CoQ10 Supplements
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Heart Health Note:
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The second important thing CoQ10 does for us is…
CoQ10 Enables Our Mitochondria to Produce Energy
This is one of the characteristics that really gets to the heart of the matter.
CoQ10 is a coenzyme that must exist in every cell of our bodies. Why? Because it is responsible for energy production at the cellular level.
CoQ10 is a vital factor in triggering energy in the mitochondria. The mitochondria are the power stations of our cells. The electron transport energy system in the mitochondria can make more energy – in the form of ATP – than any other energy producing system in the body.
But without CoQ10 there is no production of ATP. Without ATP there is no cellular energy. Without cellular energy there is cell death.
The problem is many of us are deficient in CoQ10 because...
- We do not eat enough of the foods that are rich in CoQ10 like beef, poultry and broccoli – best sources are pork heart and mackerel.
- As we age we produce less CoQ10 and use more in fighting disease.
This has implications in many areas. However, it seems to be especially pertinent concerning congestive heart failure. When the heart muscles lack sufficient fuel they simply cannot pump effectively.
We will look at this more clearly in a moment when we briefly consider a few case studies. For now we should be aware that CoQ10 supplementing can improve heart function by…
- increasing energy production in the heart
- increasing the heart’s ability to contract
- lowering blood pressure
- heart failure
- angina
- hypertension
- heart attack
- congestive heart failure
CoQ10 Acts As a Strong LDL Antioxidant
You and I become concerned if our LDL cholesterol gets too high. We know that high levels of LDL – especially coupled with low HDL – can promote coronary heart disease.
That is why the focus of most cholesterol lowering therapy is on reducing LDL.
But recent research indicates that the amount of LDL cholesterol in our blood is not the only factor. Tests have shown that...
it is the oxidized LDL that builds up on the inside of our arteries.Keep in mind that when our cells undergo oxidation they are changed. In severe cases our cells may die. Under normal conditions our oxidized cells do not function properly.
In the case of LDL, oxidation causes the LDL cholesterol to cling to the inside linings of our arteries. This buildup promotes coronary heart disease.
In addition to keeping our LDL levels down we should do everything possible to reduce its oxidation.
Many of us are already taking vitamin-E for this very reason. However this may not be enough. In fact it could be doing many of us harm.
Studies have indicated that when vitamin-E gets depleted it may actually promote coronary heart disease.One reason for this is antioxidants work better as a complex. Each antioxidant has its own role. But these roles are strengthened by the presence of other antioxidants.
For example, it has been shown that CoQ10 regenerates vitamin-E. When this happens the vitamin-E becomes more effective and fights – rather than promotes – the oxidation of LDL and therefore coronary heart disease.
But we should not think of CoQ10 as merely vitamin-E's helper. CoQ10 is actually the stronger of the two LDL antioxidants. In fact some studies have indicated that CoQ10 alone is as efficient as an LDL antioxidant as it is in the company of vitamin-E. In other words CoQ10 doesn’t need vitamin-E at all.
That conclusion is a bit rash I think. Antioxidants are known to work better in a complex with other antioxidants. They strengthen and regenerate each other. But it demonstrates something of the power of CoQ10 as a stand alone antioxidant.
So… we have seen three critical things CoQ10 does for us. When our CoQ10 levels drop there can be at least three very serious effects.
- Our cell membranes do not function properly hindering the effectiveness of many hormones and enzymes.
- Our cellular energy levels become inadequate for proper functioning of our large organs like the heart – promoting conditions like congestive heart failure.
- Our LDL cholesterol tends more toward oxidation which in turn promotes atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
What If I Am Taking Statins?
Statins are very effective in lowering LDL cholesterol by interfering with the production of HMGCoA. The problem is statins are nonspecific. They also inhibit the production of CoQ10. The higher the statin dose we take the more CoQ10 production is inhibited.
The effect of this is…
- Decrease in energy levels
- Decrease in antioxidant function
- Decrease in cardiac functioning – heart cannot pump as effectively
CoQ10 will not interfere with the functioning of statin drugs. In fact studies have shown that the LDL lowering capability of statins can actually be enhanced by COQ10 supplementation.
How Much Should I Take?
Recommended daily intake is 30-100 mg for people who are trying to maintain a healthy heart and keep LDL oxidation at a minimum. If you are taking statins you should take at least 100 mg per day.
If you have documented heart disease you need to up your dose to about 200 mg per day.
Long term studies using CoQ10 as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease have demonstrated that high dosages of CoQ10 produce no negative side-effects.
A Few Case Studies
The research on CoQ10 is extensive. We will merely look at a few thumbnail sketches.
The Japanese have been very active in CoQ10 research.
One Japanese trial in 1972 involved 197 patients with varying levels of severity of cardiac failure. Supplementing with 30 mg of CoQ10 per day demonstrated significant improvement in cardiac function.
In other words the patients taking the CoQ10 supplements had hearts that pumped more strongly and more efficiently. This is especially important to patients with congestive heart failure.
A similar trial in Japan was performed in 1985. The study produced comparable results for those patients taking 30 mg of CoQ10 per day.
A U.S. clinical study performed in 1985 tested patients with low ejection fraction.
Ejection fraction is the measure of the heart’s ability to pump blood. A low ejection fraction is a classic symptom of congestive heart failure.
Each patient received 100 mg of CoQ10 supplement per day for 3 months. As in previous studies significant improvements in heart function were reported.
Studies in the early 1990s tested CoQ10 supplementation with patients suffering from ischemic cardiomyopathy. Ischemic cardiomyopathy is a low oxygen state usually due to obstruction.
Each patient received 200 mg per day of CoQ10 through supplements. The results demonstrated significant improvements in cardiac function.
Supplementing with 100 mg per day demonstrated improvement for patients suffering from idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy is an enlarged heart syndrome of unknown cause.
One of the largest trials of the 1990s involves 641 patients randomly divided into two groups. The first group received a placebo. The other group received CoQ10 supplements.
During the one-year follow-up period 118 patients in the placebo group were hospitalized for heart failure compared to 73 in the group that received the supplements.
In 1990 observations were published concerning 126 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Unlike previously noted studies this one followed the patients' progress for six years. Long-term benefits from CoQ10 supplementing were noticed with no harmful side effects.
A 1994 study involved 424 patients with a variety of myocardial diseases. Myocardial diseases include a number of conditions where the heart’s muscle mass is abnormal. Among these conditions are…
- valvular heart disease - pertains to dysfunction of heart valves
- hypertension
- diastolic dysfunction – a failure of the heart to properly refill itself with blood
- dilated cardiomyopathy – a group of disorders where the heart muscle is weakened and enlarged and cannot pump effectively
- ischemic cardiomyopathy – a low oxygen state usually due to obstruction of the arterial blood supply
Patients were treated with an average of 240 mg of CoQ10 daily during their treatment period. They were then followed-up for up to eight years with an average follow-up period of 18 months.
The overall results demonstrated measurable cardiac improvements in one month with maximum improvements at about six months. With continued CoQ10 treatment the improvement in most patients was sustained. However, discontinuing the treatment usually resulted in a decline of cardiac function with eventual return to pre-treatment conditions.
Diastolic dysfunction is one of the earliest signs of myocardial failure.Diastole is the phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart is filled with returning blood. Because this phase requires more cellular energy than the systolic phase (when the blood is pushed out of the heart) it is more dependent on CoQ10.
Diastolic dysfunction is a stiffening of the heart muscle which naturally restricts the heart’s ability to pump. This condition is associated with many cardiac disorders.
Hypertension is one of these disorders. As the heart muscles become stiff there is often a corresponding rise in blood pressure. When the diastolic dysfunction is reversed, blood pressure tends to lower as well.
In one study involving 109 patients with hypertension, CoQ10 supplementation was added to normal hypertension treatments. In an average of 4.4 months...
51% of the patients were able stop using at least one blood pressure lowering medication. Some were able to stop using up to three medications.Another study produced similar results. In that study...
43% of 424 patients were able to stop using between one and three cardiovascular drugs because of CoQ10 supplementation.These brief sketches of studies involving CoQ10 supplementation should more than suffice to demonstrate the extreme benefit of CoQ10 to optimal heart health.
Should you take CoQ10 supplements?
- If you are at least 35 years old or…
- If you are concerned that your cellular energy production system is working efficiently or…
- If you are concerned that your large organs have sufficient energy to function properly or…
- If you want to strengthen your body’s ability to inhibit LDL oxidation and reduce the development of coronary heart disease or…
- If you want to give your heart every opportunity to avoid or recover from congestive heart failure or…
- If you are taking statin drugs then…
The only question that remains is…
Which CoQ10 Supplement Should I Take?
Your CoQ10 supplement should not be powder based unless you are going to take it with other oil based substances. CoQ10 is assimilated better in the body in the presence of oil. So a gel cap would be best.
As you and I know, antioxidants work best with other antioxidants. Each antioxidant fights oxidation in a different way. And antioxidants can regenerate each other making their overall effectiveness more pronounced.
Therefore it is helpful to take CoQ10 with other antioxidants like vitamin-E. Or look for a CoQ10 with vitamin-E as part of the complex.
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