Coenzyme Q 10.
CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) is produced naturally in all living cells, hence it's other name, Ubiquinone, the first part of the word coming from 'ubiquitous' meaning 'found everywhere'. However, though most of our CoQ10 comes from biosynthesis some of it is got from our food.
A deficiency in CoQ10 may be the result of either a fault in the biosynthesis mechanism, not enough being taken in in food or some problem that causes the body to be unable to utilise the CoQ10 present, or any combination of these.
CoQ10 is essential to the function of all cells, playing an important role in both cellular energy production (creating ATP) and as a fat-soluble antioxidant (it is really efficient at scavenging free radicals).
It would appear that the body's ability to produce CoQ10 decreases with age and it has been suggested that people over the age of 50 may need supplemental CoQ10.
Where does one get CoQ10 from naturally?
The main sources are meat, including poultry and in fish, but it is also found in reasonably high quantities in soybeans, rape-seed oils (Canola) and peanuts. Dairy products, eggs and most fruit and vegetables also contain small amounts of CoQ10.
However the amount available in food is relatively low in relation to the amount we need if we want to raise our blood and tissue levels. We would have to eat an awful lot of even the high source foods to get sufficient.
Most people will get less than 10mg/d from their diet. It has also been found that frying food causes a loss of around 30% of CoQ10, but boiling does not cause that loss.
What are the required blood levels of CoQ10?
The normal blood level for CoQ10 is roughly 1 mcg/ml.
The therapeutic blood level is above 2.5 mcg/ml.
It's role in diabetes.
Though claims have been made that it lowers insulin needs these have not really been supported.
However what has been proved is that it is effective in treating some of the complications that diabetics suffer from and, as it does not interfere with our glycemic control it is safe for us to use.
In the rare type of diabetes, Maternally inherited diabetes mellitus and deafness (MIDD) caused by a mutation in a mitochondrial gene, it is possible that CoQ10 supplementation may well afford some protection.
Cardiovascular diseases.
Internationally there have been at least 9 placebo controlled studies that have evaluated the effect of CoQ10 on heart disease and in every case they came up with the same conclusions - CoQ10 definitely caused a significant improvement in heart muscle function without producing any side effects or having any adverse reaction with other drugs taken.
It is so strange to find scientific trials so free of controversy that it is enough to make me want to rush out and buy this stuff!
Hypertension.
Several studies show that using CoQ10 lowers both systolic and diastolic blood pressure by up to 10%. It does take 1-3 months before results show.
Obesity.
Not all obese Type 2 patients will benefit from this but if the obesity is accompanied by low serum CoQ10 levels then 100mg a day of CoQ10 may result in weight loss.
However this means you have to know your serum levels and as I mention later this is not simple to find out.
PATIENT BEWARE, or What we are not told!
Statins (lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastin (Pravachol), atorvastatin (Lipitor) and simvastatine (Zocor), those cholesterol lowering drugs so beloved of modern medicine, have an interesting side effect that our medical practitioners fail to tell us about - they block CoQ10 biosynthesis.
This occurs because the biosynthetic of cholesterol and CoQ10 is via a partially shared pathway. If you successfully block one you also block the other.
Now if you consider that CoQ10 is essential to the proper working of all cells, and especially heart cells, you probably, like me, feel that lowering ones cholesterol while at the same time causing a CoQ10 deficiency is counterproductive, especially as they are trying to lower the cholesterol because it leads to heart disease!!!!
It could so easily be addressed by prescribing oral CoQ10 along with the statins but I wonder how often this is done - it certainly was not in my case. In fact it was never mentioned!
So if you are on statins I would suggest you seriously consider taking around 50mg of CoQ10 a day.
Dosages.
As usual there is no definitive answer to this question. It has been suggested that if you are taking this as a supplement, working on the 'just in case' principal, then 30-60mg per day is sufficient.
100-300mg per day could be considered a 'therapeutic' dose for those with heart problems and it is doses in this range that were used in the clinical studies.
The problem is that people vary in their absorption rate and while 100mg works for some, others need more. Even the dose of 30-60mg showed measurable results for heart failure.
Doses of more than 100mg are usually split up and taken 2-3 times a day.
Unfortunately the tests for measuring CoQ10 status in the blood is not one that is routinely done by labs, it requires high performance liquid chromatography, so determining how much you need, out of a clinical trial, is difficult.
Luckily it appears to be well tolerated and have almost no side effects though a few people have reported they suffered from insomnia when taking high doses.
Again this is not an 'instant cure', it can take up to 8 weeks or more before you see and results at all.
What kind of tablet is best?
CoQ10 is sold in pressed tablets, powder-filled capsules, or oil-based gel capsules.
It would appear that the latter are the best.
Absorption of all tablets is improved if taken with food but if you are using the pressed tablets or powder filled capsules it is even more important to take them along with a fat-containing food - remember that CoQ10 is fat soluble.
Salad dressing or olive oil on your food or even peanut butter on a sandwich (or a tablespoon full eaten on it's own if you are low-carbing) will do the trick.