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What is CoQ10?
Many of us take vitamins and supplements in our everyday lives, from vitamin C to Zinc. These common supplements, also known as botanicals, are taken in the hopes of health benefits. Amongst all, the coenzyme Q10 is also taken mainly for cardiovascular benefits, such as maintaining adequate heart health and reducing the possibility of migraines. Overall, vitamins, along with supplements and minerals, are taken to boost your immune system and up your physical health as a whole.
The Role of CoQ10
CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) plays a role in your body’s system by acting as an antioxidant that protects your cells against free radicals (compounds that can lead to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes if kept unchecked). It also partakes in metabolism by breaking down lipids through the oxidation to fatty acids. As you get older, however, the amount of CoQ10 in your body decreases. Supplements can be taken to keep your body as healthy as it was when you were younger to combat this gradual loss of CoQ10. These supplements supposedly improve your blood pressure, keep your heart health up, and lower the chance of heart failure, although not proven yet.
Arguably, the most well-known organ of the body is the heart or the brain. It has been scientifically proven that CoQ10 is incredibly beneficial in preventing congestive heart failure when there is an inability to pump blood. Certain conditions that can lead to congestive heart failure can include coronary artery disease (narrowed arteries that are the cause of high blood pressure) and thyroid disease (which impacts the thyroid glands negatively; inflammation, dehydration, etc.).
Along with this, CoQ10 supplement intake can also lead to reduced blood pressure. This is widely beneficial for a variety of conditions, such as diabetes, and for patients who’ve recently had heart bypass surgery. Coronary heart bypass surgery is a procedure done to unblock the arteries to promote healthy blood flow from the heart around the body. According to a study done in 2018, the supplement CoQ10 improved blood vessel health by 42%. This improvement lowers the chance of heart disease developing in the future by an amazing 13%!
Future Treatments
In countries without free healthcare, insulin is an expensive hormone that is needed for diabetic patients. Unfortunately, according to KFF, one in four people in the US cannot afford insulin. As a result, scientists are working hard on developing a different treatment for diabetes. One of the methods currently under construction is supplementing the coenzyme Q10, which is also beneficial for diabetic patients. This is because CoQ10 decreases the amount of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), which in turn lowers the chances of heart disease complications. LDL represents the total cholesterol level in a person, and high cholesterol leads to hypertension- high blood pressure.
Article Author: Amy Song
Article Editors: Victoria Huang, Stephanie Sahadeo