CoQ10:
The underutilized heart medicine
What do these letters and this number have to do with our health?
CoenzymeQ10 was first discovered in 1957. The first organized
clinical trial on humans was done in the mid 1960’s. By 1982
CoQ10 had reached a level of consumption in Japan that rivaled
that country’s top five medications.
The Japanese and later European scientists and physicians have
conducted the majority of clinical trials using CoQ10. In the
1990’s CoQ10 became a top-selling supplement in health food
stores. By 1997 there had been over 100 observational,
epidemiological and population studies done and at least 19
placebo-controlled trials.
By 1996 there were over 350 papers presented by over 200
different physicians and scientists from 18 different countries
who recommended use of CoQ10 in a wide range of medical
disorders.
In spite of all of this, there are still very few physicians who
have heard of CoQ10 or how it works or recommend it to
patients.
Is it safe?
A massive review of the literature pertaining to safety and
efficacy of CoQ10 in congestive heart failure, angina, and high
blood pressure was published in the Journal of Pharmacotherapy
in July 2001… they used relevant clinical trials, articles and
reviews from three very large data bases covering the period from
1974 through 2000.
According to Dr. M.T. Tran, the lead author of the study, …”
CoenzymeQ10 administered orally has favorable actions in the
described cardiovascular conditions and appears to be safe and
well tolerated in the adult population”.
The studies showed: an increase in the capacity for work and
play, fewer episodes of angina pain, fewer drugs needed, less
hospitalization, and a greatly improved quality of life.
In Japan where CoQ10 has been used since the 1960’s; results
showed improvement in 70-75 percent of the patients. It has
been approved in Japan and Europe for the treatment of congestive
heart disease.
Until now there have been three basic types; solid form, soft gel
caps with oils, soft gel caps with oils and added chemicals to
attempt to boost absorption. Patients may not respond if they
can not absorb a supplement.
What may be the problem?
There may not be enough pure CoQ10 or it may lack the
bioavailability because of compounds or filler in the
preparation. (There may not be the research behind it that is
necessary for the common man to trust it, as is with many
supplements over the counter.)
Blood levels will indicate whether the Coenzyme is being absorbed
and delivered to the tissues and organs. When it IS being
delivered in sufficient dosage, the tissues will get the support
they need.
Despite the large body of available information, a therapeutic
description in a 1997 textbook of mainstream cardiology, and the
fact the CoQ10 is used by many board-certified cardiologists in
the U.S. as well as Europe and Japan, it is still virtually
ignored by the majority of clinical cardiologist and most of the
conventional medical establishment as well.
Those cardiologists who have been convinced to let go of their
rigid conventional medical thinking have begun to integrate the
CoQ10 into the practice.
By doing this, they feel the CoQ10 has helped with the symptoms
of congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, angina,
arrhythmia, aortic valve disease, coronary artery disease, and
many other cardio logical situations, such as helping keep the
blood flowing freely through the arteries.
Many cardiologists can not acknowledge that a natural substance
not manufactured by pharmaceutical industry giants could be so
valuable.
Therefore this product has become a victim of politics, bias,
insufficient marketing, economics and ignorance of the results of
real science. Plus, there is no economic incentive for major
pharmacological companies to develop it as a product since
CoenzymeQ10 is not patentable.
However, there is a company that has a patented delivery system
clinically proven to absorb better than the solid form, better
than the soft gels, better than the leading soft gels enhanced
with chemicals and also has a powerful antioxidant which inhibits
LDL cholesterol oxidation by an amazing 70 to 80%.
It also helps stabilize heart rhythm. High bioavailability means
one takes less, and gets more. I personally trust this product
and take it religiously.
Please contact me if you would like me to email you a fact sheet about the product.
I do this because the body’s capacity to produce CoQ10 is not
sufficient to meet the need. CoQ10 levels reach their peak in
the human body by age 20 and fall after that.
It has been found 60% of the population has CoQ10 deficiency in
their 50’s and 60’s. CoQ10 helps produce energy in each cell,
especially in the heart and other major organs.
I heard a cardiologist tell a patient that he used to “prescribe”
CoQ10 to his “heart patients, but didn’t think it did any good,
but it wouldn’t hurt “if you want to take it.” Perhaps this is a
situation in which the wrong CoQ10 was offered.
Think about it.
Click here for a CoQ10 that is researched, tested and is bioavailable to the body.
Return from CoQ10 to Heart Health
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