With the sales globally predicted to reach $849 million by the end of 2020, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is on track to become one of the best selling supplements worldwide. Researchers have reported that data collected show that CoQ10 can provide significant benefits to those individuals with cardiovascular disease. These benefits include reducing the risk of repetitive heart attacks, stabilizing blood pressure, and combating the side effects inherent in cholesterol-lower statins.
What Is Coenzyme Q10?
CoQ10 is a soluble, vitamin-like substance found in almost every cell of the human body. It aids in the conversion of the food we eat into energy. As a powerful antioxidant, CoQ10 protects the body from the damage caused by toxic free radicals. Produced naturally within the body, CoQ10 has been found to be present in many foods, especially in organ meats—such as liver or kidneys. It can also found in such foods as sardines, mackerel, chicken, cauliflower, broccoli, and asparagus.
There are two forms of CoQ10—ubiquinone and ubiquinol. Ubiquinol is the active antioxidant of CoQ10, which is made by the body from ubiquinone. Ubiquinone in supplement form can be somewhat cost-effective. However, ubiquinol in supplement form can prove to be more challenging to find and, as a result, is usually more expensive.
Heart Health
In recently conducted studies, data showed that CoQ10, when used alone or in combination with other therapies, proved to be somewhat beneficial for several common heart conditions. Those heart conditions included in the study were: cardiovascular disease, statin-related muscle symptoms, heart failure, post-heart attack, and high blood pressure.
In each case, data showed that the introduction of CoQ10 into the various therapies showed a significant improvement in the conditions overall. CoQ10 is not a wonder drug or a wonder supplement, and as with any medication, what might work well for one individual may not work well for another. However, from the data recently collected, researchers feel that CoQ10 is providing some promising results.
What To Remember About Taking CoQ10
- Being that CoQ10 is a soluble fat, your body will better absorb it when taken along with a meal or with food.
- When it comes to the use of CoQ10 supplements, younger individuals usually benefit more from ubiquinone, while on the other hand, older individuals benefit from the active form of ubiquinol.
- The most accurate means of knowing if you need to supplement your diet with CoQ10 is through routine blood testing.
- If your levels of CoQ10 are low, you will find that your ApoA1 and/or HDL-C levels will be low. This also applies to the fact that if your ApoA1 and/or HDL-C levels are low, you will most often find that your CoQ10 levels are low.
- Supplementation of CoQ10 for those on statin therapy may improve compliance and aid those who experience muscle pain and weakness.
As with any supplement, recommendations suggest that you discuss with your physician if adding CoQ10 to your regimen is the right choice depending on your current health and heart condition.
