Coenzyme Q -10 biochemical functions and therapeutic use

Coenzyme Q-10 (Co Q-10) or Ubiquinone is a substance found in foods and is manufactured by the body basic elements found in food. The human body can manufacture Co Q-10, if it obtains the necessary quantity of vitamins - B1, B2, B6, C, folic and pantothenic acids - that are commonly found in food. If there is a shortage of any of these vitamins, production of Co Q-10 is suppressed.

Studies have shown that an insufficiency of most of these vitamins is a common phenomenon among the majority of the population. If a person’s body does not have enough Co Q-10, then blood vessels begin to thin, gums are weakened, and energy is replaced with lethargy and drowsiness. Contemporary methods of preparing food products destroy Co Q-10, and the body’s ability to produce this coenzyme decreases with age and as a result of diseases. Depression, chronic fatigue, deterioration of the heart and vascular system can all be the results of a decrease in Co Q-10 in the body.

The name Ubiquinone originates from the word “ubiquitous”, which means “widely present”. As the name implies, Ubiquinone is present in each cell of the body, where it participates in the most important chemical reactions to ensure the body is supplied with energy. In the mitochondria, which are the power factories of the cells, Co Q-10 participates in the synthesis of the high energy compound called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP for short. Without sufficient amounts of ATP, the organism cannot function. Synthesis of ATP is a key process, in which 95% of cellular energy is produced. Contemporary science agrees that without Co Q-10 life would not be possible.

In 1957, in the USA, Co Q-10 was first isolated in its pure form. In 1978, Dr. Mitchell discovered its mechanism of action and was presented with the Nobel Prize for this amazing discovery.

The many studies performed since have shown that Co Q-10 plays an important role in the following processes:

• Reducing hypoxic damages (tissue damage, caused by an oxygen deficiency) as a result of a stroke, heart attack or a chronic blood circulation compromise;
• Protecting of the gums and maintaining overall teeth health;
• Normalizing elevated blood pressure, while reducing the risk of heart diseases, angina and congestive heart failure;
• Generating energy and an increasing stamina;
• Strengthening the immune system;
• Counteracting the highly toxic influence of the traditional anti-cancerous drugs on the heart (which is why Co Q-10 should be strongly considered during cancer treatment);
• Assisting ear pathology recovery;
• Assisting to eliminate allergic reactions of any nature;
• Increasing the energy production at the cellular level, which contributes to weight loss;
• Participating in the production of substances which facilitate the normalization of weight;
• Assisting the alleviation of asthma and respiratory diseases
• Enhancing the treatment of mental disorders, especially those that are connected with schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease;
• Assisting the eradication of yeast infection, and the control of atherosclerosis and diabetes;
• Improving the quality of sperm production;
• Accelerating the healing of stomach ulcers and duodenum;
• Slowing down the aging process (as an antioxidant Co Q-10 is a free radicals scavenger).

Co Q-10 is actively studied and used in clinical practice in Japan, France and Germany. According to the statistics obtained from Japan for 1999, Co Q-10 was consumed daily by 30% of the population.

Although Co Q-10 is manufactured naturally in the organism, after 20 years of age, production capabilities of this substance decreases. Many scientists see this decrease as an important factor that leads to the development of many age-related degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, weakening of the immune system, etc.

Dr. Karl Folkers who discovered vitamin B6 and who also initiated the first studies of Co Q-10, proposed that a Co Q-10 insufficiency can be a leading cause of various cardiovascular diseases.

Several patients with heart problems who were admitted to the Methodist Hospital in Indiana, and were diagnosed to have several days to live, were given Co Q-10 supplementation with their food. About 70% of them lived through the year, and 62% of patients lived for another two years. Moreover, their heart activity improved, respiration was facilitated and fatigue was reduced. The symptoms of congestive heart failure had practically disappeared after Co Q-10 treatment.

Co Q-10 is used in the comprehensive treatment of:

• Coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy and other heart problems
• Atherosclerosis
• Hypertension
• Muscular dystrophy
• Diabetes
• Anemia
• Oenological conditions (breast, lung, prostate gland and others)
• Parkinson's disease
• Alzheimer's disease
• Immuno-deficiencies and AIDS
• Gum diseases

It is also used:

• Before abdominal surgeries and to accelerate recovery
• For weight loss
• For the chronic fatigue
• It is used in sports to deal with hypoxia and increase endurance