Incredible,
Essential CoQ10
By Mike Spencer
CoQ10
is also one of the most powerful antioxidants known to man.
Deficiencies in CoQ10 (also known as Coenzyme Q10) can cause
or aggravate many conditions such as heart disease, diabetes
and periodontal disease. Healthy levels of CoQ10 help to lower
your blood pressure and assist circulation as well as maintain
healthy muscle tissue in your heart.
CoQ10
levels decline as we age. After age 20, levels of Coenzyme Q10
in your body decline gradually. After 50, it plummets. This is
significant because evidence suggests that a vast number of diseases
including dystrophy, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease,
neurological disorders and certain cancers are not only treatable
with CoQ10 but may in fact be caused, at least in part, by a deficiency
in CoQ10.
What
can CoEnzyme Q10 do for you?
Take a look at what Coenzyme Q10 can do for your health.
•
CoQ10 slows down the aging process as it protects your body
from the damage of free radicals.
•
CoQ10 supports your immune system’s defenses.
•
CoQ10 is beneficial for promoting cardiovascular health.
•
CoQ10 plays a crucial role in the maintenance of periodontal
health.
•
Research has shown that your immune system function is reduced
when your levels of CoQ10 are depleted.
What
is CoQ10?
Coenzyme Q10 resists easy classification. Because it's an organic
compound acting as an enzyme or coenzyme, necessary in small amounts
for normal body function, most researchers consider it a vitamin.
Coenzyme
Q10 is recognized as an essential component in your body's production
of ATP (also known as "muscle fuel"). Without ATP, our
muscles cannot move. Without CoQ10, we can't manufacture ATP.
Coenzyme Q10 is also one of the most powerful antioxidants ever
discovered and has been found to improve athletic performance
and help intensive training athletes recover more quickly. In
short, CoQ10 may well be one of the most important and versatile
nutrients ever discovered.
Getting
enough CoQ10
The only downfall of CoQ10 relates to its oral absorption. CoQ10
is needed in every single cell in your body. It's found in meats
and some protein-rich nuts, but the concentrations in these foods
are normally weak. How about 15 pounds of peanut butter —
or an equally improbable three and one-half pounds of sardines
— to provide just 100 mg of Q10? 1000 mg is the amount the
University of Washington School of Medicine Physicians' Update
calls "a reasonable daily amount."
"When
I coined the word ‘vita-nutrient,’ I was thinking
of Coenzyme Q10. It is neither vitamin nor mineral nor amino acid,
yet it is absolutely vital to our health and vital that we get
enough of it," says Dr. Robert C. Atkins in his book Dr.
Atkins' Vita-Nutrient Solution (Buy on
Amazon.com
or Powells.com).
To
get optimal amounts of Q10, you need to take a supplement. Fortunately,
a recent breakthrough in CoQ10 delivery technology was recently
discovered, meaning you can now make the most of this amazing
nutrient.
CoQ10
combats effects of heart attack
Coenzyme Q10 is shaping up to be a heart's best friend. But only
a small fraction of people who could benefit actually know about
it.
"There's
no question that Coenzyme Q10 can play a significant role in recovery
for heart attack," adds Dr. Peter H. Loengsjoen, a cardiologist
in Tyler, Texas, who has authored many journal articles on the
use of CoQ10. "In hundreds of studies and in my own practice,
I've seen results that we would have said were highly unlikely,
if not impossible."
Beyond
the heart
CoQ10's antioxidant strengths also make it a likely candidate
in helping prevent or treat other diseases where free radicals
have a major effect (such as cancer). Oxidative stress is suspected
as a possible trigger for many diseases, including breast and
colo-rectal cancers.
Other
applications for Coenzyme Q10 include possible roles in treating
neurological disorders, controlling insulin levels, treating periodontal
disease and enhancing athletic performance. These far-ranging
benefits are supported by a number of clinical studies.
Dosage
and delivery
Getting the right amount of CoQ10 into your bloodstream and maintaining
sufficient levels in your body is more complex than just taking
CoQ10 capsules. A major factor in the bioavailability of CoQ10
is the delivery system for the coenzyme. CoQ10 "molecules"
are so large that some researchers believe they stretch the definition
of the word.
Their
size means these fat-soluble molecules need assistance for optimal
absorption. Unfortunately. most CoQ10 supplements today cut corners
on the delivery system, meaning a less than effective product
for us as consumers.
The
most effective Coenzyme Q10 capsules now contain both emulsified
CoQ10 and a fatty oil to ensure maximum absorption. CoQ10 that
is pre-emulsified in an oil base relieves your body of having
to perform this task and can increase absorption levels by a factor
of up to three times. Absorption of fat soluble CoQ10 can be up
to nine times as great as in crystallised Q10, according to a
study reported in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition
in 1998.
© Mike Spencer
Mike Spencer has been helping people
protect their heart health for several years. Coenzyme Q10 is
just one of the essential nutrients in the Heart Health Pack,
which provides everything you need to ensure a healthy heart and
optimum health in general. For more information, visit http://www.heart-healthy-diet.com.
