Heart Benefits of CoQ10

Coenzyme Q10 or simply CoQ10 is a naturally-occurring enzyme found in all cells of the body hence its alternate name ubiquinone derived from the word ubiquitous which means “found everywhere”. CoQ10 plays a key role in energy production located in the mitochondria, tiny power plants found in every cell that helps fuel the body's daily activity. It is most concentrated in the heart, liver, muscles and other organs with high energy demands.

As a co-factor in the electron transport chain between cells, CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant, scavenging free radicals. It prolongs the lifespan of another antioxidant, Vitamin E which it recycles to keep it most active. When this body’s important source of cellular energy is depleted, many medical conditions are aggravated and made worse. Low CoQ10 levels are implicated in a number of cardiovascular diseases.

The benefits of CoQ10 are crucial to maintaining cardiovascular health. CoQ10 is a safe and effective treatment for a broad range of cardiovascular diseases. A number of studies and clinical trials around the word attested to CoQ10’s impact on cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure , mitral valve prolapse and hypertension.(1) CoQ10 has been used for years to fight heart disease and to treat the early stages of congestive heart failure in Europe and Japan.

A study of 144 patients with acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) that was published in 1998 demonstrated a halving of total cardiac events in those given CoQ10 compared with placebo.(2) In a study involving 126 patients with cardiomyopathy, 87 percent displayed noticeable improvements in heart function without adverse effects.(3) More than a few studies confirm that dosages of 60 – 100mg per day will significantly lower blood pressure readings.(4) Another recent study concluded that CoQ10 supplementation improves endothelial function in patients with Type II diabetes.(5) Diabetes is the most common metabolic cause of heart disease.These studies clearly show that there is no doubt that CoQ10 helps in protecting us against diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

As we get older, our body's supply of CoQ10 slowly diminishes. Though our bodies still manufacture some amounts of CoQ10 and trace amounts can be obtained from food, it will still be inadequate in the presence of free radicals and other heart risk factors. It is, therefore, important for us to keep an optimal amount of CoQ10 with supplements. CoQ10 has no known side effects and can be readily bought over the counter. Thus, many physicians are not even aware of its many benefits.

Safety Caveats

Supplementation of Co Q10 in persons with heart disease should be done with the supervision of their physician.

• Statin cholesterol-lowering drugs or HMG Co-A Reductase Inhibitors have been found to lower the body's CoQ10 levels.
• CoQ10 has a similar chemical structure to vitamin K, a vitamin involved in the ability of blood to clot. CoQ10 may antagonize the effects of anti-clotting medications such as warfarin or heparin.
• Beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers and diuretics are medications that can lower blood pressure. CoQ10 has been found to lower blood pressure, so it may interact and increase the effects of these drugs.

References:
1 Greenburg, S. and W.H. Frishman, Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 1990; 30: 596 – 608.
2 Cardiovascular Drugs Therapy 1998;12: 347 –53.
3 Langsjoen, P. H., et al., Americal Journal of Cardiology,1990; (65): 521 – 23.
4 Digiesi, V., et al., Current Therapeutic Research, 1992; 1126: 247 –54.
5 Watts G.F., et al., Diabetologia, 2002 March; 45(3):420 – 6).