Coenzyme Q10 Before and After Heart Surgery

William Judy Safety February 28, 2021March 23, 2021 0 Comment

In 1993, I wanted to see what protection 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 could give the heart muscle during and after heart surgery. I discussed the idea with Dr. Karl Folkers and Dr. Willis Stogsdill.

Dr. Willis Stogsdill, “Woody” to his friends and colleagues, was a co-author on my 2007 article “Coenzyme Q10 Facts or Fabrications.” He was a heart surgery anesthesiologist and chairman of the Department of Anesthesia at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis for 25 years. He was instrumental in establishing the St. Vincent open heart surgery program. He was my highly esteemed colleague as well as my father-in-law. He passed away, aged 95, on November 12, 2019. He is missed.

We agreed that the idea had merit. Coenzyme Q10 is a natural and essential cofactor in heart muscle cells. It has bio-energetic, 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, and anti-inflammatory effects. Typically, patients with heart failureThe Mayo Clinic defines heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure and/or chronic heart failure, as the failure of the heart muscle to pump blood to the body adequately. In other words, heart failure is not a heart attack, and it is not death from heart disease, which its name might seem to imply. Heart failure is a condition... Read more about this term have reduced blood and heart muscle tissue concentrations of Coenzyme Q10.

Heart surgery study in Indianapolis

We conducted a study with 10 high-risk heart surgery patients in a CoQ10 supplementation group and 10 high-risk heart surgery patients in a placebo group. The two groups were similar characteristics before the study began:

Documented safety of Coenzyme Q10 supplementation

Richard Morrill Safety December 1, 2018November 30, 2018 0 Comment

Yes, the raw material 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 the manufactured Coenzyme Q10 supplements are documented as safe and well-tolerated. However, the efficacy of the various CoQ10 supplements available on the US market varies considerably. It is wise to purchase a CoQ10 supplement that is supported by scientific documentation. For example, the CoQ10 supplement used in the Q-Symbio studyQ-Symbio is the abbreviated name for the two-year multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Coenzyme Q10 supplements as an adjunct treatment of chronic heart failure patients. The name reflects the focus of the study on the SYMptoms, BIomarker status (BNP), and long-term Outcomes (hospitalizations and mortality) of the supplementation. The data from the Q-Symbio study show that long-term supplementation with... Read more about this term, 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, and the Gulf War Illness study has been evaluated in randomized controlled clinical trials. There is documented evidence that it is effective.

The nutritional supplement Coenzyme Q10 is non-toxic and without any noteworthy safety concerns [Hathcock; Ikematsu].

Coenzyme Q10 is very well-tolerated, and it does not cause any notable adverse effects at daily dosages as high as 1200 milligrams per day [Hathcock].
Studies of healthy individuals and studies of individuals with kidney impairment and liver impairment have not shown any potential for an adverse effect of CoQ10 supplementation on the kidneys or on the liver [Watson; Mabuchi; Farhangi].
A randomized, double-blindA double-blind study is a study in which neither the investigators nor the study participants know which participants are receiving the active treatment and which participants are receiving the control treatment until the study has been completed and the seal on the code has been broken.... Read more about this term, placebo-controlled study enrolling healthy study participants showed no dose-related changes in hematology, blood biochemistry, and urinalysis [Ikematsu].
Moreover, plasma CoQ10 concentrations after an 8-month period of withdrawal from CoQ10 supplementation were nearly the same as before the supplementation [Ikematsu].

Importance of CoQ10 nutritional supplements

Note: Coenzyme Q10 is arguably the most important nutritional supplement for healthy individuals above the age of 40. Cellular bio-synthesis of CoQ10 begins to slow down once we are past our 20s and lessens then with increasing age [Kalén].

CoQ10 in its oxidized 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 form) is an essential co-factor in the process of cellular energy production.
CoQ10 in its reduced form (ubiquinol form) is an important fat-soluble 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, protecting the cells against free radical damage.
CoQ10 is associated with significantThe outcome of a clinical trial is thought to have statistical significance, or to be statistically significant, if the outcome is likely not caused by chance at a given statistical significance level, typically at the 0.05 level. Statistically significant outcomes may or may not be clinically significant. ... Read more about this term improvement in endothelial function [Gao].
Coenzyme Q10 is a necessary supplement for patients taking statin medications as the use of statin medications inhibits the bio-synthesis of CoQ10 [Okuyama].

Daily supplemental dosages of CoQ10

A typical daily nutritional supplement dosage is 100 milligrams per day.
A typical therapeutic dosage for adjuvant treatment of chronic heart failureThe Mayo Clinic defines heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure and/or chronic heart failure, as the failure of the heart muscle to pump blood to the body adequately. In other words, heart failure is not a heart attack, and it is not death from heart disease, which its name might seem to imply. Heart failure is a condition... Read more about this term is 300 milligrams a day, taken as 3 times 100 milligrams with meals [Mortensen].
Coenzyme Q10 dosages of 300 milligrams per day have proven efficacy as an adjunctive treatment for chronic heart failure patients and patients with high blood pressure [Mortensen; Rosenfeldt].

No reports of potential overdose of CoQ10

There are no reports in the bio-medical literature of any potential for an acute intoxicating overdose in humans.

The estimated observed safe level of daily CoQ10 intake for adults is set at 1200 milligrams per day [Hathcock].
The few adverse effects reported in conjunction with Coenzyme Q10 supplementation – primarily nausea and other minor gastrointestinal effects – have been no more common at 1200 milligrams per day than at 60 milligrams per day [Hathcock].
1200 milligrams per day is four times the daily amount of CoQ10 supplementation that resulted in the significantly improved symptoms and survival of chronic heart failure patients [Mortensen] and six times the amount that helped reduce the risk of death from heart disease in healthy senior citizens [Alehagen].
The highest daily dose of CoQ10 that has been investigated is 3600 milligrams per day for 12 weeks [Hyson].

Dr. William Judy, SIBR Research Institute, has seen a very low incidence of mild adverse effects of Coenzyme Q10 supplementation in his 30-year management of heart failureThe Mayo Clinic defines heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure and/or chronic heart failure, as the failure of the heart muscle to pump blood to the body adequately. In other words, heart failure is not a heart attack, and it is not death from heart disease, which its name might seem to imply. Heart failure is a condition... Read more about this term study. Moreover, it is not clear that the few adverse effects that get reported are caused by the CoQ10 supplement. The same adverse effects occur in patients taking the placebo preparation.

Very low rate of mild adverse effects of CoQ10 supplementation

A 2003 survey of 13 randomized controlled studies of CoQ10 supplementation of heart failure patients as well as of open-label studies in heart failure showed that 200 milligrams of CoQ10 per day for 6–12 months and 100 milligrams per day for up to 6 years resulted in no major side effects. The survey showed a rate of mild adverse effects at less than one-half of one percent [Mortensen].

The safety of Coenzyme Q10 supplements

Richard Morrill Cardiovascular Health, Safety August 2, 2017August 2, 2017 0 Comment

Healthy eating — To stay as young as we can as late in life as possible, we need to eat right, exercise, and get a good night’s sleep. Then, a well-tested and well-documented 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 supplement should be right at the top of the list of nutritional supplements that we take. As we get older, our bodies produce less and less Coenzyme Q10, and we cannot make up the difference through food alone.

Coenzyme Q10 supplements are so safe that I have not spent much time writing about their safety. It would not be much of an exaggeration to say that Coenzyme Q10 supplements are as safe as water. In fact, in study after study, there is no difference in side effects between the Coenzyme Q10 active treatment group and the placebo control group.

We need a good Coenzyme Q10 status. There are two primary reasons why Coenzyme Q10 supplementation provides heart health benefits:

Coenzyme Q10 is essential to the process of cellular energy production.
Coenzyme Q10 works as an 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 to protect the cells against the damage caused by harmful free radicalsFree radicals are unstable and highly reactive molecules that are produced in the body during normal oxygen metabolism. Free radicals derived from oxygen are known as reactive oxygen species. Free radicals play both helpful and harmful roles in the body. Free radicals steal electrons from other substances in order to become stable. In so doing, the free radicals oxidize those... Read more about this term.

Let’s look at some of the studies.