PRESENTLY AVAILABLE IN THIS ARCHIVE:
WHAT IS COENZYME Q10?
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) occurs naturally in the cells of plants, animals and humans. It is also known as “ubiquinone” which comes from the word "ubiquitous," which means “everywhere present.” This fat soluble substance is used by cells to extract energy from food. The ability of our vital organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys to properly function depends on receiving and maintaining a sufficient supply of CoQ10 to provide and sustain energy.
All cells have little energy producing factories called mitochondria wherein is made the basic energy molecule of life called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) upon which all cellular functions depend. CoQ10 is vital to the process of making ATP in acting as a co-factor in electron transport between cells. CoQ10 is the crucial component in the process that converts the energy in carbohydrates and fatty acids into the fuel necessary to drive cellular machinery. CoQ10 also stabilizes cell membranes and acts as a major antioxidant in neutralizing free radicals.
WHERE IS CoQ10 FOUND?
CoQ10 is found in small amounts in a wide variety of foods but is particularly high in organ meats such as heart, liver and kidney, as well as beef, soy oil, sardines, mackerel, and peanuts. One pound of sardines, two pounds of beef, or two and one half pounds of peanuts, provide 30 mg of CoQ10. CoQ10 is also synthesized in the body from the amino acid tyrosine in a process requiring at least eight vitamins and several trace elements.
BODY REQUIREMENTS OF CoQ10:
Normal blood and tissue levels of CoQ10 have been well established by numerous investigators around the world. Significantly decreased levels of CoQ10 have been noted in a wide variety of diseases in both animal and human studies. CoQ10 deficiency may be caused by insufficient dietary CoQ10, impairment of CoQ10 synthesis by the body, excessive utilization of CoQ10 by the body, or any combination of the three.
The adult human body reserve of CoQ10 has been found to be approximately two grams (2000 milligrams) with the body requiring replacement of about 500 milligrams per day. This must be supplied either by synthesis in the body or obtained from food. Synthesis within the body decreases progressively in humans after age 21. Since the average CoQ10 content of the western diet is less than 5 milligrams per day, it is difficult to maintain adequate CoQ10 levels unless you eat a very nutrition dense diet. Therefore, supplementation with CoQ10 should be seriously considered.
CoQ10 is fat-soluble and absorption is significantly improved when it is taken with a fat-containing food. Dosage levels of supplemental CoQ10 depend on your age, dietary intake and general level of health. Anyone suffering from heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, or Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disorders should supplement with CoQ10 as this nutrient has been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms associated with these health concerns.
HEART DISEASE AND CoQ10:
CoQ10 is highly concentrated in heart muscle cells due to the high energy requirements of the heart. Much of the clinical research with CoQ10 has focused on heart disease. Specifically, congestive heart failure has been strongly correlated with significantly low blood and tissue levels of CoQ10. Research has shown that the severity of heart failure correlates with the severity of CoQ10 deficiency. Internationally, there have been at least nine placebo controlled studies on the treatment of heart disease with CoQ10. All nine of these studies have confirmed the effectiveness of CoQ10 in treating heart disease. In addition, there have been 300 papers presented by approximately 200 different physicians and scientists from 18 different countries reporting on clinical studies involving CoQ10. The majority of these clinical studies relate to the treatment of heart disease and are consistent in their conclusions that treatment with CoQ10 significantly improved heart muscle function while producing no adverse effects or drug interactions.
STATIN DRUGS AND CoQ10:
Many people are using prescription Statin drugs such as lovastatin, Lipitor and Mevacor to lower cholesterol levels. Statins lower cholesterol by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA Reductase that catalyzes the production of cholesterol in the liver. The mechanism by which Statin drugs lower cholesterol also inhibits the biosynthesis of CoQ10 in the liver. CoQ10 is absolutely necessary for proper function of the heart. Some doctors have observed a marked increase in heart failure, among those using statin drugs. It even has a name, “Statin Cardiomyopathy.” Anyone using Statins should take a CoQ10 supplement.
BLOOD PRESSURE AND CoQ10:
In a study, of 109 patients with essential hypertension, 51% were able to stop between one and three antihypertensive drugs at an average of 4.4 months after starting CoQ10 treatment.
PARKINSON’S DISEASE AND CoQ10:
A larger 16 month trial funded by the National Institutes of Health explored the use of CoQ10 (300, 600 or 1200 mg/day) or a placebo in 80 patients with early stage Parkinson's disease. The results suggested that CoQ10, especially at the 1200 mg per day dose, led to a significant reduction in disability compared to those who took a placebo.
SAFETY OF SUPPLEMENTAL CoQ10:
In many large-scale clinical trials, orally administrated CoQ10 has been shown to be safe and efficacious at blood levels of about 4 parts per million (ppm) which is considered pharmacologic and attained by 800 milligrams per day of CoQ10. Even at levels of 80 ppm measured by the Japanese in 1984 with an IV ubiquinone preparation, only beneficial effects were reported.
FORMS OF CoQ10:
Ubiquinone is the form found in food, in many supplements and the form made in the body. Once made in the body or ingested from exogenous (outside the body) sources, more than 90% is converted into its antioxidant form called Ubiquinol. More than 90% of the circulating CoQ10 in our body is present as ubiquinol. The body has reductase enzymes which take the ingested CoQ10 in food and supplements and convert most of it into ubiquinol. Research with animals and humans has shown exogenous ubiquinol to be absorbed better than ubiquinone. Therefore, ubiquinol might afford an advantage over ubiquinone in individuals who do not do well in converting ubiquinone to ubiquinol. It’s been found that after age 40, our bodies do not make this conversion very well. CoQ10 in the ubiquinol form is available as a supplement.
The company, Life Extension has recently introduced another form of CoQ10 called Super Ubiquinol with Enhanced Mitochondrial Support. This product contains an organic compound called shilajit that research has shown to double levels of CoQ10 in the mitochondria. Shilajit has been shown to help restore and sustain cellular energy. The latest studies reveal that when shilajit is combined with CoQ10, cellular energy gains substantially increase. In one study, the combination of CoQ10 and shilajit produced a 56% increase in cellular energy production in the brain which was 40% better than CoQ10 alone. In muscle there was a 144% increase which was 27% better than CoQ10 alone. Researchers have found that shilajit works to boost CoQ10’s beneficial effects by stabilizing CoQ10 in its superior ubiquinol form and thereby prolonging its action at the cellular level. This facilitates more efficient delivery of CoQ10 into the mitochondria, resulting in greater cellular energy output.
The body’s natural production of CoQ10 diminishes with age, as does the ability to convert the nutrient into ubiquinol. While everyone is different, research indicates CoQ10 production may begin to decline as early as age 20. For some, CoQ10 levels within the heart and kidneys have dropped more than 25 percent by age 40. Therefore, supplementation with CoQ10 should be seriously considered. At Milk ‘N Honey, we carry all three of the forms of CoQ10 discussed above.
THE WONDERS OF POMEGRANATE
The fruit of the pomegranate tree has been shown to have tremendous health benefits. The pomegranate is native to
POMEGRANATE AND CANCER:
Pomegranate fruit contains polyphenols which are chemical compounds that perform antioxidant activity in the body. A major polyphenol found in pomegranate is ellagitannin, which hydrolyzes in the body (breaks down) into ellagic acid. The Hollings Cancer Institute at the University of South Carolina conducted a nine year double blind study on a group of 500 cervical cancer patients and found that ellagic acid inhibited mitosis (proliferation) of cancer cells and facilitated apoptosis ( cell death) for breast, pancreas, esophageal, skin, colon and prostate cancer cells. Ellagic acid inhibits the initiation of tumors through a number of mechanisms, including inhibition of metabolic activation of carcinogenic compounds such as hydrocarbons and certain food preservatives. Therefore this acid is beneficial as a preventive against cancer.
A study done at the
Some research has showed that pomegranate extracts will cause differentiation in leukemia cells. Differentiation is the ability of cancer cells to revert back to their normal non-cancerous identities. These results appear to be better obtained by using fermented pomegranate products such as pomegranate wine rather than fresh juice.
POMEGRANATE AND HEART DISEASE:
Activation of a compound named NF-kappaB leads to development of inflammatory plaque in the arteries. Compounds in pomegranate have been shown to inhibit the activation of this protein compound and thus help guard against plaque buildup.
Pomegranate increases the production of a protective cytokine called prostacyclin which reduces blood clotting in the arterial system which in turn reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. Pomegranate has been shown to inhibit a blood serum enzyme called ACE that can rise systolic (the upper number) blood pressure and thus it protects against the damaging effects of high blood pressure.
According to Professor Michael Aviram of the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel, sugars in most juices are in a free form state and must be metabolized like all other sugar that enters the body. The sugars in pomegranate juice are bound to antioxidants which result in these sugars helping to prevent oxidative damage such as is found in atherosclerosis.
Most of the current research on pomegranate has come from
Recent research, published in the August issue of the journal Atherosclerosis (Vol. 187, pp. 363-371), reports that subjects who drank 50 ml of pomegranate juice (containing 1.5 millimoles of polyphenols) every day for three months experienced a reduced risk for atherosclerosis. In another clinical trial, 22 patients drank 40 grams per day of concentrated pomegranate juice for 8 weeks. Compared to 8 weeks before treatment, taking pomegranate was associated with significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio, and total HDL cholesterol ratio.
TAKING POMEGRANATE:
It should be noted that the research done with pomegranate was done with concentrates or extracts of pomegranate and not with mass market pomegranate juice which is often deluded with other juices and/or has sugar added. To obtain results using pomegranate juice it is important that you drink 100% pomegranate juice or take it in a high quality supplemental form. At Milk ‘N Honey we offer a raw, unpasteurized pomegranate juice concentrate, as well as, pomegranate in capsules.
NUTRIENTS FOR THE HEART
NEWSLETTER: MARCH 2010
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in
A whole food diet emphasizing organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables, unprocessed whole grains and legumes, nuts and seeds and high quality animal products will go a long way toward maintaining proper levels of cholesterol and blood pressure without the need for pharmaceuticals. Besides controlling for cholesterol and blood pressure, a whole food diet plus regular exercise will reduce stress, maintain proper weight and facilitate proper triglyceride, homocysteine and C-reactive protein levels, all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Diet and exercise must be the primary consideration in treating and avoiding heart disease.
Since many Americans do not consistently eat a whole food diet or regularly exercise, it is important there is awareness of a group of nutrients that are critical to the health of the heart. Four of these nutrients are produced by the body from raw materials provided by the diet and one of these nutrients must come directly from the diet. A high quality diet is critical to these nutrients being operational in the body. If a high quality diet is not being consumed, supplementation with these nutrients may be necessary. The group of nutrients I am referring to are, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), L-Carnitine, Taurine, D-Ribose and the mineral Magnesium. These five nutrients are very important to the proper function of the heart.
COENZYME Q10 (CoQ10):
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) occurs naturally in the cells of plants, animals and humans. This fat soluble substance is used by cells to extract energy from food. CoQ10 is highly concentrated in heart muscle cells due to the high energy requirements of the heart. Congestive heart failure has been strongly correlated with significantly low blood and tissue levels of CoQ10. Research has shown that the severity of heart failure correlates with the severity of CoQ10 deficiency. People using Statin drugs to lower cholesterol levels must supplement with CoQ10 as Statins destroy this nutrient. Some doctors have observed a marked increase in heart failure, among those using Statin drugs. It even has a name, “Statin Cardiomyopathy.” Anyone using Statins should take a CoQ10 supplement.
CoQ10 is found in small amounts in a wide variety of foods but is particularly high in organ meats such as heart, liver and kidney, as well as beef, soy oil, sardines, mackerel, and peanuts. CoQ10 is also synthesized in the body from the amino acid tyrosine in a process requiring at least eight vitamins and several trace elements. You can see the importance of eating a quality diet in order for your body to make CoQ10.
The adult human body reserve of CoQ10 has been found to be approximately two grams (2000 milligrams) with the body requiring replacement of about 500 milligrams per day. This must be supplied either by synthesis in the body or obtained from food. Synthesis within the body decreases progressively in humans after age 21. Since the average CoQ10 content of the western diet is less than 5 milligrams per day, it is difficult to maintain adequate CoQ10 levels unless you eat a very nutrition dense diet. Therefore, supplementation with CoQ10 should be seriously considered.
L-Carnitine is a dipeptide composed of the amino acids lysine and methionine, both of which must come from the diet as our bodies don’t make these amino acids. Carnitine is manufactured in the liver and kidneys and is found in animal products. This compound facilitates the transportation of fatty acids across cell membranes into the mitochondria of cells. It is therefore important to the cells utilization of fats as a fuel source for producing energy. Since the heart is the most energy intense organ in the body and uses fatty acids as a primary source of fuel, carnitine is of vital importance to coronary health. People who have cardiovascular disease often exhibit carnitine deficiency. Some research shows that angina may occur as a result of carnitine deficiency and the taking of 900 - 2,000 mg per day of supplemental carnitine may reduce the pain and other symptoms of angina. Carnitine is stored primarily in the heart where it facilitates cardiac contractions.
TAURINE:
D-RIBOSE:
D-ribose is a five-carbon sugar that is made in our cells from glucose and is instrumental in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It is also present in small amounts in food, primarily in muscle meats. ATP is the basic energy producing molecule in the body. Ribose provides the key building block of ATP, and the presence of ribose in the cell stimulates the metabolic pathway our bodies use to actually make ATP. If the cell does not have enough ribose, it cannot make ATP. Therefore, ribose is critical to the heart which utilizes a great deal of energy. Ribose is made by the cells in response to metabolic demands of the body. The process of making ribose is slow in the body and when metabolic demand suddenly increases, the body can’t always meet the demand in a timely manner. For example, when there is a lack of oxygen to the heart resulting from a clogged artery inhibiting blood flow, the metabolic demands of the heart suddenly increase requiring greater ATP which requires more ribose.
Many years of research has shown ribose has a profound effect on heart function in patients with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and Cardiomyopathy (a weakened heart muscle). In one study conducted at the
Other studies have shown ribose supplementation increased oxygen utilization resulting in patients able to breathe better and use the oxygen they inhaled more efficiently. Improving ability to use oxygen means more oxygen is available to go into the blood and out to the tissues. Having more oxygen available allows the heart and all other muscles to burn fuel more efficiently, helping muscle to keep pace with energy demand.
MAGNESIUM:
Magnesium is an alkaline macro mineral that functions as an electrolyte. Electrolytes are substances that can conduct an electric charge when in solution. Magnesium is one of the principal intracellular electrolytes that conduct a positive electrical charge. Therefore, this electrolyte is very important to the heart muscle as it is used to maintain voltages across the hearts cell membranes and to carry electrical impulses to other cells.
Green vegetables such as spinach, romaine lettuce, kale and collards, are good sources of magnesium. Some legumes, nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews and walnuts) and unrefined grains are also good sources of magnesium. Refined grains have much of their magnesium removed. Data from the 1999-2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey suggest that substantial numbers of adults in the
Researchers have determined that congestive heart failure is often associated with abnormally low blood magnesium levels and low tissue magnesium levels. Magnesium deficiency in congestive heart failure patients can lead to cardiac arrhythmia's and sudden cardiac death. Magnesium deficiency may contribute to the increase in peripheral vascular resistance commonly observed in congestive heart failure patients. Since the body does not produce magnesium, all your magnesium must come from the diet.
SUMMERY:
The five nutrients discussed here are critical to the health and function of the heart. If you are not eating the kind of diet that provides the body with adequate amounts of magnesium or adequate amounts of the raw materials to produce the four other nutrients discussed in this essay, these nutrients are all available as supplements.