As a pharmacist and a clinical nutritionist, I can see the possibilities of food and dietary supplements as a form of medicine. For example, I am very interested in the health benefits of probiotics. I am intrigued by the manufacturing process that produces probiotic supplements that mimic the activity of our gastrointestinal tract processing food. By that, I mean our GI tract’s use of bacteria to ferment fibers in foods to produce post-biotic metabolites.
As a “natural pharmacist,” I am a passionate advocate of Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both bsynthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... Read more about this term supplementation. I suspect that many people get little or no benefit from the daily CoQ10 supplement they take because the absorption rates of many of the commercial products are very low, often only 1-2% of a 100-mg tablet or capsule. It is important to choose a CoQ10 supplement with good documentation of absorption and bio-availability.
The thing is, there are considerable differences in the absorption and bioavailability of the many commercial CoQ10 supplements. An inexpensive CoQ10 supplement is not inexpensive if it gives only negligible absorption and bioavailability. It is a waste of money. It is important to choose a CoQ10 supplement with documented absorption and efficacy.
The active substance in the best Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both bsynthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... Read more about this term nutritional supplements is a natural substance that is extracted in a yeast fermentation process; the Coenzyme Q10 is not a synthetic substance.
Dr. Ross Pelton brands himself as The Natural Pharmacist; he is also a certified clinical nutritionist. He is currently the Scientific Director for Essential Formulas. Dr. Pelton is the author of The Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook. For a FREE copy of Dr. Pelton’s Quick Reference Guide to Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletions, go to naturalpharmacist.net/dind.
In the April/May 2020 issue of the journal IMCJ: Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal, pharmacist Dr. Ross Pelton reviews the most important developments in Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both bsynthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... Read more about this term clinical research:
• The Q-Symbio Study in which researchers gave chronic heart failure patients 3 x 100 mg of Coenzyme Q10 or placebo daily as an adjuvant treatment together with conventional heart failure medications for two years. The outcome was significantly improved symptoms, quality of life, and survival in the CoQ10 treatment group compared to the placebo group [Mortensen 2014].
Yes, of course, the capsule must contain 100 mg of Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both bsynthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... Read more about this term if that is what the label says. However, the absorption of Coenzyme Q10 is complex. The CoQ10 potency test results do not take important factors into consideration: Dissolving the CoQ10 Crystals – Dividing the CoQ10 Daily Dosage – Deciding on the Form (ubiquinoneUbiquinone, the oxidized form of Coenzyme Q10, expressed as Q10 or CoQ10, is absolutely essential for the mitochondrial ATP energy production process. Ubiquinone is the form of Coenzyme Q10 that the body synthesizes, and ubiquinone is the form of Coenzyme Q10 that has been extensively tested for safety, absorption, and efficacy in clinical trials.... Read more about this term or ubiquinol) and Formulation
The testing shows that seven of the ten tested products had less than 80% potency. These seven named products are not products from major sellers of CoQ10 supplements in the USA.
The other three tested products tested are labeled “X Brand” in the test report. These three products are said to contain 93%, 96.5%, and 86% of the declared active ingredient [NOW® Testing].
Dr. William Judy in his 2018 book, Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both bsynthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... Read more about this term: An Insider’s Guide, discusses the absorption and bioavailability of the ubiquinoneUbiquinone, the oxidized form of Coenzyme Q10, expressed as Q10 or CoQ10, is absolutely essential for the mitochondrial ATP energy production process. Ubiquinone is the form of Coenzyme Q10 that the body synthesizes, and ubiquinone is the form of Coenzyme Q10 that has been extensively tested for safety, absorption, and efficacy in clinical trials.... Read more about this term and ubiquinol forms of Coenzyme Q10. The book is available from amazon.com. ISBN: 978-87-7776-186-7
There are numerous enzyme systems at work in the body to convert ubiquinone, the oxidized form of Coenzyme Q10, to ubiquinol, the reduced form of Coenzyme Q10. Despite marketing claims to the contrary, it is not necessary to take a ubiquinol supplement to get sufficient ubiquinol in the body [Mantle & Dybring 2020]. No worries there.
Dr. William V. Judy, SIBR Research Institute, explains: Absorption is the movement of the ingested Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both bsynthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... Read more about this term through the stomach and small intestines into the lymph and then into the blood circulation. Bioavailability is the accumulation of the ingested Coenzyme Q10 in the blood over time in response to daily doses. It is the amount of Coenzyme Q10 that is available for transport into the tissue cells.
Fact: Without decent absorption and bio-availability of our CoQ10 supplement, we cannot hope to get good heart health effects.
Fact: There is much variability from one CoQ10 supplement to another. It is important to choose a CoQ10 supplement for which there is documented evidence of absorption and bio-availability as well as published evidence of improvement of heart health signs and symptoms.
Sadly, the claims for the absorption of many CoQ10 supplements have been greatly exaggerated in many cases.
In his 2018 book, An Insider’s Guide to Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both bsynthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... Read more about this term, Dr. William Judy of SIBR Research summarizes the results of clinical studies using ubiquinoneUbiquinone, the oxidized form of Coenzyme Q10, expressed as Q10 or CoQ10, is absolutely essential for the mitochondrial ATP energy production process. Ubiquinone is the form of Coenzyme Q10 that the body synthesizes, and ubiquinone is the form of Coenzyme Q10 that has been extensively tested for safety, absorption, and efficacy in clinical trials.... Read more about this term CoQ10 supplements. He also includes anecdotes about the use of CoQ10 supplements. The book is available from amazon.com.
Even if they are made from the same raw material, the CoQ10 products on the US retail market are very diverse in terms of their absorption and in terms of their health effects.
We, as consumers, need to see documentation, preferably in peer-reviewed scientific journals, for the absorption and efficacy of the CoQ10 product we buy.
The form of the retail Coenzyme Q10 product can be different (either the ubiquinone form or the ubiquinol form), and the formulation can be different (different carrier oils and different heating and cooling processes).
Professor Urban Alehagen, the lead researcher on the KiSel-10 StudyThe KiSel-10 study was a four-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 443 Swedish citizens aged 70 to 88 who received either a combined daily supplementation of high-selenium yeast and Coenzyme Q10 or matching placebos. The elderly Swedish citizens who received the active treatment of selenium and Coenzyme Q10 had significantly reduced risk of death from heart disease, significantly better heart... Read more about this term, has emphasized the clinical significance of daily supplementation with both Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both bsynthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... Read more about this term and high-selenium yeast. Both supplements have a protective antioxidantAntioxidants are substances that protect the cells and lipoproteins against the harmful effects of free radicals. They are substances that prevent the oxidation of other molecules and compounds. There are two broad categories of antioxidants: enzymatic and non-enzymatic. Non-enzymatic antioxidants are substances like Coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, and various carotenoids. Prominent enzymatic antioxidants include catalase, glutathione peroxidase,... Read more about this term role in the prevention of heart disease.
In the previous article on this site, we discussed substances that can counteract or inhibit the bio-synthesis or absorption or efficacy of Coenzyme Q10. Today we want to look at substances that might actually boost the bio-synthesis or absorption or efficacy of Coenzyme Q10.
Among the substances we want to consider are the following nutritional supplements:
carnitine
NADH
PQQ
riboflavin
seleniumSelenium (symbol Se, atomic number 34) is a trace element that is an essential nutrient and an essential component of some of the most important antioxidants in the body, in particular the selenoproteins glutathione peroxidase, thioredoxin reductase, and selenoprotein P. Selenium is involved in the optimal functioning of the immune system. Professor Alehagen has pointed out that there exists a... Read more about this term
Dr. William Judy, founder and president of SIBR Research, advises against taking a vitamin C supplement within an hour of taking a CoQ10 capsule. In his book, Insider’s Guide to Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both bsynthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... Read more about this term, Dr. Judy summarizes the CoQ10 clinical research results. The book is available from amazon.com.
Human adults’ bio-synthesis of the essential bio-nutrient Coenzyme Q10 declines with increasing age [Kalén]. That is unfortunate.
We humans need sufficient quantities of Coenzyme Q10 for various biological functions:
cellular production of ATPATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules are the high-energy molecules with easily broken phosphate bonds that release energy to the energy-requiring processes in the cells. Coenzyme Q10 is essential to the process of ATP production.... Read more about this term energy
antioxidantAntioxidants are substances that protect the cells and lipoproteins against the harmful effects of free radicals. They are substances that prevent the oxidation of other molecules and compounds. There are two broad categories of antioxidants: enzymatic and non-enzymatic. Non-enzymatic antioxidants are substances like Coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, and various carotenoids. Prominent enzymatic antioxidants include catalase, glutathione peroxidase,... Read more about this term protection of the cells against oxidative damage
maintenance of endothelial function in blood vessels
The Coenzyme Q10Coenzyme Q10 molecules are fat-soluble molecules that are both bsynthesized in the body and ingested in the diet and in supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in the body in the same biological pathway as cholesterol. Bio-synthesis of Coenzyme Q10 begins to decline once humans reach their adult years. The reduced production of Coenzyme Q10 cannot be compensated in any practical... Read more about this term raw material is a yellow or orange crystalline powder produced by a yeast fermentation extraction process. The CoQ10 crystals are fat-soluble. They are practically insoluble in water, and any attempt to make them water-soluble will rob them of their CoQ10 characteristics. Coenzyme Q10 is soluble in lipids, but keeping the Coenzyme Q10 molecules from re-crystallizing inside the supplement capsules is difficult. And humans cannot absorb CoQ10 crystals, only single CoQ10 molecules.
Absorption of the Coenzyme Q10 in commercial nutritional supplements varies considerably. The dissolution of the CoQ10 crystals and the absorption of the Coenzyme Q10 molecules depend upon the composition of the oil matrix and the formulation of the CoQ10 nutritional supplement. The manufacturer of a CoQ10 supplement must deal with raw material that is very difficult to work with.
Coenzyme Q10 Soluble in Lipids at Higher Temperatures
Coenzyme Q10 is practically insoluble in water but is soluble in lipids; however, no individual lipids have been found in which 100 milligrams of Coenzyme Q10 can be dissolved so that the dissolved Coenzyme Q10 molecules inside the nutritional supplement capsules will not re-crystallize at normal storage temperatures: typically, between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
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