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By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Medicine
There are only a few nutrients that can benefit the body in many different ways. One of them is green tea, another is vitamin D. But there’s one nutrient so vital, your cells couldn’t function without it.
So what’s this miracle nutrient? It is Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).
CoQ10 is found in every cell throughout the body. Good thing since it’s essential in creating the energy cells require to function properly. And organs that use the largest amount of energy —the heart, brain, liver, pancreas and kidneys—also have the highest concentrations of CoQ10.
CoQ10 is also a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damaging free radicals. Plus it boosts immunity. Wide-ranging research has looked at CoQ10’s impact on everything from cancer to heart disease, proving that CoQ10 is a true multi-tasker. Here are just some of the ways CoQ10 promotes good health. It:
- improves functional heart capacity in people who have chronic heart failure1 (that’s a fancy way of saying it helps heart conditions)
- reduces chest pain
- helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol2
- lowers the risk of a second heart attack
- improves the health of diabetics2
- slows the progression of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s3
- strengthens the immune system4
- improves fertility in men
- reduces the frequency of migraines
- helps relieve chronic fatigue syndrome
- fights gum disease
- slows the progression of breast cancer tumors
- enhances overall energy
If that wasn’t enough, CoQ10 also seems to delay the aging process. A study of 236 elderly patients with chronic heart failure found that blood levels of CoQ10 were a reliable predictor of how long the patients lived. Those with the most CoQ10 lived the longest.
But the amount of CoQ10 in our tissues decreases as we get older. And lower levels can leave you vulnerable to heart disease and impaired brain function. That’s why it’s so very important to take a CoQ10 supplement—especially if you’re over 50.
If you don’t have any health problems, I recommend taking a minimum of 30 mg daily with a meal containing a small amount of fat to aid absorption. But if you’ve been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease or diabetes, bump that amount up to 100 mg or more a day, taken in a divided dose. If you take a beta blocker or statin drug, I strongly advise you to double that amount for a total or at least 200 mg daily. These drugs interfere with your body’s production of CoQ10.
Adding a CoQ10 supplement to your daily routine is an important step toward better health. Plus, you just might find more energy than you’ve felt in years.
Additional Articles of Interest:
Beating Burnout
The Spice of Life
Total Body Nutrition
Get Plenty of Rest
References:
- Belardinelli R. Coenzyme Q10 and exercise training in chronic heart failure. European Heart Journal. 2006;27:2675-2681.
- Hodgson JM. Coenzyme Q10 improves blood pressure and glycaemic control: a controlled trial in subjects with type 2 diabetes. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2002;56:1137-1142.
- Wadsworth TL. Evaluation of coenzyme Q as an antioxidant strategy for Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 2008;14:225-234.
- Gazdik F. Biological properties of coenzyme Q10 and its effects on immunity. Cas Lek Cesk. 2003;142:390-393.
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