Since its discovery in the late 1950???s Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has received much attention as a necessary compound for proper cellular function. It is the essential coenzyme necessary for the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) upon which all cellular functions depend. Without ATP our bodies cannot function properly. Without CoQ10, ATP cannot function. This connection has made CoQ10 a very important object of study in relation to chronic disease.
In many cases the presence of chronic disease is associated with inadequate levels of CoQ10. But no area of study has received more attention than the relation between CoQ10 and heart disease. That is because CoQ10 is believed to be of fundamental importance in cells with high metabolic demands such as cardiac cells. A further reason the connection of heart disease and CoQ10 has gained so much attention is because heart conditions of many kinds are associated with chronically low CoQ10 levels.
CoQ10 is highly concentrated in heart muscle cells because of their high energy requirements. Add this to the fact that heart disease is the number one killer in developed and developing countries and one can see why the bulk of scientific research on CoQ10 has been concerned with heart disease. Specifically, studies on congestive heart failure have demonstrated a strong correlation between the severity of heart failure and the degree of CoQ10 deficiency. The lower the levels of CoQ10 in the heart muscles the more severe the heart failure. If indeed CoQ10 deficiency is a primary cause of congestive heart failure then, in such cases, the remedy is simple and cost effective; CoQ10 supplementation.
Congestive heart failure is a condition where the heart does not pump effectively resulting in an accumulation of fluid in the lungs. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing when lying flat and leg or ankle swelling. Causes include chronic hypertension, cardiomyopathy (primary heart disease) and myocardial infarction (irreversible injury to heart muscles). Heart muscle strength is measure by the ejection fraction which is a measure of the fraction of blood pumped out of the heart with each beat. A low ejection fraction indicates a weak heart.
Several trials have been conducted involving patients with enlarged weak heart muscles of unknown causes. For those of you who like difficult phrases this condition (or variety of conditions) is known as idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. In these trials CoQ10 supplementation was compared to placebo effects. Standard treatments for heart failure were not discontinued. The results were measured by echocardiography (a diagnostic test which uses ultrasound waves to make images of the heart chambers, valves and surrounding structures).
The overall results of CoQ10 supplementation demonstrated a steady and continued improvement in heart function as well as steady and continued reduction in patient symptoms including fatigue, chest pains, palpitations and breathing difficulty. Patients with more establish and long-term cases showed gradual improvement but did not gain normal heart function. Patients with newer cases of heart failure demonstrated much more rapid improvement often returning to normal heart function.
Papers numbering in the hundreds from eight different symposia have been written and presented on the effects of CoQ10 on heart disease. International clinical studies have also been conducted in the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy and Sweden. Together these studies and the papers that have been derived from them demonstrate significant improvement in heart muscle function while causing no adverse effects.
One particular area of study involves diastolic dysfunction which is one of the earliest signs of myocardial failure. Diastole is the phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart is filled with returning blood. Because this phase requires more cellular energy than the systolic phase (when the blood is pushed out of the heart) it is more dependent on CoQ10. Diastolic dysfunction is a stiffening of the heart muscle which naturally restricts the heart???s ability to pump. This condition is associated with many cardiac disorders. Hypertension is among these disorders. As the heart muscles become stiff there is often a corresponding rise in blood pressure. When the diastolic dysfunction is reversed, blood pressure tends to lower as well.
In one study involving 109 patients with hypertension, CoQ10 supplementation was added to normal hypertension treatments. In an average of 4.4 months 51% of the patients were able stop using at least one blood pressure lowering medication. Some were able to stop using up to three medications. Another study produced similar results. In that study 43% of 424 patients were able to stop using between one and three cardiovascular drugs because of CoQ10 supplementation.
These examples are just a drop in the bucket. Diastolic dysfunction (and by proxy, hypertension) includes only a small sampling of heart conditions that respond favorably to CoQ10 supplementation. Other areas of research show great promise for CoQ10 treatments. Among these are cancer and AIDS. But such conditions are beyond the scope of this essay. CoQ10 is essential to the proper functioning of all cell types. It is not surprising, therefore, to find a diverse number of diseases that respond favorably to CoQ10 supplementation. Since all metabolically active tissues are highly sensitive to CoQ10 deficiency, we can expect to see CoQ10 research expand to many other areas of chronic diseases.
Greg holds degrees in science, divinity and philosophy and is currently an I.T. developer.
http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/coq10.html
cleaning help near Mundelein ..1. Most of the modern western diets contain way too... Read More
Fat Loss Supplement ? what is it?What is a fat... Read More
A 2002 study reported, funded by the Swiss National Science... Read More
Vitamins are the stars of the nutrition scene. Nutrition, the... Read More
If you suffer from arthritis pain, chances are you've heard... Read More
L glutamine is an amino acid occurring abundantly within the... Read More
There are a host of choices for supplementing your Ironman... Read More
Nitric Oxide, a gas that occurs naturally in the body,... Read More
Can you treat a headache or stomach ache externally, without... Read More
Vitamins are organic compounds that the human body cannot produce... Read More
In today's modern world most people, like us, just do... Read More
The body needs a minimum amount of vitamins and minerals... Read More
In part one of this series, titled "Take Back Your... Read More
Anti aging has become the latest craze.Wherever we look at,... Read More
Best liquid calcium with boronNo longer is the search for... Read More
OK, first let's get something straight here...If you think that... Read More
The mankind has never stopped searching for the scerets of... Read More
Sometimes I used to look at my son Shawn and... Read More
A ranch house, a zip lock bag and some ordinary... Read More
There is a paradox of sorts when dealing with injections... Read More
As with most nutrients and minerals, zinc is often ignored... Read More
Fetuses and infants simply must get enough omega-3 oils for... Read More
Supplementing with relatively small amounts of riboflavin (vitamin B2) may... Read More
Whey protein is available in supplement form and whey protein... Read More
There are two basic types of constipation - organic and... Read More
reliable maid service Wilmette ..Best liquid calcium with boronNo longer is the search for... Read More
Does this describe you: You walk into the living room... Read More
Over the last 2 years, the link between weight gain... Read More
In today's modern world most people, like us, just do... Read More
Sometimes I used to look at my son Shawn and... Read More
Nutritional vitamin fiber supplements come in a variety of types,... Read More
Riboflavin is a common name for vitamin B-2 and was... Read More
I often hear people say that they have smoked for... Read More
Whey proteins drinks, especially shakes, are available in a variety... Read More
Unverified reports claiming that unprotected, intentional sun exposure is necessary... Read More
The more I study health and fitness, the more convinced... Read More
Since Dr Basant Puri, a consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer... Read More
What Is Thiamin?Known as Vitamin B1, thiamin was the very... Read More
The next step on your road to real health is... Read More
Much of what we hear and read in the media... Read More
Imagine this scenario by the end of next August...You contact... Read More
The malabsorptive nature of the gastric bypass system prohibits adequate... Read More
Herbal supplements have become hugely popular over the years, and... Read More
During the past few years, I've become more interested in... Read More
Protein Supplement ? whey protein.Why is protein supplement important? Protein... Read More
Made from cow's milk, whey protein is a pure, all-natural,... Read More
Can you treat a headache or stomach ache externally, without... Read More
With all of the exciting things people are seeing in... Read More
"They", the "experts" all say how important vitamins are -... Read More
If you're constantly digging your hand into a jar of... Read More
Nutritional Supplements |