Engl J Med 2000;342:1149-55. View abstract.
Sugano M, Koba K, Tsuji E. Health benefits of rice bran oil. Anticancer Res 1999;19:3651-7. View abstract.
Terry P, Lagergren J, Ye W, et al. Inverse association between intake of cereal fiber and risk of gastric cardia cancer. Gastroenterology 2001;120:387-91.. View abstract.
Tomlin J, Read NW. Comparison of the effects on colonic function caused by feeding rice bran and wheat bran. Eur J Clin Nutr 1988;42:857-61. View abstract.
Uenotsuchi T, Satoh E, Kiryu H, Yano Y. Pyemotes dermatitis caused by indirect contact with husk rice. Br J Dermatol 2000;143:680-2.
Vissers MN, Zock PL, Meijer GW, Katan MB. Effect of plant sterols from rice bran oil and triterpene alcohols from sheanut oil on serum lipoprotein concentrations in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72:1510-5. View abstract.
Watkins TR, Geller M, Kooyenga DK, Bierenbaum ML. Hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant effect of rice bran oil non-saponifiables in hypercholesterolemic subjects. Environmental & Nutritional Interactions 1999;3:115-22.
Weisburger JH, Reddy BS, Rose DP, et al. Protective mechanisms of dietary fibers in nutritional carcinogenesis. Basic Life Sci 1993;61:45-63. View abstract.