Energizing supplement fixes failing hearts
Two new studies have shown how the energy-enhancing nutrient, coenzyme Q10, can make the human heart much stronger - even in patients with heart failure.
It can hardly come as a surprise that coenzyme Q10, a widely used energy-enhancing supplement, makes you feel more alert. What is amazing is that two new studies show that it can also give the heart muscle significantly more power. One study was carried out on a normal healthy group of elderly people, while the other study was conducted on heart failure patients. In both studies the heart muscles of the Q10-treated participants obtained significantly more contractile strength - that it its ability to contract - and the number of people who died of cardiovascular complications was reduced by over 50%.
Most energy goes to the heart
The researchers were surprised to see how Q10 had a special affinity for the heart but there is a perfectly logical explanation to that. Energy is produced in some small "powerhouses" inside the cells. These energy factories are known as mitochondria and there are significantly more of them in cells in heart muscle tissue than in any other type of human cell, simply because the heart consumes more energy than any other body part.
A new understanding of heart failure
Another word for chronic heart failure is an "energy-starved heart", which explains exactly what the problem is about. The heart is unable to produce enough energy to pump and that affects the whole body. The patient experiences all sorts of symptoms that are a result of poor heart function:
- fatigue
- shortness of breath
- lack of strength and endurance
- chest pain
As soon as the heart is supplied with Q10, the substance that fuels the energy production, things change. The heart gains strength and that affects the entire body in a positive direction.
Stronger hearts, fewer deaths
The two recent Q10 studies are both Scandinavian and have already made headlines internationally.
Q-Symbio
Danish study of 420 patients with chronic heart failure. Half were given 300 mg Q10 daily, while the other half got identical "dummy pills" with an inactive substance (placebo). The following was observed in the Q10-group (in comparison with the placebo group):
- Heart muscle function improved significantly
- There were around 50% fewer heart-related deaths
- There were approx. half as many major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)
KiSel-10
Swedish study of 443 normal, healthy elderly people. Half were given 200 mg Q10 and 200 mcg selenium. The other half got identical placebo. The following was observed in the Q10/selenium group:
- Heart muscle function improved significantly
- Cardiovascular death rate was reduced by 54%
Q10 fuels our cellsThe body's energy production takes place inside each cell in some tiny "powerhouses" known as mitochondria. Scientists have found that cells in heart muscle tissue harbor substantially more mitochondria than any other type of cell, which is clearly a sign that the heart muscle has to produce an enormous amount of energy to function properly. That explains why supplementing on the compound has a particularly great effect on the heart. Other body functions that have been shown to improve as a result of taking Q10 include:
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A thing both studies had in common, although they were conducted in different countries by different scientists, was that the researchers went for the same Q10 formula. It is a special Danish Q10 preparation that has become the gold standard (science reference) of the International Coenzyme Q10 Association (ICQA) because it the quality, safety, and efficacy of the product is backed up by over 90 published studies. The formula is particularly well suited for research, as it has been shown in clinical trials to raise blood levels of Q10 more effectively than any other Q10 formula on the market.
