COQ10 Is A Must With Cholesterol Lowering Drugs!
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a natural antioxidant made in your body: it’s found in almost every cell, and it concentrates in the heart, liver and kidneys. Many medical studies demonstrate CoQ10 benefits when taken as a supplement, because of its vital role in oxygen utilisation and energy production, particularly in heart muscle cells.
Coq10 is a must with cholesterol lowering drugs: if you are taking prescription statin medication, you should also be taking this vital nutrient.
Why is it necessary?
Coenzyme Q10 is beneficial for your heart health in many ways:
- It assists in maintaining the normal oxidative state of LDL cholesterol,
- It helps assure circulatory health,
- It supports optimal functioning of the heart muscle and helps support the health of vessel walls.
In addition, Coenzyme Q10 may play a role in reducing the number and severity of migraine headaches, and improving sperm motility in men.
Some research has indicated therapeutic value in high doses to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.
A few small clinical trials have indicated CoQ10 supplementation may help prevent and treat inflamed gums, a condition known as gingivitis.
Chronic diseases respond positively to Coq10 supplementation.
What do Antioxidants do?
Antioxidants fight damaging particles in the body known as free radicals, which damage cell membranes, tamper with DNA, and even cause cell death. Scientists believe free radicals contribute to the aging process, as well as a number of health problems, including heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants, such as CoQ10, can neutralise free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause. Some researchers believe that CoQ10 may help with heart-related conditions, because it can improve energy production in cells, prevent blood clot formation, and act as an antioxidant.
Cholesterol Lowering Drugs Reduce The Natural Levels Of Coq10!
There is no doubt that statin drugs (cholesterol lowering drugs), reduce the body’s coq10 levels and therefore anyone taking statins should also be taking this nutrient. Coq10 supplementation reduces the negative effects of statin drugs, according to a review completed last month in the Journal of Infectious Diseases & Preventive Medicine, they state –
“….unfortunately many clinicians do not understand that statin drugs block the rate-controlling enzyme of the mevalonate pathway, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) whose detrimental consequences are broader than muscle-related adverse events. Providing significant improvement in endothelial function, Coq10 supplementation has been shown, also, to be efficacious in persons with heart failure, We argue in our medical communities; a perceptual shift is urgently needed….”
Statins can induce myotoxicity (toxic effect on muscles) and can cause frequent undesirable side effects, Coq10 can protect against this.
So Why Isn’t Coq10 Supplemention Being Advocated For Those On Statins?
I have yet to come across a client who have been prescribed a statin to lower their cholesterol and also advised to take Coq10! Considering the evidence is clear on the need to do so, this is certainly a mystery. One reason pointed out in a couple of studies is that it may partly be due to Coq10’s low bioavailability with oral forms, and of course this is an issue, and so it is important to buy a reliable and known source for this very reason, there are now forms which are much more absorbable. Before you rush out to grab your bottle of Coq10 understand that not all Coq10’s are created equal: speak to your doctor or naturopath to understand what’s best for you.