Co enzyme Q 10 (or simply ‘CoQ10’ as it’s called) is a fat soluble substance found throughout the body. Although modern science does not yet fully understand everything this amazing compound does, we do know that it is involved in many metabolic reactions in the body and that it may play an important role in regulating blood pressure and blood sugar. It may also help improve heart failure, treat migraines, slow Parkinson’s’ disease and treat muscle pain caused by statins.
To treat high blood pressure, some studies suggest using 100 to 120mg daily. Research suggests that CoQ10 can significantly reduce high blood pressure. If you are taking high blood pressure medications and decide to start taking CoQ10, it may be a good idea to monitor your blood pressure at home to ensure it doesn’t go too low. Automated blood pressure cuffs are easy to use and can be purchased at most drug stores. For more information on what your goal blood pressure should be, read our article on high blood pressure here.
Other studies show that 100 to 200mg daily of CoQ10 may decrease A1C in people with type 2 diabetes. A1C is a blood test that measures how high, on average, your blood sugar has been over the last 3 months. The higher your A1C, the higher you average daily blood sugar has been. Although some studies show a benefit, while others do not, CoQ10 may help lower your blood sugar. Although helpful in lowering A1C, CoQ10 should not be used as a substitute for eating right and increasing daily activity.
Taking 60 to 300mg per day of CoQ10 may help improve quality of life, decrease symptoms and decrease hospitalizations in people with heart failure according to some evidence. Not to be used alone, most health professional suggest that CoQ10 be considered only as a ‘add on’ for patients who are already well-controlled on other heart failure meds.
Studies show that 100mg three times daily may be beneficial in preventing migraines and reducing nausea associated with migraines. In one patient, migraines were reduced 50%. Given the rather benign side effects of CoQ10, which we will discuss in a moment, it may be worth trying CoQ10 to prevent migraines, especially if it can help one reduce the need for other migraine meds.
CoQ10 has been shown to decrease the progression of Parkinson’s in some studies, however, it was not shown to decrease the need for Parkinson’s medication. 300 to 1200mg divided into three or four doses a day has been used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
It is thought that CoQ10 can help treat the muscle pain that is sometimes experienced when taking statins. Statins are a class of medications that are used to treat high cholesterol. One side effect of statins is muscle pain. If you experience muscle aches while taking a statin, you should let your doctor know immediately because it may be a sign of a serious but rare side effect called rhabdomyolisis. If your doctor confirms that the muscle pain is not due to a serious, rare side effect and is in fact just due to simple muscle pain, it may be helpful to see if supplementing with CoQ10 will help relieve the pain. It is thought that statins deplete the amount of CoQ10 in the body and contribute to muscle pain. Although studies are conflicting on this issue, it makes sense that this type of supplementation would work. In fact, it is rumored that the manufacturers of one of the main statin medications on the market is going to launch a new prescription product combining the statin and CoQ10.
Side effects of CoQ10 are typically not serious and may include nausea, diarrhea, anorexia, heartburn and rash. Liquid cap formulations are thought to be more easily absorbed by the body. Because CoQ10 can lower blood pressure, care should be taken to closely monitor your blood pressure if you are taking blood pressure medications. People taking Coumadin (warfarin) should be careful because CoQ10 can further ‘thin’ the blood in these patients. It is important that people taking warfarin having their warfarin dose carefully monitored by their physician.
Experts agree that there is still more research to be done before supplementation with CoQ10 can be widely recommended. However, preliminary evidence suggests that supplementing with CoQ10 may be beneficial.
