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Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like antioxidant compound, similar to vitamin K, and essential to energy production in the body’s cells. Coenzyme Q10 is alo called ubiquinone, because it is found in every cell of the body.

CoQ10 is the subject of a very large body of published clinical research directed at preventing various diseases of the cardiovascular system, or alleviating their symptoms.

Benefits and uses: Most of the extensive published clinical research on Coenzyme Q10 has focused on cardiovascular disease (NOTE: Supplemental Coenzyme Q10 may take several months to show beneficial results in heart conditions.):

• Used in conjunction with standard treatments, CoQ10 has dramatically improved therapeutic outcomes in clinical studies of congestive heart failure.
• Angina patients taking 150 mg per day of CoQ10 report a greater ability to exercise without problems.
• CoQ10 is clinically demonstrated to substantially improve angina pectoris, arrythmias, and hypertension.
• Oxidation of LDL cholesterol in the blood is a key factor in development of cardiovascular disease, and CoQ10 prevents it even more effectively than vitamin E.
• CoQ10 has shown significant benefit in clinical trials treating obesity, muscular dystrophy, periodontal disease, and diabetes mellitus (adult onset diabetes).
• CoQ10 has been shown to help reduce the adverse side effects of cardiotoxic chemotherapy drugs (e.g., adriamycin, athralines)

Deficiency risk factors: CoQ10 deficiencies are found in many people suffering from cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, hyperthyroid heart failure, primary hypertension, breast cancer, muscular dystrophy, and obesity. Meat eaters tend to have lower blood levels of CoQ10, compared with vegetarians. Acclaimed vitamin researcher Dr. Karl Folkers has demonstrated that the average American diet is lacking in many of the nutrients needed to manufacture CoQ10 internally—and that the average American’s internal stores of CoQ10 falls short of optimal levels. In recognition of his work on CoQ10, Dr. Folkers received the Presidential Science Award in 1990.

Optimal intake: Participants in most clinical trials have received from 30 to 100 mg per day, with doses up to 300 mg needed in cases of severe heart disease. CoQ10 is indicated when taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, which interfere with manufacture of CoQ10.

Recent findings: CoQ10 may have potential in preventing or treating brain diseases like Alzhiemer’s, according to an animal study conducted by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Safety: People with congestive heart failure taking CoQ10 should NOT stop taking it suddenly since sudden withdrawal may exacerbate the symptoms of congestive heart failure.

Types of Products: Recent clinical research has demonstrated that a new, solubilized form called Q-gel is much better absorbed than any other available forms. As the researchers reported, "This means much lower doses of Q-Gel will be required to rapidly reach and maintain adequate blood CoQ10 values than with any of the other currently available products."

References

• Weber C, Jakobsen TS, Mortensen SA, et al. Antioxidative effect of dietary coenzyme Q10 in human blood plasma. Internat J Vit Nutr Res 1994;64:311-15.
• Mortensen SA, Vadhanavikit S, Baandrup U, Folkers K. Long-term coenzyme Q10 therapy: a major advance in the management of resistant myocardial failure. Drug Exptl Clin Res 1985;11:581-93.
• Morisco C, Trimarco B, Condorelli M. Effect of coenzyme Q10 in patients with congestive heart failure: a long-term multicenter randomized study. Clin Invest 1993;71:S134-6.
• Kamikawa T, Kobayashi A, Yamashita T, et al. Effects of coenzyme Q10 on exercise tolerance in chronic stable angina pectoris. Am J Cardiol 1985;56:247.
• Mortensen SA. Perspectives on therapy of cardiovascular diseases with coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone). Clin Invest 1993;71:s116–23 [review].
• Jolliet P, et al. Plasma coenzyme Q10 concentrations in breast cancer: prognosis and therapeutic consequences. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 1998 Sep;36(9):506-9.
• Matthews RT, et al. Coenzyme Q10 administration increases brain mitochondrial concentrations and exerts neuroprotective effects. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1998 Jul 21;95(15):8892-7.
• Chopra RK, Goldman R, Sinatra ST, Bhagavan HN. Relative bioavailability of coenzyme Q10 formulations in human subjects. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1998;68(2):109-13.

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