Co Q10 - Great Weapon Against Cardiovascular Disease

Coenzyme Q10 has received a lot of attention in the prevention and treatment of various forms of cardiovascular disease. It is highly effective in preventing the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), which leads to atherosclerosis. Several studies have shown that patients with congestive heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases have significantly lower levels of CoQ10 in their heart tissue than do healthy people and supplementation with as little as 100 mg/day has been shown to markedly improve their condition. It is now approved in Japan for the treatment of congestive heart failure.

Heart attacks and strokes produce a burst of free radicals (ischemia-reperfusion), which can result in extensive tissue damage. Patients with high CoQ10 levels suffer less damage from these events and Japanese researchers have found that supplementation prior to and immediately following open-heart surgery is highly beneficial in preventing reperfusion injury - a common complication in heart surgery. Supplementation with CoQ10 has also been found beneficial in patients with chronic stable angina, mitral valve prolapse and irregular heart beat (arrhythmias).

Coenzyme Q10 has also proven useful in the treatment of various cardiomyopathies (diseases of the heart muscle that reduce its pumping capacity). Studies have shown that supplementation with as little as 100 mg/day for 12 months results in better pumping capacity (increased ejection fraction), increased muscle strength and improved breathing. Several studies indicate that CoQ10 may be beneficial in the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure). A study of 109 patients with long-standing, essential hypertension, who were on antihypertensive drugs, concluded that supplementation with an average of 225 mg/day improved functional status, allowed about half the patients to discontinue most of their blood pressure medications and resulted in an average decrease of systolic blood pressure from 159 to 147 mm Hg and a diastolic pressure decrease from 94 to 85 mm Hg. Smaller, more recent Japanese studies have confirmed these findings.

Studies at the University of Ancona in Italy have provided evidence that CoQ10 supplementation reduces blood levels of epinephrine (adrenalin) and other catecholamines; This is believed to be partly responsible for the drop in blood pressure and may also explain why CoQ10 is effective in reducing the incidence of certain types of arrhythmias. The body can synthesize coenzyme Q10 and it is also found in several dietary sources, notably organ meats. The level of CoQ10 in human organs peaks around the age of 20 years and then declines fairly rapidly. The decrease in CoQ10 concentration in the heart is particularly significant with a 77-year-old person having 57 per cent less in the heart muscle than a 20-year-old.

Some experts involved in CoQ10 research believe that many people, especially older people and people engaging in vigorous exercise may be deficient and may benefit from supplementation. The recommended daily dosage for health maintenance is 30 mg; however, considerably higher amounts are required in the treatment of the various diseases for which supplementation has been found beneficial. It should be taken with a meal containing some fat or even better, in combination with soy or vegetable oil which enhances its absorption quite substantially. CoQ10 supplements are readily absorbed by the body and no toxic effects have been reported for daily dosages as high as 300 mg. The safety of CoQ10, however, has not been established in pregnancy and lactation, so caution is advised here until more data becomes available.