CoQ10 for a healthy heart – Part 2
We live in “cholesterol obsessed” times. A label bearing the words “cholesterol free” is one of the most powerful sales pitches a food manufacturer can make. While most people understand that cholesterol has something to do with heart disease and clogged arteries, misinformation still abounds. It is true that high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol can be a problem if not countered by high levels of the protective HDL cholesterol. However, the greatest problem of all occurs when LDL cholesterol becomes oxidised by free radicals. Oxidised cholesterol has a greatly increased ability to stick to and clog arteries. The good news is that the powerful antioxidant properties of CoQ10 greatly reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol into its dangerous form.
When all the studies are added together a clear picture of the cardiovascular benefits of CoQ10 emerges. Therapeutic doses of CoQ10 have been proven to result in:
*Reduction in blood pressure and heart rate
*Reduction in sweating and palpitations
*Reduction in need for cardiovascular drugs
*Decreased chest congestion after heart failure
*Prevention of the negative effects of beta blockers without impairing the positive effects
*Improvement of children with Mitral Valve prolapse.
Statins
Statin drugs are used to reduce cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Statins are the darlings of the pharmaceutical industry, generating $US 14 billion dollars a year in sales. Nearly a quarter of a million New Zealanders take these drugs every day. Despite the fact that the benefits and side effects of these drugs are increasingly controversial, there is no abate to their rapid rise to fame and fortune. The sometimes deadly side effects of statins have been widely discussed in the media, but there is one potentially serious side effect which rarely makes it to the headlines.
Statins interfere with the body’s ability to manufacture its own CoQ10, leading to a drug induced deficiency of this vital cardiac nutrient. Heart failure victims often have abnormally low concentrations of CoQ10 in their heart muscle. Some scientists believe that while statins reduce LDL and total cholesterol levels, they may also increase the risk of sudden heart failure related to CoQ10 deficiency.
A recent small study looked at 14 patients (with no previous history of heart failure) who had received statins for 3 to 6 months. 10 patients showed a worsening of at least one of three different markers of heart function during their treatment. 5 patients had a worsening of all three markers of heart function. Of the ten patients with worsening heart function, 9 were given 100mg of CoQ10 daily for three months while they continued their statin treatment. Of those 9 patients 8 showed an improvement in at least one of the markers, and 5 showed an improvement in all three of the markers of cardiac function. Each of the heart marker abnormalities that developed with statin use in this study are signs of potential heart failure.
In many parts of Europe it is standard practice to prescribe CoQ10 along with a script for statins. Sadly, this is not a widespread practice in New Zealand, and it is common to see CoQ10 deficiency develop within a year of beginning statin therapy. In America a group of 14 concerned scientists and clinicians have petitioned the FDA stating that the muscle destruction and fatigue linked to statin use may actually be a direct result of CoQ10 depletion induced by the drugs.
Muscle pain is another common statin side effect. A small double blind study from the University of Wisconsin suggests that CoQ10 supplementation may significantly reduce the incidence of this problem. 40 patients suffering from statin induced muscle pain were randomly placed in two different groups. One group received 400iu of vitamin E each day for 30 days. The other group received 100mg of CoQ10 daily for 30 days. The CoQ10 group had a significant reduction in muscle pain, with none evident in the vitamin E supplemented group.
Lynda Wharton
www.lyndawharton.com