Coenzyme Q10-Ubiquinone
Co Q10 is One of the Heart's Best Friends
Co Q10 is found in Sea Buckthorn Berries
Coenzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinone, is found in meat and fish. Vegetable sources include broccoli and spinach. It is also found in nuts and in Sea Buckthorn oil.
Our body is able to manufacture CoQ10 from the amino acid-tyrosine. For many however, this may not be adequate. In order for this synthesis to occur, vitamins C, B2, B6, B12, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and niacin are required.
Without CoQ10, cells in our hearts would be incapable of producing the energy (ATP). CoQ10 is needed by other cells as well, but it when it is lacking in the heart, the results can be dramatic.
A severe CoQ10 deficiency will cause the heart to have weak inefficient contractions. It can suffer from arrhythmias such as a slow heart rate or irregular beats. This is because the heart needs the CoQ10 for proper electrical conductions and the heart is such an electrical organ.
Researchers have found that supplementation of CoQ10 is a good choice in many heart related conditions.
Arrhythmias-Many people who have arrhythmias can feel them. They describe them as anything from their heart in their throat, to it feeling as though it is "skipping" to "thudding". Whatever the description...or even if there has been no feeling and it has been discovered on an EKG, CoQ10 can have a stabilizing effect when it comes to conduction problems. It is not effective in all arrhythmias, and not in all cases, but it is worth supplementation. I will also get the disclaimer out here early. No supplement or advice here is by any means a replacement for professional medical care and your physician's orders!
CoQ10 (especially when combined with magnesium) has been shown to relieve and help prevent certain kinds of angina (chest pain/pressure).
Atherosclerosis is when cholesterol and other fats go through the oxidation process in the arteries; this in turn causes damage to the vessel walls. This sets into motion a series of events with your immune system that eventually ends up being what we used to call "hardening of the arteries" or atherosclerosis. My Grandfather died from this. I truly wish we had known more about this then. Supplementation with CoQ10 and healthy dietary changes can retard this destructive process-help inhibit the oxidation of cholesterol/fats.
CHF-many of us have known someone who has suffered from this condition. Congestive Heart Failure is a miserable condition that results in shortness of breath, edema in the feet and lower legs (edema is fluid retention), pulmonary edema (fluid on the lungs), and fatigue. In most cases this is due to the heart weakening. It is just giving out. CoQ10 given in higher doses has been found to be quite helpful in this condition, at times the results have been dramatic.
There are certain drugs that can deplete the body's supply of CoQ10. The consequences of this can be potentially devastating. Some of the drugs are certain chemotherapy drugs, many of the cholesterol-lowering drugs, and certain tricyclic anti depressants. This can set up a lot of problems and people can end up feeling horrible.
As an insurance policy, if you are taking any of these types of drugs, supplementation with CoQ10 is strongly encouraged.
Dosages for a normal healthy adult with no underlying medical condition: 25 to 100 milligrams per day.
For a person with cardiovascular disease-cancer-muscular dystrophy or other serious illness-or if you are under a great deal of stress ( grief, or a deep sadness will deplete CoQ10 reserves) a larger dosage is called for -then take 300 to up to 450 milligrams per day.
As with beginning any new supplementation regimen, check with your physician. CoQ10 is very safe, but it has been known to interfere with the blood thinning action of Coumadin. So, if you are on this drug, make extra certain to get your physician's blessing to take CoQ10 and perhaps some extra lab tests will be required.
