Our goals in life differentiate, but one thing that most of us have in common is the desire to prolong and enjoy our lives as much as can. There are many factors that affect the ageing process and obvious ones include poor diet and lifestyles choices. Most of us are aware of what we need to do to improve the quality of life and certainly we are reminded constantly about saturated fats, smoking and alcohol intake. Yet there appears to be a lack of information about one particular nutrient called Co-Enzyme Q10 and its effects on every person’s health.

What is Co-Enzyme Q10?

Co-Enzyme Q10 is important for the optimal function of the body on a daily basis. Known as ubiquinone because it is ubiquitous in the human body, Co-Enzyme Q10 is required by every single cell within our bodies. One of the most important benefits of Co-Enzyme Q10 is its ability to enhance energy production. It is utilised by each cell to make the energy molecule ATP, and helps cells to take up fats and other nutrients and convert these into usable energy.

Co-Enzyme Q10 is also a very powerful antioxidant, which helps to neutralise free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that are known to damage the tissues and possibly genetic material within the cells. It is often recommended for heart conditions such as high blood pressure because it helps protect the heart against free radical damage aside from oxygenating the heart muscle tissue.

Co-Enzyme Q10 has also been shown to help mental alertness. Studies have shown a 56 percent increase in cellular energy production by the brain when supplementing with this nutrient.

Our lungs like our heart are very active organs requiring vast amounts of Co-Enzyme Q10 to function properly. Users of Co-Enzyme Q10 supplements often find that their breathing improves markedly. There are many cited studies on the additional benefits of Co-Enzyme Q10, including helping to prevent and treat gum disease, support the immune system and aiding weight loss by improving metabolism.

What is the best Co-Enzyme Q10 to take?

There are literally hundreds of Co-Enzyme Q10 supplements on the market so it can be confusing as to which supplement one should take. Co-Enzyme Q10, until recently, was available as ubiquinone, which is then converted by the body using various enzymes and nutrients into ubiquinol, the active form, before being able to be utilised by the body for its multiple benefits. If you are under the age of 25, this process is carried out easily because during this phase, the body generally can produce sufficient enzymes for this conversion process.

What is very apparent is that by the time you reach your forties, levels of Co-Enzyme Q10 are half what they should be and there are a number of reasons for this, including:

• The ageing process which results in diminished conversion.
• Insufficient dietary intake of Co-Enzyme Q10.
• Nutrient deficiencies which hinder the conversion process.
• Potential effects from illness and disease.

It is for this reason that I always recommend people over 40 to take a supplement containing ubiquinol such as Super Ubiquinol Co-Enzyme Q10 by Life Extension. Available in two strengths, 50mg and 100mg, the lower strength is recommended for general protection whilst the higher strength for providing additional protection for the cardiovascular system.

Statin drugs are now very widely prescribed for lowering cholesterol and they work by reducing the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver. Unfortunately they also reduce the production of Co-Enzyme Q10, which increases the risk of other diseases. Co-Enzyme Q10 is required by the heart muscle tissue for its optimal function as well as by all the other tissues, so it is imperative to take a supplement of Co-Enzyme Q10 if you taking cholesterol medication and I would recommend that you consider the use of Super Ubiquinol CoEnzyme Q10 – Super Strength.

Both the above ubiquinol supplements contain Kaneka Ubiquinol™, a readily absorbed form of CoQ10, however these supplements are in a gelatin capsule which is not suitable for vegans or vegetarians. Good Health Naturally Ubiquinol UB8Q10 provides Kaneka Ubiquinol™ in a vegetarian capsule suitable for use by vegetarians. 

Dietary intake of Co-Enzyme Q10 rich foods such as sardines and peanuts will simply not provide sufficient levels of this nutrient. Supplementation is the only real way to raise levels of this nutrient. Since the availability of ubiquinol is eight times greater than that of conventional Co-Enzyme Q10 supplements, I would most definitely recommend ubiquinol supplements since this nutrient can enter the cells within our bodies to perform its multi-faceted protective roles.

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