John Arts Abundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz

Increasing numbers of people use Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) as a supplement. I field more calls from people seeking CoQ10 advice than for all other supplements.

he main reasons people use CoQ10 are as support for cholesterol lowering statin medicines, low energy and general cardiovascular health. I use CoQ10 for these reasons and additionally for those with autoimmune and neurological problems.

CoQ10 (ubiquinol) exists in all our cells that make energy and is most concentrated in muscle cells – especially cardiac and skeletal muscle. The best CoQ10 supplements use ubiquinol rather than ubiquinone, as this is the active form in the body. In normal, healthy people, we usually make all the CoQ10 our bodies need. With the exception of those on statins, I generally do not recommend CoQ10 supplementation for younger people. There is a case for supplementing for those aged 50 plus for the reasons already mentioned.

While CoQ10 has many functions in the body, its main role is to help extract the energy from our food. Energy in food is locked in hydrogen ions in glucose. The chemical formula for glucose is C6H12O6 and there are elaborate processes to extract the energy in all that hydrogen. CoQ10 is unusual in that, while its primary role is in energy conversion, it also acts as a potent fat soluble antioxidant. This makes it, alongside vitamin E, the most important protector of LDL cholesterol as it circulates through our bloodstream.

For those on statin medications, CoQ10 supplements are essential to prevent the muscle pain often associated with long term use. An excellent study titled ‘Effect of coenzymeQ10 on myopathic symptoms in people treated with statins' – Caso et al 2007, American Journal of Cardiology, May 2007 – concluded that 'coenzyme Q10 supplementation may offer an alternative to stopping treatment with these vital drugs”.

My preferred standalone CoQ10 supplement is the patented Ubiquinol CoQsol. This product has been the basis of several trials confirming its superior bioavailability. My contacts in the US include major contract manufacturers and these confirm the view this is regarded as the best available. While this is available in New Zealand, you may have to enquire around. To my knowledge, it is not sold in stores.

John Arts is the founder of Abundant Health. If you have questions or would like a free health plan phone 07 578 9051 or 0800 423 559 email john@johnarts.co.nz or for more product information visit www.abundant.co.nz
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