What is CoQ10
CoQ10 is what is referred to as a cofactor or
coenzyme for three of the major enzyme systems that are essential for over 90%
of the energy production (ATP) within the battery, or furnace, of the cell
called the mitochondria. It is important not to confuse this coenzyme with an
enzyme. Enzymes use coenzymes to
accelerate a biochemical reaction. If
the coenzyme, or CoQ10, is not available in an adequate amount, cellular energy
production is significantly decreased.
CoQ10 is found in all cells of the body; however, it is much more
concentrated in the cells that require high energy needs like the heart and
brain.
CoQ10 has also been well established as one
of the most important antioxidants in our defense system against free radicals
and oxidative stress. The main reason is
that CoQ10 is highly concentrated in the mitochondria of the cell where this
oxidative process occurs and where the highest concentration of free radicals
exists. It is the only fat soluble
antioxidant that is produced in our body.
However, its production involves a complicated 17 step chemical process,
which can be interrupted at several different levels.
CoQ10 and Heart Health
In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, it
became clear that patients who were suffering from congestive heart failure
were found to be significantly deficient in CoQ10. Most of this work was done by Karl Folkers,
PhD, and Per Langsjoen, MD, over two decades of clinical trials., Congestive heart failure is a condition where
there is a weakening of the heart muscle.
Since the heart is too weak to pump all the blood it receives from the
lungs, there is a back-up of blood and fluid into the lungs. When the heart becomes weak for various
reasons, it places an increased demand on the heart muscle to produce energy
and eventually uses up its energy, or fuel sources. The most important energy source is CoQ10 and
these researchers established that the worse the congestive heart failure was,
the more depleted the levels of CoQ10 were.
In other words, these patients had used up their fuel source trying to
compensate for their weakened state.
When these individuals were given CoQ10 in supplementation, they were
not only able to replenish these depleted CoQ10 levels, but were also able to
document significant improvement in heart function. There have now been 34 open-label trials
involving 4,221 patients using the clinical utility of CoQ10 in heart failure,
and again clear health benefits were observed in over 85% of the patients
without any adverse effect or drug interaction.
These patients would continue their traditional medication and only
decrease or discontinue their medication under their doctor’s direction. This is truly the greatest example of
complimentary or nutritional medicine.
It is NOT alternative treatment, but instead of complimentary treatment
because you are just replenishing the body’s natural fuel source so that it can
better compensate for the heart muscle’s weakened state. However, it is critical to be taking higher
levels of CoQ10 and the best and most active form of Coq10 to receive the best
results.
When Mevacor (lovastatin), the first statin
drug, was approved by the FDA and introduced into the marketplace in 1987 by
Merck as a potent cholesterol lowering agent, it was quickly found to also
deplete CoQ10 in the body. All statin
drugs are known to block the production of cholesterol; however, what fewer
people are aware of is that the drugs also block the production of CoQ10. Studies have shown that statin drugs deplete
CoQ10 stores by over 40%. It is felt
that this lowering of the CoQ10 levels within the muscle cell is the main
reason for all of major side effects of statin drugs—muscle weakness, fatigue,
muscle pain, etc. Therefore, Merck
decided to go ahead and actually apply for and receive a patent to put CoQ10
supplementation right in with their drug, Mevacor. However, even though this is a great idea,
they never followed through to bring this product to the marketplace. Physicians who are aware of this problem
almost always recommend that their patients who are taking statin drugs also be
taking CoQ10 supplementation to blunt this effect and hopefully decrease the
adverse drug reactions to the number one prescribed class of drugs in the
world.
Healthy Immune System
Everyone appreciates that our immune system
is our greatest defender against nearly every disease. Having our immune system operating at its
optimal level is essential for health.
Energy production is critical for all immune cells and, therefore,
having optimal CoQ10 levels is essential for a healthy immune system. Clinical studies have shown that CoQ10
supplementation significantly enhances the function of the macrophage and
natural killer cells of the immune system.
These cells are not only important to allow the body to fight off
infections, but also in destroying early cancer cells. There are now several additional studies
looking at the use of CoQ10 in cancer patients.
Since CoQ10 has now been found to be one of the most potent enhancers of
our immune system and a potent antioxidant, it has been thought by many
researchers that supplementing cancer patients with CoQ10 is critical. In fact, exciting new research is showing
that CoQ10 is able to program cancer cells to self-destruct. This finding was
one of several from recent studies conducted by researchers at the University
of Miami (FL) using CoQ10 in supplementation. In this clinical trial CoQ10 was
found to change the genetic makeup of the cancer cell, which caused the cancer
cell to kill itself without harming normal cells. Essentially, CoQ10 set off a natural process
of cell death of the cancer cells called apoptosis. The genetic makeup of normal
cells was not affected.
CoQ10 Depletion as We Age
Research has shown that as we age our CoQ10
levels drop significantly. In fact, it
has been shown that the aging process reduces CoQ10 levels in the heart muscle
wall by 72%. Then you combine this
finding with the fact that many of our older adults are also taking statin
drugs, which have been shown to lower CoQ10 levels by over 40%, you can quickly
see the potential health problems that may occur. When you consider how many individuals have
depleted levels of CoQ10, you can see how this can affect the health of our
heart, brain, and immune system.
Therefore, many health conscious individuals are considering
supplementing their diet with additional CoQ10.
But what is the best CoQ10 supplement to be taking?
Absorption of CoQ10
Purified, pharmaceutical-grade CoQ10 has been
available for years and has been primarily produced in Japan. However, almost all supplemental CoQ10 in the
world has been in its oxidized or ubiquinone form. In this oxidized state, CoQ10 is stable,
bright orange, and fat-soluble. It is
very difficult to absorb in the normal healthy patients; however, it has been
found that in those patients who are older or suffer from an illness like
congestive heart failure, it is even more difficult to absorb. During the past year or two a new form of
supplemental CoQ10 has become available in its active, or ubiquinol form. This active or reduced form of CoQ10 is a
white powder and is less fat soluble, making it much easier to absorb. Studies have shown that ubiquinol is absorbed
anywhere from 4 to 10 times greater than the ubiquinone form. Ubiquinol has also been shown in clinical
trials to achieve 3.75 times higher plasma concentrations within eight hours of
consuming it. Dr. Peter Langsjoen, a
cardiologist who is the head of CoQ10 International, stated, “It is my strong
opinion that supplemental ubiquinol represents a major scientific advance in
the 50-year history of CoQ10 research.”
Kaneka Corporation of Japan has succeeded in
making a stable ubiquinol formulation that has been carefully studied. Achieving adequate blood levels of CoQ10 is
critical for everyone, but even more so for individuals who want to maintain
their heart health, brain health, and immune function. This is why I am excited by the fact that
there are now nutritional companies producing CoQ10 products that are entirely
made of ubiquinol. This gives those who
are consuming this product the assurance that they are taking, by far, the
absolute best quality CoQ10 available in the marketplace today.
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