Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 or Ubiquinone/Ubiquinol)
Today let’s have a quick talk about an often overlooked nutrient. While much of the time we spend our time examining things such as trace minerals (Calcium, Magnesium, Iron…), or talking about the named Vitamins (A, B, C, D…) we often forget about the other nutrients that help them out.
Coenzyme Q10 is found in every cell in the body, especially inside the mitochondria. Mitochondria are a part of your cells that create the main source of energy used in your body called ATP. These little guys are very important, especially in muscle tissue (your heart is a muscle too!). They work very hard and never take a break throughout your life- so it’s important to care for their health. The main function of CoQ10 in the mitochondria is to be an antioxidant. This means that CoQ10 is personally responsible for stopping damage to your energy producing system.
One possible use for CoQ10 is in the reduction of blood pressure. In one study, 51% of patients supplemented with 200mg of CoQ10 were able to come off of one or more of their blood pressure medications.
You can find the abstract to this study here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7752851
Another great reason to consider asking your doctor about CoQ10 supplementation is if you are on a Statin type of drug (These are typically prescribed for high cholesterol levels). While these drugs are great for people with hypercholesterolemia that can’t be controlled with diet and exercise, they should always be given alongside supplements of CoQ10. They have been shown to lower your levels after only a short period of use (that’s a big burden on your mitochondria). Many clinicians and researchers believe this is the reason that muscle pain is a common side effect of statin medications.
Here’s some more information about statins and CoQ10:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3096178/
While supplementation is generally seen as the best way to supplement CoQ10 clinically, it is possible to eat foods that contain the nutrient as well. If you are looking to get your CoQ10 through more natural means (whole foods), then the best source of those is lightly cooked organ meats such as liver and heart (and the levels are higher in red meat sources of these meats).
Read about it here:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/85773-natural-sources-coenzyme-q10/
If you have hypertension, muscle soreness, or feel as if you’re lacking energy throughout your day then please consider asking your doctor about CoQ10. If you’re taking a statin medication then you should very strongly consider having a discussion with your general practitioner about the addition of this vital nutrient.
If you have any questions, comments, or are wondering about another Vitamin, Mineral, or Nutrient’s uses please leave a message on our Facebook post.
Wishing you a healthy and happy week,
Dr. Stephen Shinault
Grand-Baie : Chiropractic Care Center , Grand-Baie La Croisette (2ème étage)
Moka: Wellkin Hospital & Royal Green Hospital
Un seul N° de tel : 269 62 54
Email : secretariat@chiromu.net
