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Coenzyme Q-10, or Co Q-10 as it is commonly known, is similar to a vitamin in the way it functions, but unlike a vitamin it is synthesized in our body. It is most commonly known as a supplement used in the treatment of heart disease. Co Q-10 is so well documented that it is included as a protocol in the 1997 medical textbook, Cardiovascular Pharmaotherapeutics.
At a cellular level, Co Q-10 is involved in the reactions of three mitochondrial enzymes, making it essential for the synthesis of Adenosine Tri-Phosphate, or ATP. ATP is the "high octane" fuel used for all the energy transactions in the body. In addition, Co Q-10 stabilizes cell membranes and acts as a potent antioxidant, helping to reduce platelet size, distribution and stickiness, thus limiting platelet buildup around the heart.
The older we get, the harder it is for our bodies to produce Co Q-10. We also risk low levels of Co Q-10 if we are deficient in folate, vitamins C, B12, B6, pantothenic acid, or trace minerals. One study showed that patients on intravenous nutrition without vitamin support dropped Co Q-10 levels by 50%. Co Q-10 levels are likewise depleted by cholesterol-reducing drugs such as Lovastatin, Simvastatin, and Provastatin. These deficiencies are most profound in the metabolically active tissues in the heart, immune system, and gingiva (gums), and in an overactive thyroid gland. Speaking in simplistic terms, the lower the level of Co Q-10 in the heart the weaker the heart becomes, making it more prone to heart disease or failure.
Cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatra, MD, author of Heartbreak and Heart Disease, recommends the following doses of Co Q-10: 30-100 mg daily as a preventative in cardiovascular or periodontal disease and for patients taking the previously mentioned cholesterol reducing drugs; 90-180 mg daily for the treatment of angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, high blood pressure, and moderate gingival disease; 180-360 mg daily for congestive heart failure and dilated cardiomyopathy.
Copyright (c) 2001 by Chip Engelmann
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