CoQ10 (BY DR KENNETH COOPER) Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is found in every cell in the body. It has a broad range of functions in the human body, but its main function is to serve as a catalyst to convert the food you eat into energy. Ubiquinone is the fully oxidized form of CoQ10 and has been marketed as a supplement for decades. The body converts ubiquinone supplements into ubiquinol, the fully reduced form of CoQ10. Ubiquinol supplements are relatively new in the marketplace as scientists only recently figured out how to stabilize it. Currently, ubiquinol is only found in standalone supplements, but science is on the brink of being able to blend ubiquinol into a multi-ingredient product. Described as “cardioprotective,” CoQ10 has demonstrated to have a number of cardiovascular benefits including improvement in heart muscle function in patients with heart failure, improved blood vessel function in patients with known heart disease and reduction in inflammatory signaling, and oxidative stress associated with strenuous exercise. CoQ10 levels are lower in patients with heart muscle disorders and decreased heart function. Furthermore, improving CoQ10 in blood levels has been associated with improvements in ejection fraction, a measure of heart function. So, certain patients with heart disease may benefit from taking CoQ10 supplement. Research indicates that statins, or cholesterol lowering medications, deplete the level of CoQ10 in the body. There is also some data that suggests taking CoQ10 with a statin medication reduced the risk of developing muscle soreness as a side effect. For this reason, physicians often suggest that patients taking statin medications also take 100 to 200 mg CoQ10** daily.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 15:18:21 +0000
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