Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is also known as ubiquinone (taken from the word "ubiquitous," meaning widespread) because it's found in every human cell mitochondria. It's an essential component in producing energy from oxygen. The highest concentrations of cell mitochondria are found in some of the hardest-working cells in the body, those in the heart, brain, liver and kidneys. The heart especially depends on CoQ10 to maintain normal rhythm and to pump blood throughout the body.
History
Dr. Frederick Crane, Ph.D., was the first to isolate CoQ10 from beef heart mitochondria in 1957. Professor Karl Folkers and his assistants at Merck, Inc. analyzed its chemical structure and synthesized it in 1958. In 1965, Dr. Yuichi Yamamura of Japan was the first to use a derivative of CoQ10 to treat congestive heart failure. In 1972, Prof. Folkers, along with an Italian researcher, Gian Paolo Littarru, determined that human heart disease patients had deficient CoQ10 levels. Prof. Folkers received the National Medal of Science in 1990 for his CoQ10 research and findings.
Animal and Plant Sources
Red meat has been vilified as unhealthy, but it contains high concentrations of CoQ10, found mainly in organ meat--the liver, brain, heart and kidneys. It is also found in animal muscle, plus sardines, mackerel, soy oil and peanuts.
Therapeutic Benefits
Nine international controlled studies have established that CoQ10 supplements significantly improved heart muscle function, specifically diastolic function, in patients with congestive heart failure, especially those who started taking CoQ10 after the onset of their first attack. CoQ10 did not interfere with other heart medications. Diastolic dysfunction occurs when the heart muscle stiffens, interfering with its ability to pump blood.
Research
Some promising research studies reported in the Journal of the American Academy of Family Physicians have been done showing that CoQ10 effectively reduces the decline of motor skills and activities of daily living in people with Parkinson's disease. Preliminary studies have also shown that CoQ10 reduces the frequency of migraine headaches, lowers blood pressure, and stabilizes blood sugar levels in diabetics.
Dosage
Young people under 20 have adequate CoQ10 levels, but those levels decline after age 45. Vegans and people who don't eat red meat are at risk of having inadequate CoQ10 levels. About 30 mg to 50 mg per day are enough to maintain normal CoQ10 levels. For more serious health conditions such as heart ailments and Parkinson's disease, 200 mg to 500 mg per day is recommended.
Contraindications and Side Effects
Currently popular heart-healthy diets that severely restrict red meat can seriously endanger CoQ10 levels in the body. Statin drugs used to lower cholesterol also inhibit the body's production of CoQ10. No serious adverse side effects have been reported about ingesting CoQ10. Patients on warfarin (Coumadin) or other prescription medications can safely take low amounts of CoQ10, but need to be monitored by their health care practitioner.
Tags: CoQ10 levels, , cell mitochondria, congestive heart, congestive heart failure