Coenzyme Q10: A Nutrient You Can't Live Without

Coenzyme Q10 (Co Q10) is found in every cell of our bodies and even a 25% deficiency can cause major health issues. If the body becomes 75% deficient in this nutrient you will die. There are ten co enzyme compounds but only the tenth one, Q10 is found in humans. It is naturally synthesized in our livers from the foods we eat that contain other of the CoQ compounds. The ability of the liver to produce CoQ10 can start to decline as early as our twenties and by our thirties we may notice a difference in our energy levels. As athletes use more energy they may need to take supplements earlier than others.

Energy and CoQ10 - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Our cells contain a little energy maker called mitochondria that uses CoQ10 to produce energy in the form of a chemical called ATP, adenosine triphosphate, that our bodies use for 95% of our energy needs. Without CoQ10 the mitochondria cannot create the ATP therefore the energy the body needs to function. CoQ10 is an antioxidant that is especially suited to the protection of the mitochondria from free radical damage. As I said before when we are deficient we will have varying degrees of health problems depending on the level of deficiency ranging from lackluster energy to a disease like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Many alternative medicine doctors believe there is a direct correlation between mitochondrion and CFS. Correcting a deficiency in CoQ10 has the effect of rejuvenating the entire body. The recommended dosage for those suffering from CFS is 100 milligrams a day according to one doctor in my research.

Cardiovascular Health

The use of CoQ10 for heart disease is well documented. It is used to treat angina, arrhythmia, to congestive heart failure and is also used to stabilize high blood pressure which is often a precursor to heart disease. There is more CoQ10 in heart tissue than any other part of the body and about 75% of all people with heart disease have a CoQ10 deficiency. As indicated above the correction of a deficiency has an amazing effect on the body and the related disease. Emile G. Bliznkov, MD and CoQ10 researcher wrote, "patients who were hardly able to move because of congestive heart failure...are able once more to look to a new, active future through CoQ10." CoQ10 helps give the heart more energy through the mitochondria as the energized cells contract much stronger and therefore increases the pumping power of the heart. "I personally use it in every one of my patients with congestive heart failure if they are willing to take it," says Dr. Stephen Sinatra a well-known cardiologist. It has a considerable impact on their quality of life." He recommends dosages ranging from 90 - 400 milligrams a day depending on the patient. He also uses CoQ10 to treat other heart related disease and recommends it in the prevention of heart disease because it can help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol which causes hardening of the arteries. The antioxidant vitamin E inhibits this oxidation process in the body and CoQ10 renews used vitamin E letting our bodies use it again. So the combined use of vitamin E and CoQ10 the combined benefit important in fighting heart disease. As a preventative he recommends taking 90 - 180 milligrams a day divided in to three dosages.

Breast Cancer

A deficiency of CoQ10 can create an environment in your cells that is conducive to the growth of tumors. By supplementing the CoQ10 studies show a decrease in the size of the tumors in high-risk patients of about 20 percent of those studied. "If those results were from taking a drug, there would be dancing in the streets, and the stock of the drug company would shoot up." Dr. Quillin, director of nutrition for Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, OK goes on to say that since it was the study of a nutrient instead of a drug little attention was given to the results. He recommends taking 100 milligrams a day for all breast cancer patients.

Antioxidant and Anti-Aging

CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant which is used by the body in a very similar way to vitamins. It is a substance that is found in our foods and then used by the body to create energy and to fight free radical damage to the energy producers (mitochondria) that are found in each cell of the body. Free radicals are created naturally in the body as a result of metabolism. In a young and healthy individual with a healthy diet and environment the body will produce enough antioxidants to neutralize these free radicals and therefore their damaging affect on the body. But many factors, over exposure to UVA/UBA rays, alcohol, bad diet, polluted air, prescription drugs and many other things can contribute to an excess of free radicals in the body that can damage our cells and our DNA. Antioxidants also pay an important part in the strength of our immune system due to this same ability to protect our cells, organs, etc. The strength of the immune system is a major contributor to our ability to age well. "Antioxidant researchers believe that free radical oxidative stress is the most compelling theory of aging. CoQ10 combats free radicals in an important way: whereas a lack of oxygen in the cells causes a decline in energy levels, an overabundance results in the formation of free radicals. CoQ10 has the capacity to normalize both conditions... " (http://www.naturalgrocers.com/hotline/HealthHotline_June_2008.pdf)

Other Benefits of CoQ10

There are many other promising areas of use for this little nutrient that is making a very big footprint in health news. There are positive results in studies using it in the treatment of glaucoma, macular degeneration, Alzheimer's, HIV, gum disease, chronic bronchitis and much more.

Some good food sources for this nutrient are spinach, organ meats, beef, peanuts, soy beans and fish such as mackerel and sardines, although it is estimated that it takes about 2 ½ pounds of peanuts or 2 pounds of beef to get 30 mg of CoQ10. Most people are deficient in this nutrient after the age of forty. So taking it as a supplement may be beneficial to your health and energy. For the average person who is in good health the recommended dosage is about 30 - 60 milligrams a day.

Sources:

http://www.naturalgrocers.com/hotline/HealthHotline_June_2008.pdf/http://www.nutritionnews.com/index.shtml

http://faculty.washington.edu/ely/coenzq10.html

Alternative Cures: The Most Effective Natural Home Remedies for 160 Health Problems, by Bill Gottlieb; Rodale Books