CoQ10 - lower blood pressure, treat congestive heart failure, slow heart disease

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Today's Question What is Coenzyme Q and why do you take it? -- Don

Woods

Today's Answer Coenzyme Q, also known as Co-Q-10, is a natural substance

found in most foods, that assists in oxygen utilization and energy

production by cells, especially heart-muscle cells.

Many medical papers demonstrate coenzyme Q's usefulness as a

preventive as well as a treatment. In general, coenzymes work with

enzymes to help them in their various biochemical functions.

Coenzymes are smaller than proteins, and so can survive digestion

and pass into the system.

Coenzyme Q was approved in Japan in 1974 to

treat congestive heart failure, and has also been

approved in Sweden, Italy, Denmark, and Canada.

I often recommend it to help stabilize blood

sugar in people who have diabetes, and to slow heart

disease.

It also maintains the health of gums and other tissues.

There is evidence that coenzyme Q can prolong

survival in women with breast cancer, too.

Your body makes coenzyme Q, and you take it in when you eat cold- water

fish and the oils from non-gmo sesame seeds. The supplement

form is imported from Japan.I take 100 milligrams once a day with

food as a general health-booster.

---

 

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) –

CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to be

beneficial for heart health by protecting LDL cholesterol from

oxidation and re-energizing the mitochondria in the heart cells,

which is where energy metabolism occurs.

This nutrient is very important for the heart cells of patients

with heart failure. CoQ10 may also help

lower blood pressure.

Coenzyme Q10 is an essential component of the metabolic process

involved in energy (ATP) production. In addition, CoQ10 has been

linked to protection of the brain.

Researchers believe it is important for protecting the cells

mitochondria, which may result in helping prevent 'degenerative'

diseases.

Unfortunately, the body's production of CoQ10 begins to decline

around age twenty, often leaving people seriously deficient by

middle age, when the body needs to fight off aging diseases.

The recommendation is usually 30 to 60 mgs a day for healthy

people.

90 to 120 mgs are suggested for those who want to prevent signs of

aging or have high blood pressure problems.

One of the best aspects of CoQ10 appears to be that it has

virtually no side effects.It is one of the safest substances ever

tested, even at very high doses.

No significant toxicity in animal or long- term human studies have

ever been recorded.

Summary-

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential component of the mitochondria

- the energy producing unit of the cells of our body. CoQ10

is involved in the manufacture of ATP, the energy currency of all

body processes.

A good analogy for CoQ10's role is similar to the role of a spark

plug in a car engine. Just as the car cannot function without that

initial spark, the human body cannot function without CoQ10.

Although CoQ10 can be synthesized within the body, there are a

number of circumstances where the body simply does not make

sufficient amounts.

As the heart is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the

body, a CoQ10 deficiency affects the heart the most and can lead to

serious problems there.

Deficiency could be a result of impaired CoQ10 synthesis due to

nutritional deficiencies, a genetic or acquired defect in CoQ10

synthesis, or increased tissue needs.

Examples of diseases that require increased tissue levels of CoQ10

are primarily heart and vascular diseases including high

cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. In addition, people

over the age of 50 may have increased CoQ10 requirements as CoQ10

levels are known to decline with advancing age.

Are there food sources of CoQ10? Yes, but the level of CoQ10 in

food is relatively low.1 For example, the typical daily intake of

CoQ10 from dietary sources is only about 3-5 mg per day - nowhere

near the level required to significantly raise blood and tissue

levels when CoQ10 supplementation is needed.

What are the principal uses of CoQ10?

CoQ10 supplementation is used primarily in the treatment of

cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, congestive

heart failure, cardiomyopathy, mitral valve prolapse, coronary

artery bypass surgery, and angina.

Considerable scientific studies have validated these uses.

2-4 CoQ10 has also been shown to be helpful in diabetes;

periodontal disease; immune deficiency; cancer; as a weight-loss

aid; and muscular dystrophy.

Since the response of CoQ10 can take time, a noticeable improvement

might not occur until 8 or more weeks after therapy is begun.

How does CoQ10 improve heart function?

By improving energy production in the heart muscle and by acting as

an antioxidant.The therapeutic use of CoQ10 in cardiovascular

disease has been clearly documented in both animal studies and

human trials. CoQ10 deficiency is common in patients with heart

disease.

Biopsy results from heart tissue in patients with various

cardiovascular diseases showed a CoQ10 deficiency in 50-75% of

cases.

Correction of a CoQ10 deficiency can often produce dramatic

clinical results in patients with any kind of heart

disease.

Can CoQ10 lower blood pressure?

Yes. CoQ10 deficiency has been shown to be present in 39% of

patients with high blood pressure. This finding alone suggests a

need for CoQ10 supplementation.

However, CoQ10 appears to provide benefits beyond correction of a

deficiency. In several studies CoQ10 has actually been shown to

lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

The effect of CoQ10 on blood pressure is usually not seen until

after 4-12 weeks of therapy. Typical reductions in both systolic

and diastolic blood pressure with CoQ10 therapy in patients with

high blood pressure are in the 10% range.

How does CoQ10 help periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease (gum disease) affects 60% of young adults

and 90% of individuals over age 65. Healing and repair of

periodontal tissue requires efficient energy production, a

metabolic function dependent on an adequate supply of CoQ10.

 

CoQ10 deficiency has been reported in gingival tissue of patients

with periodontal disease.

The frequency of CoQ10 deficiency in several studies ranged from 60

to 96%. The beneficial effect of CoQ10 in periodontal disease may

be the result of an improvement in the energy-dependent processes

of healing and tissue repair.

How does CoQ10 boost the immune system?

Tissues and cells involved with immune function are highly

energy-dependent and therefore require an adequate supply of CoQ10

for optimal function. Several studies have documented an immune-

enhancing effect of CoQ and a benefit in cancer patients.

Also, CoQ10 should definitely be used by cancer patients taking any

chemotherapy drug that is associated with heart toxicity (e.g.,

adriamycin, athralines, etc.).

Since CoQ10 is needed for the burning of fat, can it promote weight

loss? Yes.

Since CoQ10 is an essential cofactor for energy production, it is

possible that CoQ10 deficiency is a contributing cause of some

cases of obesity. Serum coenzyme Q10 levels were found to be

low in 52% of the obese subjects tested. When the subjects

with low CoQ10 levels were given 100 mg/day of CoQ10

significant weight loss was achieved.

What is the best form of CoQ10?

Coenzyme Q10 is available primarily in tablet or capsules. Based on

bioavailability studies, the best preparations appear to be soft-

gelatin capsules that contain CoQ10 in an oil base or in a soluble

form. In order to further enhance absorption, CoQ10 should be taken

with food.

In order to enhance the absorption and utilization of CoQ10,some

manufacturers dissolve CoQ10 in its purest form- natural vitamin E

(Vitamin E; 100% natural d-alpha tocopheryl acetate).

The result is that the CoQ10 is biologically enhanced due to

increased absorption, utilization, and function. By providing the

CoQ10 dissolved in the vitamin E, absorption is not only enhanced,

but also the likelihood that the CoQ10 will remain in its

active form. CoQ10 is present in the blood in both oxidized (inactive)

and reduced (active) form. During times of increased

oxidative stress or low vitamin E levels, more CoQ10 will be

converted to its oxidized (inactive form). Thus, by providing

high levels of pure vitamin E the biological activity and

function of CoQ10 is enhanced.

In addition, the CoQ10 actually enhances vitamin E activity as well.

How much CoQ10 should I take?

While the usual dosage recommendation for CoQ10 is 50 to 150

mg/day, there are a lot of variables to consider when trying to

determine whether this amount is really ideal. First of all, it

appears that the ultimate judge of whether CoQ10 is going to be

effective is whether or not CoQ10 blood levels rise above 2.5

mcg/ml and are maintained at this level for a prolonged period.

Since the normal blood level for CoQ10 is roughly 1 mcg/ml, it is

often difficult to achieve this therapeutic blood level especially

if using poorly absorbed forms of CoQ10. Here are my

recommendations for getting the most out of CoQ10. Use a

loading dosage of four capsules with a meal. This loading

dosage will provide 200 mg CoQ10 and 1600 IU vitamin E. I would

recommend that it be in a soft gelatin capsule and that you

take 300 mg of CoQ10 as a loading dosage and be sure that the

meal includes at least one tablespoon of oil ( olive oil, flaxseed

oil, non-hydrogenated peanut butter, etc.). After the loading

dosage, I would recommend taking two capsules for one week

followed by a maintenance dosage of one capsuledaily thereafter for

people weighing up to 250 pounds; and two capsules per day

for people over 250 pounds.

Is CoQ10 safe?

Coenzyme Q10 is very safe and there have been no serious adverse

effects ever reported even with long-term use. Because safety

during pregnancy and lactation has not been proven, CoQ10

should not be used during these times unless the potential

clinical benefit (as determined by a physician) outweighs the

risks.

Does CoQ10 interact with any drugs?

There are no known adverse interactions between CoQ10 and any drug

or nutrient.

While there are no adverse drug interactions many drugs adversely

affect CoQ10 levels or CoQ10 is able to reduce the side effects of

the drug.

In addition to adriamycin (discussed above), CoQ10 supplementation

has been shown to counteract some of the adverse effects of

certain cholesterol-lowering, beta-blocker, and psychotrophic

drugs.

The drugs lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastin (Pravachol), atorvastatin

(Lipitor) and simvastatine (Zocor) are widely used to lower blood

cholesterol levels. They work by inhibiting the enzyme (HMG CoA

reductase) that is required in the manufacture of cholesterol

in the liver.

Unfortunately, in doing so these drugs also block the manufacture

of other substances necessary for body functions including CoQ10.

 

Supplementing CoQ10 (50 mg per day) is necessary to prevent the

depletion of CoQ10 in body tissues while on these drugs.

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