It seems that the discovery of Coenzyme Q10 was not an accidental discovery in the way that the discovery of penicillin was. A look at the history of Coenzyme Q10 reveals a determined progression of researchers toward greater understanding of the cellular mechanisms that produce energy in our cells.

To go back to the beginning, in 1954, Professor R. A. Morton and his colleagues in Great Britain carried out a number of studies on a mysterious lipid-soluble substance that they found everywhere in animal tissue, e.g. in the tissue of horse intestines, in the tissue of rat livers, and in the tissue of various organs in pigs. The British researchers got close, but they couldn't quite identify the substance.

Up to 40% of the deaths in the United States could be delayed until a later time in life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued a report in which the CDC researchers estimated that deaths in five categories could be postponed until later in life if only people would take some commonsense measures. One of these measures would be taking an absorbable Q10 supplement daily.

Five causes of death

The report focused on five causes of premature death that can be "postponed" if people will follow some commonsense guidelines. The categories of death discussed in the CDC report are heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, strokes, and unintentional injuries.

Okay, first off, let's define "bioavailability." Let's agree that bioavailability tells us how much of a drug or substance is actually absorbed in the small intestine and gets from there into the blood and then into the tissues. In other words, bioavailability gives us some indication of how much of the substance that we have paid good money for is absorbed and is available to have a beneficial effect in our bodies.

Q10 difficult to absorb

Q10 is just not an easy substance to absorb. It has a high molecular weight. It is lipophilic. It is very difficult to dissolve Q10 in water. Over the years, it has been necessary to make many attempts to enhance the bioavailability of Q10 preparations.

Examples of the various approaches that have been tried include the following techniques:

• size reduction
• solid dispersion
• ionization
• the use of liposomes and nanoparticles and nano-emulsions and other emulsifying systems as Q10 carriers

You are on the go most of the time. You burn up a lot of energy in the course of the day. You undoubtedly know that the body produces something called ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in the cells and that it uses the ATP to generate energy. But the cells produce and store only so much ATP. With strenuous exertion, you will soon deplete those stores of ATP.

Okay, so, how does Coenzyme Q10 come into the picture? First of all, Q10 itself is a fat-soluble substance that is synthesized in our bodies in a complicated multi-step process that requires the optimal availability of several vitamins, most notably vitamin B6.

Research studies have shown two things that we need to be aware of: 1) that our production of Q10 declines with advancing age, and 2) that, the older we get, the more difficult it is for us to get enough Q10 in the food we eat.