CoQ10, Heart Health and Cholesterol Lowering Drugs

Coenzyme Q10 was originally discovered in 1958 by Professor Fred L. Crane. Soon after its discovery, CoQ10 was being investigated for its beneficial effects on the heart. As this new molecule was further investigated scientists realized it played a crucial role in running the energy powerhouse of every cell.

How CoQ10 works:

In each cell we have a mini-organ called a mitochondria which is charged with the duty of creating energy for the rest of the cell to run on. It does this by producing a well know substance called ATP. ATP stores energy like a battery and moves throughout the body to power all the functions of our cells. Once its charge is depleted, it returns to the mitochondria to be recharged so it can go back out and do some more work.

The ATP is made in the mitochondria by a process called the electron transport chain. As the name implies it transfers electrons down a chain building energy as it goes. At the end of the chain, the energy is transferred to ATP for storage and use. CoQ10 is the nutrient used by the electron transport chain to transfer the energy down the line and eventually to ATP. Without CoQ10 our cells cannot make energy. And if our cells lack energy, so will our body.

CoQ10 and the Heart:

Our heart muscle is the hardest working muscle in our body. On average it beats 115,000 times per day, 42,000,000 per year and roughly over 3 billion times in a lifetime! In order to do all that work, the heart needs to have ample stores of ATP to power the muscle cells. It is now easy to see why CoQ10 is so important for heart health. Without ample CoQ10 in our body it is very difficult for the heart muscle’ s mitochondria TO manufacture enough ATP TO keep things running smoothly.This hefty workload also explains why heart FUNCTION IS so positively affected BY supplemental CoQ10.

Since CoQ10 was discovered it has been studied FOR its affects ON the heart.The largest study ON CoQ10 AND heart health was conducted ON 2664 patients WITH congestive heart failure. ALL subjects were administered CoQ10 at an average dose OF 100 mg AND were evaluated WITH laboratory AND clinical parameters at entry TO the study AND after 90 days OF supplementation.There was an average OF 60 % improvement IN 12 different categories including edema, palpitations, arrhythmia, cyanosis AND lung complications.

IN another DOUBLE blind placebo controlled study published IN the May 2004 edition OF Clinical Cardiology scientist studied the USE OF 60 mg OF CoQ10 IN patients WITH heart failure who were awaiting a heart transplant.Statistical analysis showed significant improvements IN the CoQ10 GROUP FOR exercise tolerance, breathing AND overall quality OF life.The placebo GROUP showed no improvement.

These are just SOME OF a vast body OF research showing the benefits OF CoQ10 FOR the heart.

CoQ10 AND Cholesterol Lowering Drugs:

One OF the most commonly prescribed medications FOR heart health today IS the cholesterol lowering statin medications.These drugs are touted FOR their ability TO improve cardiovascular health BY reducing your body ‘s cholesterol levels. Statin drugs work by inhibiting the enzyme in your liver that makes cholesterol. However, this is the same enzyme used to manufacture CoQ10. People taking statin medications are at serious risk for depleting their CoQ10 levels. One of the most common side effects of these drugs is muscle pain, aches or weakness from the CoQ10 depletion.

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