Benefits of Coenzyme Q10
What is Coenzyme Q10?
Coenzyme Q10 (Co-Q10) is a naturally occurring anti-oxidant in the body. It is produced by most cells in the body (except red blood cells) and can be found in low concentrations in some foods.
It is a vitamin like substance, the production of which declines with age.
Coenzyme Q10 is an essential ingredient in the body's production of energy and in the normal metabolism of fat and energy.
What is it good for?
There are a number of conditions that have shown improvement through Coenzyme Q10 supplementation including:
- Heart Related problems especially arrhythmias
- Lowering of Blood Pressure
- Cancer therapies
- Brain Health especially Parkinson’s Disease
- Migraine
- Recovery from hard exercise
Coenzyme Q10 May Offer Migraine Relief
Various research outcomes have pointed to a reduction in the frequency of migraine attacks when sufferers are on a Co-Q10 maintenance routine.
A study done at Cleveland Clinic backed this up with a study on 32 patients on 150 mg of coenzyme Q10 a day for three months.
These results showed that the Co-Q10 reduced the average number migraines from a baseline of 7.3 attacks a month just under 3 per month. Over 60% of the Co-Q10-treated patients had a greater than 50% reduction in the number of days with migraine
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11972582
Parkinsons Disease and Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 may act to slow the decline of function occurring as a result of Parkinson’s disease.
A study reported on in the Oct. 15, 2002 issue of the American Medical Association's Archives of Neurology showed that in a test of 80 patients suffering from Parkinson's disease patients high dosages of coenzyme Q10 slowed down the speed of nerve deterioration by 44 percent.
Patients in the study benefitted from supplements of Co-Q10 and saw improvements in their abilities to perform everyday activities such as feeding, dressing, bathing and walking.
Read more herehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/10/021015073837.htm
In conjunction with statin cholesterol lowering drugs (like Lipitor, Prava, Zocor etc), Co-Q10 may reduce muscle damage.
Some evidence points to the ability of Co-Q10 to reduce side effects of using cholesterol lowering drugs called statins.
There is even some lukewarm mainstream support for this suggestion. “There is some evidence that supplementation with coenzyme Q10 may reduce the risk of serious muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis) — as well as other troubling side effects — from statins.” (Article Coenzyme Q10: Can it prevent statin side effects? http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/coenzyme-q10/AN01541 )
In 1997 the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) part of the American Inst. for Cancer Research, published a report called: Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective