The History And Usefulness Of Coenzyme Q10

Throughout my childhood I was aware of the importance of eating well and taking my vitamins. But the science of dietary supplements has come a long way since those days. And one of the stars in this scientific progression is Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). CoQ10 is not a drug. It is a vitamin-like substance that is found in small amounts in a variety of foods and is synthesized within our body tissues.

Enzymes are compounds in the body that are absolutely essential for the many processes necessary to keep us alive and our bodies functioning properly. Mitochondrial enzymes are those particular enzymes that are essential for the production of the high-energy phosphate ATP (adenosine triphosphate) upon which all cellular function depends. Without it our bodies shut down at the cellular level. Coenzyme Q10 is the cofactor upon which at least three mitochondrial enzymes depend. By logical inference then ATP functioning depends upon CoQ10. In short, all human cellular function depends on ATP. And ATP function depends on CoQ10.

As was already said, the production of CoQ10 occurs within our body tissues. Its biosynthesis from the amino acid tyrosine is a complex multistage process requiring several vitamins and trace elements. Under normal conditions we produce all we need while we are young. But there are many factors that can contribute to CoQ10 deficiency. Among these are aging, disease, dietary deficiency, use of statin drugs and increasing tissue demands. Before we get to CoQ10 deficiencies, however, it is well to look at the history of CoQ10 research.

History

CoQ10 was first isolated by Dr. Frederick Crane in 1957 from the mitochondria of beef heart. During that same year Professor Morton, from Britain, also discovered CoQ10 in the livers of vitamin A deficient rats. During the following year researchers at Merck, Inc. determined its chemical structure and became the first to produce it.

It was neither the British nor the Americans that first found a practical use for the CoQ compounds. Professor Yamamura from Japan first used a related compound (CoQ7) in the treatment of congestive heart failure. Other practical uses then followed. CoQ6 was used as an effective antioxidant in the mid 1960s. In 1972 (in Italy) deficiency of CoQ10 was linked to heart disease. The Japanese, however, were the first to perfect the technology necessary to produce CoQ10 in sizeable enough quantities to make large clinical trials a reality.

After Peter Mitchell won the Nobel Prize in 1978 for defining the biological energy transfer that occurs at the cellular level (for which CoQ10 is essential) there was a considerable increase in the number of clinical studies performed in relation to CoQ10 usefulness. This was due in part to the large amounts of pharmaceutical grade CoQ10 that was now available from Japan and the ability to measure CoQ10 in blood and body tissues. CoQ10 since has become known for its importance as a powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenger and as a treatment in many chronic illnesses, especially heart disease.

Coenzyme Q10 Deficiency

The usefulness of CoQ10 as a medical treatment has largely been approached from the perspective that when a chronic disease is present (especially in the case of heart disease) CoQ10 is often grossly deficient. For example, a person suffering from congestive heart failure often demonstrates extreme CoQ10 deficiency. Normal blood and tissue levels of CoQ10 have been well established. Significantly low levels of CoQ10 have been linked to a vast variety of diseases in both animal and human studies.

But if CoQ10 is biosynthesized in our bodies why do we often suffer from deficiency? There are at least three causes. The first is an insufficient diet. Dietary intake of CoQ10 is an important factor in total blood and tissue levels of the compound. If we do not consume enough of the foods that contain CoQ10 then the body must make up the difference. Further, the biosynthesis of Coenzyme Q10 is a complex 17-step process involving a whole string of B vitamins, vitamin C and pantothenic acid. Diets deficient in these compounds make CoQ10 synthesis impossible. This is not the place to discuss the condition of the average diet and the vitamin deficient nature of many of our food sources. Suffice it to say that most of us do not get nearly enough CoQ10 or the other vitamins necessary for optimal synthesis.

The second cause of deficiency is linked to the first, and that is impairment of CoQ10 biosynthesis. In addition to inadequate intakes of the compounds necessary to make CoQ10 there are other biological reasons for inadequate production of it. These might include physiological conditions and chronic diseases that cause failure in production. The treatments of diseases can also be a factor. For instance the use of statins to control cholesterol levels has been implicated in the depletion of CoQ10 levels. The catch-22 is, in treating heart disease we use drugs that deplete natural compounds that in turn are necessary to fight heart disease.

The third cause of CoQ10 deficiency is excessive use of the compound by the body. This again can be related to medications, aging or other causes such as excessive exertion, hypermetabolism, and acute shock states.

The real cause of CoQ10 deficiency is usually a combination of these three influences. It is likely that the average CoQ10 levels which have been observed in humans are suboptimal. In other words, the normal levels of CoQ10 that have become the standard for comparisons are very likely less than optimal. That would mean that the extremely low levels observed in connection with chronic diseases are just the worse case scenarios and that other less serious maladies are connected with lesser levels of deficiency.

If this sounds too much like laboratory theory, it isnâ??t. Patients who suffer from chronic diseases and also demonstrate extreme low levels of CoQ10 are not laboratory specimens. They are people who, in many cases, have been greatly helped by CoQ10 supplementation. If chronic disease is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to CoQ10 deficiency one is forced to wonder what better diets and CoQ10 supplementing could do for the eradication of diseases and other chronic conditions.

Greg holds degrees in science, divinity and philosophy and is currently an I.T. developer.

http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/coq10.html

---

The Need For Supplementation

When I began to study nutrition, I too believed that... Read More

Mangosteen

Rarely has a fruit that has been so unknown to... Read More

Probiotics and Friendly Flora

You Need Probiotics For Better Digestion and Overall HealthInside your... Read More

Take Back Your Life

It seems today that for every mood swing, inconvenient behavior,... Read More

Looking For Health Care Supplements ? The Easy Way To Order

When looking for health care supplements Texas residents can enjoy... Read More

Mineral Supplement: Minerals in Your Diet!

The food is the raw material for the body. Minerals... Read More

Should I Be Taking Vitamin Supplements?

Most people believe that they are reasonably healthy. Exercise, having... Read More

Vitamin B-2

Riboflavin is a common name for vitamin B-2 and was... Read More

The Most Important Supplement You Can Take For Better Health

This article will reveal one easy change you can make... Read More

Why Do Supplements Make You Sick?

I have good news for you! The answer is both... Read More

How to Neutralize the Terrorists Within Your Body

Did you know that there are free radical biochemical "terrorists"... Read More

Why Fucose?

Haven't heard of fucose? Think it's the latest teen dance... Read More

Coral Calcium: The Preferred Source of Absorbable Calcium

Coral Calcium is an excellent source of readily accessible and... Read More

Discovering MSM

MSM is a wonderful supplement with a low toxicity rating... Read More

Glucosamine Chondroitin & Arthritis - A Health Supplement

Many millions of people are affected by pain and suffering... Read More

The Fountain Of Youth

Aging, a steady declineThe History of the world is filled... Read More

Improving Cellular Communication With Glyconutrients

The body is just mind-bogglingly amazing. I mean, when you... Read More

Vitamin for Boosting your Immune System

Turmeric, in all honesty is not a vitamin, but it... Read More

Dietary and Nutritional Supplements: Know More About Supplements

At times, due to your busy and fast life, we... Read More

Vitamin Supplements in a Liquid World

Every day, it seems like we are living in an... Read More

Vitamin Supplements, Do We Need Them?

We live in a health conscious generation where vitamins and... Read More

Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - L-Taurine

Taurine is the second most abundant amino acid in the... Read More

Nutritional Supplement - The Good Food, Bad Food Myth

Will common sense ever prevail? We've all seen stories on... Read More

The Immune-Boosting Power of Colostrum

Bovine Colostrum is the form of "milk" taken from dairy... Read More

Calcium Supplement - The Importance of Taking One

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body... Read More

Eat Well First Before You Take Your Vitamins

There is a huge market when it comes to vitamins.... Read More

Building Muscle Power Through Vitamins and Minerals

The muscles of the body actually depend heavily on the... Read More

Take Back Your Life 3

In parts one and two of this series, titled "Take... Read More

What Are Nutraceuticals and Why Are the Drug Companies Upset?

If you break the word apart, Nutra has to do... Read More

Fish Oils And A Plethora of Chronic Health Problems

I recently heard of an older couple that eats salmon... Read More

Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - Ecdysterone

Ecdysterone is a powerful compound that can help to maximise... Read More

Definitve Proof - Supplements Heal

No Money in PreventionI have been recommending a wide variety... Read More

The Effects of an no2 Supplement on Your Body

Our system uses a free-form gas called Nitric Oxide as... Read More