Life cannot exist without coenzyme Q10. The compound is necessary for the energy turnover in all our cells. It also functions as a powerful antioxidant that protects the heart and cardiovascular system against oxidative stress. Humans are able to synthesize Q10 but our endogenous production decreases with age. Heart failure patients also have reduced levels of Q10 which can be fatal, but decades of research have shown that Q10 supplements can improve quality of life and reduce mortality by close to 50 percent, according to a review article in Journal of Clinical Medicine. Here, the authors refer to 90 published articles. It is also important to get enough selenium, which helps Q10 function optimally.
Selenium supports a host of different metabolic processes and serves as an antioxidant that protects our cells. According to recent studies, selenium also has anti-ageing properties that protect us against cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia, and other age-related diseases. According to a review article published in Medical News Today, selenium also helps against impaired immunity and counteracts chronic inflammation, which is typically seen in connection with ageing processes. A Swedish study of healthy seniors has even showed that supplementation with selenium and Q10 has a positive effect on heart function, quality of life, and life expectancy.
- with four key nutrients
Your birth attest reveals your actual age but your biological age gives a more accurate picture of your health and life expectancy. Our biological age and cardiovascular health are closely connected, with atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness representing a progressive process that eventually leads to the majority of deaths. Nonetheless, you can do a lot yourself by making sure to get sufficient amounts the nutrients that are most vital for good cardiovascular health. In this article, we will look closer at some current studies of vitamin K2, Q10, selenium, and omega-3, all of which are essential nutrients that prevent, each in their own way, atherosclerosis, arterial stiffness, and premature death as a result of having high heart age.
Q10 and selenium are powerful antioxidants that are important for the heart, cardiovascular system, and the energy turnover. As we grow older, our endogenous Q10 synthesis decreases, and many people lack selenium. A Swedish study has shown that older people who take supplements of Q10 and selenium have a 50 percent lower cardiovascular death rate. Another (more recent) Swedish study shows that Q10 and selenium also increase elderly peoples’ levels of IGF-1, a hormone with many functions in the body. The scientists assume that this helps reduce the risk of cardiac death among elderly people.
Cardiovascular diseases are widespread and one of the major causes of death. The risk is increased by factors such as ageing, diabetes, and overweight. One of the underlying causes is oxidative stress, which is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. Q10, which is involved in cellular energy turnover, happens to be one of the most powerful antioxidants. According to a review article that is published in the scientific journal Antioxidants, supplementation with Q10 can reduce oxidative stress and cardiovascular mortality. It can also improve quality of life and increase the chances of survival. Generally speaking, Q10 has a huge potential for anyone with a desire to remain healthy, and it is important to choose a supplement with documented quality and bioavailability.
You may want to consider taking a Q10 supplement
Statins do more than lower your cholesterol. They have an array of side effects but you can effectively counteract them by taking coenzyme Q10 together with your drug.
Has your physician told you to take cholesterol-lowering statins? Well, it has to be said that these drugs are highly effective for lowering cholesterol. What you may not know, however, is that statins also lower levels of coenzyme Q10, a vital substance which all your cells need to produce energy. Coenzyme Q10 and cholesterol are synthesized in the liver and share the same biochemical pathway, and statins work by blocking this pathway. When levels of coenzyme Q10 go down, you risk a number of side effects that occur when the body's cells suddenly produce too little energy to function normally.
Here is the formula for quality of life in seniors
Besides cutting the number cardiovascular deaths in half, elderly people who take supplements of selenium and coenzyme Q10 have better quality of life, are less prone to disease, and have more energy than those who do not take the supplements.
Telomeres are protective caps at the end of our DNA strands. You can compare them to the small plastic aglets that prevent shoelaces from unraveling. For each time a cell divides, the telomeres become shorter. The length of telomeres conveniently indicates our biological age. Diet plays a role and according to a large population study, vitamin C intake is linked to telomere length. The same is the case with Q10 and selenium, according to Swedish research. Vitamin C, Q10, and selenium serve as unique antioxidants that protect the telomeres and the cells against damage caused by oxidative stress.
Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death, and both diet and lifestyle are of huge importance. According to a new meta-analysis, fish oil, folic acid, and Q10 are some of nutrients with the greatest potential to lower the risk. It is important to underline that supplements are not likely to make much of a difference if the dosage is too low or if the quality of the preparations is poor.