What You Need to Know About Coenzyme Q10

At some point in your life you have probably heard about the mitochondria and how it is the powerhouse of the cell. To refresh your memory, the mitochondria helps to produce energy in the form of ATP. Coenzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinone, plays an important role in the production of ATP. Some organs are comprised of cells containing higher concentrations of mitochondria than others, signifying higher energy production and ultimately higher energy requirements. These cells also require higher levels of CoQ10. Some of these organs include the brain, nerves, muscles, heart, liver and kidneys.

CoQ10 also acts as an antioxidant. Oxidants are free radicals that can cause damage or harm to cells in the body through the oxidation process. Antioxidants help to remove the agents that can potentially cause this harm. To put it simply, we have CoQ10 in our cells helping to produce our energy and also to protect our cells. With these functions, it is obviously a very important coenzyme for our bodies to operate effectively. Understanding the role of CoQ10 should make it apparent that having a deficiency of this coenzyme may be problematic.

One of the most common causes of CoQ10 depletion is the use of statin drugs. “Statin” is a drug classification that represents cholesterol lowering medications. Some common examples of statin drugs are: Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor and many others. Statin drugs inhibit the production of mevalonic acid which plays a fundamental role in the pathway to create cholesterol. Mevalonic acid also happens to be a precursor to the synthesis of CoQ10. It should not be surprising that many of the side effects of statin medications include: fatigue, muscle pain, muscle damage, liver damage, weight gain and a long list of many others. With depleted levels of CoQ10, it makes sense that a lack of energy and a breakdown of tissues may result. Reading the lengthy list of side effects of many medications can be daunting, but it does not necessarily mean you should not be taking the medication. If you and your primary care physician have decided that cholesterol lowering medications are necessary, you may want to consider CoQ10 supplementation in conjunction with your statin medications to reduce the risk of experiencing these side effects. Side effects are typically a result of drug-induced depletions. If you address the depletion, you can drastically lower your risk of suffering the scary side effects associated with your medication.

CoQ10 also has a very interesting relationship with seasonal allergies and asthma. There has been research to conclude that people suffering seasonal allergies and also asthma measure lower levels of CoQ10 in their blood. It is also believed that free radicals in the body can lead to both allergies and asthma. The antioxidant role of CoQ10 is crucial in preventing the damaging properties of these free radicals. If you suffer from asthma or seasonal allergies, you may want to look into CoQ10 supplementation as it may reduce your symptoms.

If you are considering supplementing with CoQ10 please ask a healthcare professional for guidance on dosage and to rule out any contraindications with other medications that you are currently taking.