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Coenzyme Q-10: The Ubiquitous Antioxidant
Coenzyme Q-10 is one of the most important nutrients for good heart health and a strong cardiovascular system. It is also invaluable for its ability to regenerate other members of the antioxidant network; specifically, glutathione, vitamin E and vitamin C.
Coenzymes are nutrients whose primary task is to work with the enzymes in your cells to convert food into energy. Most of the B vitamins, many of the minerals, and other compounds named quinones are considered coenzymes. One such quinone is called ubiquinone, derived from the word ubiquitous, which means "found everywhere." It is more commonly referred to by the name Coenzyme Q-10; CoQ-10 for short.
Coenzyme Q-10 in the body. Coenzyme Q-10 is found in each and every one of your cells, most of it in the mitochondria of the cell, the part that is responsible for creating energy. The highest concentrations of CoQ-10 are found in the heart, twice as much as any other organ in your body. Your brain has the next highest concentration, followed by the kidneys and liver. Any deficiency of CoQ 10 will have a significant impact on these organs first.
Coenzyme Q-10 works with vitamin E, the most powerful fat-soluble antioxidant in your body. Like vitamin E, CoQ-10 protects lipids, proteins and DNA from oxidative stress. As mentioned above, it also regenerates vitamin E and the antioxidant glutathione, as well as vitamin C, which may be its most important benefit.
Coenzyme Q-10 is Essential for Heart Health
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Your levels of CoQ-10 have a direct connection to the strength and condition of your heart. Heart muscle biopsies of cardiac patients have shown a CoQ-10 deficiency in 50 to 75 percent of all cases. Other heart disorders show a similar correlation.
Coenzyme Q-10 is beneficial for heart health in many ways. It helps protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation, maintains healthy blood vessels, and supports optimal functioning of the heart muscle. Your heart needs large amounts of this energy-producing nutrient — in fact, the level of CoQ-10 in your heart is twice as high as any other part of your body.
It seems reasonable to believe that supplementing CoQ-10 levels in your body may have positive results for your entire cardiovascular system. CoQ-10 has been shown to lower high blood pressure, reduce angina (heart pains), congestive heart failure and irregular heartbeat, as well as prevent atherosclerosis. When patients with congestive heart failure were given CoQ-10 supplements, 9 out of 10 showed significant improvement!
Are you taking statin drugs for lowering cholesterol?
Statin drugs typically prescribed for lowering cholesterol control also deplete levels of CoQ-10, and can be life-threatening. You see, when statin drugs block the production of cholesterol by your liver, they also block the liver's production of CoQ-10. Also, contrary to what the pharmaceutical industry promotes, simply lowering your cholesterol has little benefit in reducing your risk of heart attacks.
In this short video, Dr. Malcolm Kendrick demonstrates the mythical link between cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease.
The current rise in rates of heart failure may in part be attributed to the ever-expanding use of statin drugs, since one of their side effects is a weakened heart muscle. Anyone considering the use of statin drugs should investigate the use of CoQ-10 supplements and other antioxidants such as vitamin E and ginkgo instead. Enlist the services of a well-informed natural health practitioner to improve your heart health naturally.
Go to the page on Heart Attack Prevention to learn about all the antioxidants that help prevent heart disease.
Other Major Benefits of Coenzyme Q-10
Brain Disorders. The constant production of energy by brain cells is essential for normal brain function. Coenzyme Q-10 is instrumental in increasing brain-cell energy production. In addition, CoQ-10 prevents damage from oxidative stress that may lead to the onset of degenerative neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, Muscular Dystrophy, Huntington's, and Parkinson's.
Coenzyme Q-10 protects the brain and other tissues from damage done by food additives such as MSG and aspartame, heavy metals such as mercury. It also increases glutathione levels in the brain, and has been shown to improve memory, concentration and learning ability.
Cancer. We know that not only do antioxidants keep free radicals under control, they can also activate or suppress genes that control cancer cell growth. CoQ-10, like some other antioxidants, seems to protect DNA from oxidative damage, which is believed to prevent the initial development of cancerous growths. CoQ-10 may even shrink tumors that have already been established.
Low levels of CoQ-10 have been found to be present in most women with cervical and breast cancer. CoQ-10 has shown to be helpful in treating many different types of cancer: lung, colon, prostate, and others.
Gum Disease. Gum disease usually strikes later in life, when the body has lost some of its ability to repair itself efficiently. Some researchers think that the aging cell's decreased ability to manufacture energy could be responsible for this. In addition, collagen that supports gum tissue is destroyed by free radicals when there are insufficient levels of antioxidants present.
Coenzyme Q-10 is already a popular treatment in some countries for gum disease, most notable Japan, where it is a common ingredient in toothpaste. Studies have shown that the entire antioxidant network may be a factor in gum disease, not just CoQ-10. In light of what we know about the antioxidant network, this makes perfect sense, in that antioxidants always work better in combinations.
Additional Benefits of Coenzyme Q-10. CoQ-10 has a list of benefits that is almost endless. Here are some of the more significant ones:
• increases your energy and stamina levels • boosts your metabolism to help weight loss • supports muscle recovery from intensive workouts • slows the aging process • protects your skin against aging • prevents skin cancer • protects your liver and kidneys • enhances your immune system • helps maintain normal blood sugar levels
Sources of Coenzyme Q-10
Coenzyme Q-10 is one of the antioxidants that your body is able to manufacture, along with other network antioxidants glutathione and lipoic acid. Your production of CoQ-10 peaks at about the age of 20, and declines as you age. As a result, by the time you reach old age, your levels will have fallen to about one-half or less of their peak level.
In addition, the process of making CoQ-10 in your body is a complex, 17-stage process that involves 8 vitamins and several trace minerals. That means that a lot of variables have to fall in line just right in order for your body to produce enough CoQ-10 for itself.
Dietary Sources. Although some CoQ-10 is found in salmon and some organ meats, it is nearly impossible to get significant amounts from your diet alone.
You'd have to eat a whole pound of sardines or beef liver, or more than two pounds of peanuts to get the amount of CoQ-10 in one 30mg. capsule, a starting dose in common supplements.
Supplementing with CoQ-10. Clearly, CoQ-10 is a nutrient that you want to get plenty of. Because CoQ-10 is in short supply in your body as you age, it makes sense to supplement your diet with this powerful antioxidant.
If you're thinking about adding coenzyme Q-10 supplements to your diet, you'll want to read some important information about them at my page on CoQ-10 Supplements.
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