Ubiquinone (CoQ10) is a popular heart medication. Until 2001, it was only available by prescription in Japan. The public is hardly aware that an increasingly popular class of cardiovascular drugs called statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) interfere with the body’s synthesis of CoQ10. [*] Top selling statin drugs, such as LipitorÒ and ZocorÒ, earn their makers in excess $20 billion per year. These drugs lower the endogenous production of cholesterol and are often touted as “life saving” by cardiologists and the Media.
Are the statin drugs really good for us, or are cardiologists mistaken? How can drugs that lower the body’s production of CoQ10 benefit heart patients? Are the health benefits attributed to CoQ10 supplementation hype or is it that there is something fundamentally wrong with the thinking and science being used by those who market statin drugs?
COQ10 BASICS
Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like fat-soluble antioxidant found everywhere in the body; the highest concentrations have been measured in vital organs such as the heart and pancreas. At age 20, the heart has a higher CoQ10 level than other major organs. At age 80 this is no longer true, with the heart levels cut by more than half. More than 35 controlled clinical trials in Japan, Europe and the U.S. have proven that CoQ10 therapy is highly effective in treatment of congestive heart failure, angina and ischemic heart disease, and myocardial infarction. It is now believed that CoQ10 is the key nutrient for generating 95 percent of the total energy required by the human body.
A healthy, youthful human body can make its own CoQ10. Endogenous production or biosynthesis of CoQ10 has 17 steps, requiring at least seven vitamins (vitamin B2 - riboflavin, vitamin B3 - niacinamide, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and pantothenic acid) and several trace elements.
The pharmaceutical giant Merck has known for more than 15 years that statin drugs interfere with CoQ10 biosynthesis; leading to low serum levels which cause muscles to atrophy. The following claim from one of two 1990 Merck patents (4,933,165) is to add CoQ10 to statin drugs in order to overcome statin induced myopathy:
1. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutical carrier and an effective antihypercholesterolemic amount of an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor and an amount of Coenzyme Q.sub.10 effective to counteract HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor-associated skeletal muscle myopathy.
This invention has never been implemented, probably because the entire world supply of CoQ10 is limited and current production would only supply one-sixth of the world’s statin users.
VARIOUS HEALTH BENEFITS ATTRIBUTED TO COQ10
The CoQ10 science has accelerated from its discovery in 1957 until the present day and appears excellent. [*] The following headlines summarize the many clinical studies that have shown CoQ10 supplementation beneficial in disease conditions ranging from Parkinson’s disease to cataracts. Dosages studied range from 30 mg to 1200 mg daily. Higher dosages have generally been found to be more beneficial.
· CoQ10 gives complete protection against stroke
Since 1972, in studies of stroke in three animal models (dog, rat, gerbil) ubiquinone (coq10) was the only agent giving complete protection and this was over two times more often than the next best agent (naloxone) of the many tested to date. [*]
· CoQ10 benefits Cardiovascular Disease
CoQ10 levels in heart tissue decline disproportionately with age. CoQ10 pioneer Karl Folkers (1985), in agreement with earlier Japanese studies, found lower CoQ10 levels in patients with more severe heart disease and showed that CoQ10 supplements significantly raised blood and heart tissue levels of CoQ10 in these patients. [*]
· CoQ10 improves high blood pressure
" At least six clinical trials have shown a blood pressure-lowering effect of CoQ10. [*]
· CoQ10 for Parkinson’s disease.
"Less disability developed in subjects on CoQ10 than in those on placebo, and the benefit was greatest in people receiving the highest dosage." [*]
· CoQ10 benefits people with kidney failure.
" Because CoQ10 has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of chronic renal failure, a large-scale, long-term study should be initiated as soon as possible." - Alan Gaby [*]
· CoQ10 for youthful skin
" Just recently scientists have also discovered that this natural supplement may even slow down the skin's aging process. Gerson Unna confirmed that, like vitamin E, Co-Q10 slows down tissue damage by decreasing the effect of free radical molecules. In a placebo-controlled study, researchers at Beiersdorf discovered that after six weeks of daily treatment on crow's feet (eye wrinkles), wrinkle depth was reduced by 27 percent; after 10 weeks, fine lines and wrinkles were reduced by a surprising 43 percent. The enzyme also has been effective in the reduction and fading of age spots and is touted by Beiersdorf for its lack of toxicity. [*]
Science has uncovered even more benefits of supplemental CoQ10. [*]
COQ10 SUPPLEMENTATION IS NECESSARY AS WE AGE
Researcher Dr. John Ely, of the University of Washington, holds that CoQ10 supplementation is essential in the aged. Most people make approximately 500 mg of Coq10 daily in the body, at least up until age 21. Between ages 21 and 30, levels of CoQ10 begin to drop, perhaps because of aging. This causes the degeneration of cells, which may contribute to age-related diseases and conditions such as high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease and the breakdown of skin tissue.
Statin drugs and deficiencies in several other vitamins also cause blood levels of CoQ10 to drop.
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