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The Astounding Health Benefits Of CoQ10
Most doctors will agree--coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is one of the nutrients we need the most. CoQ10 helps maintain heart health, promotes healthy cholesterol levels, boosts cellular energy and fights free-radical production.
Coenzyme Q10 is found in every cell in your
body, and CoQ10 is critical in the production of energy within
each cell in the human body. Co Q10 is essential for the health
of cells, tissues, and organs, and Co Enzyme Q10 acts as part
of another class of substances - enzymes.
What Exactly Is A Co Enzyme?
The role of enzymes
is to facilitate, and act as an catalyst for countless chemical
reactions in the human body. An Enzyme has 2 parts - a protein and another
part that's either a mineral or a vitamin. When this "other
part" is a vitamin, it's called a coenzyme.
What Does Co Q10 Do?
Coenzymes like CoQ10 facilitate the activities
of enzymes. CoEnzyme Q10 has powerful antioxidant effects, and
destroys free radicals in your body. CoEnzyme
Q10 helps the body's energy production in the form of ATP. Your body stores enough ATP to sustain
rigorous activity for 5 to 8 minutes, and ATP must be constantly
produced. For this to happen, your body needs a good supply of
CoQ10. Peter D. Mitchell, Ph.D., of the University of Edinburgh, figured out how CoQ10 produces energy at the cellular level, and in 1978 won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for this discovery.
Can I Get CoQ10 From Foods?
CoQ10 is naturally present in small amounts in a wide variety of foods but is particularly high in organ meats such as heart, liver and kidney, as well as beef, soy oil, sardines, mackerel, and peanuts. To put dietary CoQ10 intake into perspective, one pound of sardines, two pounds of beef, or two and one half pounds of peanuts, provide 30 mg of CoQ10.
CoQ10 is also synthesized in all tissues and in healthy individuals normal levels are maintained both by CoQ10 intake and by the body's synthesis of CoQ10. It has no known toxicity or side effects. The heart and the liver contains the highest
levels of CoQ10 in the body. Quoting Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a cardiologist,
"If there is just one thing you do to help maintain your
heart's health, make sure you're taking CoQ-10 daily."
Have The Effects Of CoQ10 Been Studied?
Yes. The majority of the clinical studies concerned the treatment of heart disease and were remarkably consistent in their conclusions: that treatment with CoQ10 significantly improved heart muscle function while producing no adverse effects or drug interactions. Karl Folkers, Ph.D., one of the researchers who pioneered CoQ10,
said that CoQ10 is safe and has no negative side effects, though it may decrease the need for other heart medicines. A common preventive dose ranges from 10-30 mg daily.
Various other studies have also found supplementing
CoQ10 to help with congestive heart failures, angina, and also
helping to lower blood pressure. Studies of patients with heart disease, cancer, and AIDS indicate that they are routinely deficient in CoQ10. In a study published in the
of Archives of Neurology, effects of high doses of CoEnzyme Q10
on the progression of parkinson's disease was reported. And according to the National Cancer Institute, animal studies have shown that coenzyme Q10 stimulates the immune system and increases resistance to certain infections and types of cancer.
Studies have also found that as we age, our body's
supply of CoQ10 slowly diminishes. Young and healthy individuals
produces about 300 mg of coenzyme Q10 a day, but levels begin
to decrease after age 30. CoQ10 is fat-soluble and absorption is significantly improved when it is chewed with a fat-containing food, so for a double benefit take it with fish-oil.
With all the known benefits, and lack of known side effects, CoQ10 is one supplement those over 30 should seriously consider taking. Numerous vitamin brands now also include CoQ10, so look at your vitamin label before you add a separate CoQ10 supplement.
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