Q10 has the potential to attenuate heart disease, diabetes, kidney ailments, and other chronic diseases

Q10 is involved in the cellular energy turnover and it is also a powerful antioxidant that protects cells, tissues, and the cardiovascular system in several ways. Humans synthesize most of their own Q10 but the endogenous production of the compound decreases with age. Besides, certain diseases are associated with lowered endogenous coenzyme Q10 synthesis, and scientists have observed that Q10 supplementation has the potential to attenuate various symptoms linked to heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, migraine, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. Q10 can also improve the heart function in older, healthy people, thereby lowering their risk of dying of heart disease. It is difficult for the body to absorb Q10, which is why scientists emphasize the importance of using pharmaceutical-grade supplements. This topic was addressed in a review article published online by www.nutraingredients.com.

Coenzyme Q10 is a lipid-soluble molecule that is of vital importance for cellular energy turnover. This process takes place inside some minute powerhouses called mitochondria. Q10 also serves as an antioxidant that protects cells against potentially harmful free radicals. In addition, Q10 regulates certain fatty acids and controls the activation of certain genes, some of which are linked to inflammation. Most chronic diseases and ageing processes are characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation, which virtually bombards the body with free radicals, setting the stage for oxidative stress that can damage cholesterol, cells, and their mitochondria.
The new review article states that Q10 has a key role the metabolism of all cells where it manages a host of different functions. Lack of Q10 is therefore linked to a number of diseases, especially diseases in organs with large energy turnover and high mitochondrial density such as the brain, heart, muscles, and kidneys. Diseases in this category are typically chronic fatigue syndrome and heart failure. In addition, the group includes myopathies (muscle diseases) and ataxia that causes uncoordinated movements due to impaired cerebellum function. Also, there is nephrotic syndrome that includes various kidney ailments and excessive amounts of protein in the urine (proteinuria). It is also observed that patients with migraine and fibromyalgia often have low levels of Q10 in their blood.

A Q10 deficiency should be discovered and treated immediately

The body’s daily Q10 requirement is believed to be around 500 mg. We only get around five milligrams per day from our diet. The body synthesizes most of the Q10 for its own needs. This process takes place inside tissues like the heart, the kidneys, the muscles, and the liver. Our endogenous Q10 synthesis begins to decrease after the age of 20 or so. Many people begin to notice around midlife that their vitality decreases. A supplement can compensate for this loss.
As mentioned earlier, there are several chronic diseases that are caused by a lack of Q10. This deficiency may be of primary (innate) or secondary (adaptive) nature.
The authors of the new review article believe that a primary Q10 deficiency must be discovered fast because patients can experience remarkable clinical improvement if they start taking a Q10 supplement at an early stage. Under normal circumstances, relatively large quantities are required.
Q10 supplements are also relevant for people with a secondary deficiency caused by e.g. ageing processes and lifestyle diseases such as type 2 diabetes

Q10 supplementation of patients with heart failure, diabetes, and other chronic diseases

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death. According to the statistics, around 33 percent of patients die within a year of being hospitalized with cardiac failure for the very first time. The authors mention Q-Symbio, a study of 420 heart failure patients who were given conventional heart therapy. In addition to their standard medication, half the patients were treated with 300 mg of Q10 daily, while the other half got placebo.
After two years, the percentage of heart-related deaths in the active treatment group had decreased by 43% compared to the placebo group.
According to the Swedish KiSel-10 study, daily supplementation with 200 mg of Q10 and 200 micrograms of selenium yeast can increase cardiac strength and reduce cardiovascular mortality by over 50 percent. This study is groundbreaking in that it is carried out on healthy people. The participants in the supplemented group also had improved quality of life and felt they had increased vitality. The Swedish scientists conducted follow-up studies after 10 and 12 years and observed a continued positive effect in the group that had been taking Q10 and selenium. Type 2 diabetics may also benefit from taking a Q10 supplement. One study showed that diabetics taking 200 mg of Q10 daily for three months had a 50% lower HbA1c level. HbA1c, also known as long-term blood sugar, is a glucose measure that covers a period of 8-12 weeks. In other words, the Q10 supplement improved both glucose uptake and blood sugar levels in the patients with diabetes. This study supports other studies of Q10 and diabetes.
Around one in three migraine sufferers lack Q10. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study where participants were given a high dose of Q10 (3 x 100 mg daily), there were fewer migraine attacks and fewer days with migraine. Children with migraine also tend to lack Q10.
Furthermore, studies show that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia can benefit from taking Q10 in larger doses.

The quality of your supplements means everything

While it is true that Q10 supplements have huge potential in connection with an array of different chronic diseases, it is important to stress how important it is to take a high-quality supplement. This is because the Q10 molecules in the raw material tend to aggregate in large, insoluble crystals that the body is unable to absorb. The only way to ensure that the crystals dissolve properly is to expose them to a unique process that involves different types of oil and heat. Any scientific study of Q10 should ideally be conducted with pharmaceutical-grade Q10 with documented bioavailability. A Spanish study of different Q10 preparations showed that supplements with Q10 powder in hard capsules or Q10 tablets have inferior bioavailability, typically less than one percent. The only formula that can document superior bioavailability is Q10 that has been exposed to the oil and heat treatment, which ensures that the individual Q10 molecules are free and unattached and able to enter the bloodstream and reach the cells in the body.

References:

Will Chu. Co enzyme Q10 has potential to help chronic condition symptoms, review finds. https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2020/10/01/Co-Enzyme-Q10-s-potential-aids-chronic-condition-symptoms#

Alehagen U, et al. Cardiovascular mortality and N-Terminal-proBNP reduced after combined selenium and coenzyme Q10 supplementation. Int J Cardiol. 2012

Dahri M et al. Oral Q10 supplementation in patients with migraine: Effects on clinical features and inflammatory markers. Nutritional Neuroscience 2018

Stephanie Carter. CoQ10 Targets the Cause of Migraine Headaches. Life Extension Magazine 2019

Rozen TD et al. Open label trial of coenzyme Q10 as a migraine preventive. Cephalalgia. 2002

Castro-Marrero J et al. Effect of coenzyme Q10 plus nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide supplementation on maximum heart rate after testing in chronic fatigue syndrome – A randomized, controlled, double-blind trial. Clin Nut. 2016 Aug; 35 (4): 826-34

Cordero MD et al. NLRP3 inflammasome is activated in fibromyalgia: the effect of coenzyme Q10. Antioxid redox Signal 2014

Pernille Lund: Q10 – fra helsekost til epokegørende medicin. Forlaget Ny Videnskab. 2014