Coenzyme Q10 is a compound that your body produces naturally. It plays an important role in helping to generate energy inside the cells of your body. It seems that the production of Coenzyme Q10 – sometimes referred to as CoQ10 or even just Q10 – tends to be stronger while you’re young and then decreases slightly as you age. Luckily, you can bolster the amount of Q10 in your body through your diet or through taking supplements.
Research into CoQ10 has revealed that a number of health conditions are linked to low levels of this compound. This includes cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and a number of brain disorders. However, there’s no evidence as yet that lower levels of Q10 are causing these diseases or if they’re just a result of them. Whatever you think, though, one thing is true: there are a number of health benefits associated with Q10 according to medical research. Here’s everything you need to know about Coenzyme Q10.0.
What is Co-Enzyme Q10?
CoQ10 is made by your body and is stored in your cell mitochondria. Remember that old saying that “mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell”? Well, CQ10 is the fuel for that powerhouse so that it can produce the energy your body needs. In addition to that, mitochondria also play a role in protecting your body’s cells from oxidative damage and the bacteria or viruses that can cause disease.
CoQ10 helps make adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a substance that facilitates energy transfer between cells. Co-enzyme Q10 can be found throughout your body in every cell, as ATP is needed everywhere. That being said, there’s more CQ10 concentrated within organs that need high levels of energy to function, like your liver, lungs, kidneys, and heart. Lowered levels of CQ10 in the body, especially these organs, have been linked to a number of chronic diseases; lower levels of Q10 may translate to lower levels of ATP in these cells and organs.
You naturally make less CoQ10 as you get older. This means that the older you get, the more likely you are to suffer from a CQ10 deficiency. That’s not the only way you might suffer from low CoQ10, though. If you suffer from a nutritional deficiency, such as not enough vitamin B6, if you have a genetic predisposition for low CoQ10 synthesis, or if you’re suffering side effects from taking statins for heart problems, you might need more CoQ10 than your body is naturally producing.
Other Names for Co-Enzyme Q10
Does Co-Enzyme Q10 sound like a mouthful to you? It can be – that’s why it’s usually shortened to CoQ10 or just CQ10. If you like, you can also refer to co-enzyme Q10 by its alternate name, ubiquinone. Or ubiquinone-10 if you’re being formal. Not quite fancy enough for you? CoQ10 is also known as ubidecarenone as well. Suddenly just calling it “CQ10” deems like a pretty good idea, doesn’t it?
What Are the Benefits of CoQ10?
CoQ10 benefits, according to modern medical research, are quite diverse. Because CQ10 is present throughout your body, a number of different organs and systems seem to benefit from higher levels of this coenzyme, including the cardiovascular system, the reproductive system, your skin, your lungs, and your brain to name but a few. It may also help exercise performance and aid in reducing the chances of diseases like diabetes and even cancer. Here’s what science knows about COQ health benefits so far:
When dealing with heart disease, research has shown that taking a CoQ10 supplement over the course of two years improved patients’ symptoms and reduced their risk of fatal heart problems.
On the subject of diabetes, there’s evidence that CQ10 improves insulin sensitivity and reduces overall blood sugar levels.
When it comes to brain health, research that links oxidative stress with conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s has also shown that CoQ10’s antioxidant ability may possibly slow the progression of these diseases.
For better pulmonary health, lower levels of CQ10 has been linked, in a number of different research studies, to asthma, COPD, and other lung issues. Supplementing with CoQ10 has shown to reduce lung inflammation often associated with these diseases.
These are just a handful of the research studies out there that have explored the role CoQ10 has to play in our overall health. There’s much more science being done right now to reveal how deep the rabbit hole goes, but it’s quite obvious that CQ10 is beneficial for better health!
How Much CoQ10 Should I Take?
As far as dosing for CoQ10, it’s important to understand that it comes in two different forms. These forms, ubiquinol and ubiquinone, are absorbed differently by the body. For example, around 90 percent of the CoQ10 in our blood is ubiquinol, as it’s the most absorbable. This means that your best bet, when it comes to taking a CQ10 supplement, is a supplement that provides CoQ10 through ubiquinol.
Standard dosing for QoQ10 can vary, with anywhere from 90mg to 200mg per day being the most common. You can take more than that safely (up to at least 500mg daily, according to most scientific studies), but it might not be a good idea to take much more than that as there’s no real research into the effects of ultra-high doses, though it is likely safe – one study found that taking 1,200mg daily for 16 months produced no major side effects.
Another thing to keep in mind is that CoQ10 is fat-soluble. This means that it’s absorbed very slowly by your body and only in limited amounts. You can get over this limitation by taking a supplement with food, as this can increase absorption by as much as a factor of three. Your body doesn’t store excess CoQ10, so for the best results, be sure to take it continually!
