Benefits of CoQ10 for Heart Health
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a substance that is naturally present in
the human body, with the highest levels in the heart, liver, kidneys, and
pancreas. It is also naturally present in the foods that we eat, such as cold-water
fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel, and sardines, vegetable oils, and meats.
Other than these types of foods, individuals can consume CoQ10 through
supplementation. Here are some of the benefits of consuming CoQ10 for your
heart's health:
Therapeutic benefit in hypertension.
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood pressure rises above 120/80. CoQ10 has been shown in animal model studies to significantly reduce blood pressure levels while having no effect on other hypertension-related parameters such as plasma renin, serum/urine sodium and potassium, or urinary aldosterone. It is also suggested that varying COQ10 dosage results in a reduced need for medication. In a human study, taking 60 mg of CoQ10 twice daily for 8 weeks reduced blood pressure, plasma inulin, glucose, and several lipid compounds. Other human studies have ranged from 100 to 225mg/day for 4.4 to 10 months.
Therapeutic benefit in coronary artery
disease.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) occurs when the
coronary arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to your muscles become narrowed
due to a gradual buildup of fatty material within their walls. The condition is
also referred to as atherosclerosis. Pretreatment with CoQ10 has been shown in animal
studies to reduce myocardial ischemia (occurs when blood flow to the heart
muscle is obstructed by a partial or complete blockage of plaque buildup
(atherosclerosis)) and cardiac dysfunction. In human studies, a dose of 300
mg/day for 7 days straight improves heart efficiency as measured by oxygen
consumption per energy formed. Another study on humans using a 150mg dose
of CoQ10 found that the supplement increased treadmill exercise tolerance.
However, because these two studies involved a small number of subjects, they
are not statistically significant.
Therapeutic benefit of congestive heart
failure
A small study of 17 patients with congestive
heart failure discovered that using 30 mg/day of coenzyme Q10 improved the
patients' condition, with 53% of the patients becoming asymptomatic after four
weeks of treatment (no symptoms). Another large-scale study involving 2664
patients who took 50-100mg/day of coenzyme Q10 for three months found that 54%
of patients improved in their symptoms of insomnia, nocturia, and
vertigo.
Is CoQ10 recommended for heart health
prevention and treatment?
In conclusion, it appears that CoQ10 may be
beneficial for heart health prevention and treatment, particularly for people
with coronary heart disease, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. This
is due to its ability to prevent LDL oxidation. It also appears that the
majority of patients with heart disease are deficient in coenzyme Q10, which
can lead to a variety of heart-related complications later on.
References
1.
Sarter, B. (2002).
Coenzyme Q10 and cardiovascular disease: a review. Journal of
Cardiovascular Nursing, 16(4), 9-20.
