Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a molecule produced by the body and present in almost all cells. It has a fundamental role in cellular energy production. Its presence gives a perk to the energy level of a person and gives him or her a sense of physical wellbeing.
Levels of CoQ10 slowly decrease during normal aging to about 50% of youthful levels by the age of 80 years old. It cannot meaningfully be replaced by diet. As an example, you must ingest 10kg of avocado or 5kg of walnuts to make up 100mg of CoQ10! It therefore needs to be supplemented as we grow older. The ideal dose and preparation is 100mg of Ubiquinol.
Ubiquinol
There are three forms of CoQ10: the fully oxidised form called Ubiquinone; the partially oxidised form; and the fully reduced form called Ubiquinol. Ubiquinone and Ubiquinol are so called because they are ubiquitous or present in all cells. Ubiquinol is two times more bioavailable than Ubiquinone. This means 100mg of ubiquinol is equivalent to 200mg of CoQ10.
CoQ10 is present in the inner membranes of the powerhouse of cells called mitochondria and fires them up for energy to maintain health in the heart, brain, kidneys, liver and lungs, practically all organs of the body.
As a powerful antioxidant, CoQ10 mops up damaging particles in the body known as free radicals, which damage cell membranes, tamper with DNA, and even cause cell death. Its wide range of applications in human health is due to its multifaceted mechanisms of action.
Its ubiquitous functions have been shown to help improve blood sugar regulation and hyperlipidaemia. It can also assist in the prevention and treatment of cancer and reduce the frequency of migraines. It confers benefits on the heart through both its antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties and helps prevent heart failure (especially diastolic heart failure), arteriosclerosis, cardiomyopathy and hypertension.
Deficiency of CoQ10 also might be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic fatigue syndrome and / or fibromyalgia, a clinical condition with chronic muscle pain often accompanied by stiff joints, pain, lethargy and fatigue. It was observed that patients with this disease had increased levels of mitochondrial oxidative stress.
It may be especially useful in Parkinson’s Disease, a neurodegenerative disorder with reported improvements in daily activities and delay in functional decline.
