The difference between life and death… 

CoenzymeQ10 lies at the heart of our cells' energy producing process. Like L-carnitine, coenzymeQ10 is essential for the transport of fatty acids to the cells and the metabolism or burning of these fats for energy.  This process always requires coenzymeQ10.  In some cells, like heart cells, this energy conversion process can be the difference between life and death. 

Protection from free radical damage..

CoenzymeQ10 works on its own as a well-established antioxidant used by the body to protect cells from oxygen damage likely to be the prime cause of aging.  Just how this protective effect happens is still not clear but studies have shown that up to 95% less damage to cell membranes occurs after supplementation with coenzymeQ10.

CoenzymeQ10 also plays a critical role in maintaining our supply of vitamin E - another key anti-aging antioxidant.  When vitamin E gets "used up" in the performance of its duty as an antioxidant protecting our cell membranes, coenzymeQ10 can "recharge" it, and restore its antioxidant power.

Availability in the food supply.. 

This vitamin-like nutrient occurs widely in the food supply - the problem is not always in significant amounts and not in the foods you may be eating.  The body can make its own coenzymeQ10 but it doesn't always do so very efficiently.  Both these things mean you may not be getting enough coenzymeQ10 for optimal health.

The richest source of coenzymeQ10 is organ meats which many people - certainly in the US - no longer eat.  Other sources include oily fish and whole grains - again increasingly limited in the average western diet. 

If you don't get sufficient coenzymeQ10 from your diet, your body is unlikely to be able to make up the amounts it needs - the result can be deficiency.  A top nutrionist has observed that many Americans lack sufficient coenzymeQ10 "for limited health and survival apart from optimum health and survival".  The same could be said of many other countries where a westernized or American diet is becoming the norm.

How supplementation helps in the treatment of modern diseases..

CoenzymeQ10 supplements have been widely used in the treatment of many diseases which are closely associated with a modern western lifestyle and diet.  It has been used extremely effectively as an aid in the treatment of:

• heart diseases and incidents of heart attack
• high blood pressure
• breast cancer (as an aid to recovery after chemotherapy)
  

It has also been used to boost energy and physical performance levels in

Taking coenzymeQ10 

CoenzymeQ10 is usually found under this exact same name in nutritional supplements or as coenzyme Q, CoQ, and CoQ10.  The chemical name for coenzyme Q -"ubiquinone" - may also be found on a supplement label or ingredient list.

The general recommended dose for coenzymeQ10 supplementation is 30 to 100 mg daily.  The body would be unlikely to obtain more than 10 mg per day from diet alone.  Doses above 100 mg have been used in the treatment of certain specific medical conditions.  There are currently no public health recommendations for coenzymeQ10 minimum or maximum levels

As coenzyme Q10 is fat-soluble it is best taken with a meal containing fat for maximum absorption. 

If you are currently taking medication for a medical condition, you should not use coenzymeQ10 without first talking to your healthcare provider.