What CoQ10 Does for Your Health
If you found out there is a substance that your body makes naturally, but as you get a little, say we say…older, your body makes less of it, what would your natural reaction be?
Could it maybe depend on how important that substance is?
Well, that substance is CoQ 10, studies have been done on a gamut of issues that CoQ 10 can possibly help…everything from wrinkles, heart disease, Alzheimer's Disease, gum disease, some cancers, fibromyalgia, male infertility, diabetes and preventing migraine headaches.
I don't know about you, but if even one of the diseases, even wrinkles, is helped by taking a supplement, it sounds incredibly worth it to me!
Why Take CoQ10 With Statins?
If you are taking high blood pressure medication, you have all the more reason to make sure you are getting enough of CoQ 10, because statins actually deplete some of the body's CoQ 10 supply. A CoQ 10 deficiency could be what causes some of those muscle aches and pains some people can get as side effects from statins.
I wish I knew that when I took that one blood pressure pill back in 2009 and had every muscle in my body ache more than any workout I ever did! Although if I hadn't had those side effects, I may not have had that passion to heal myself from high blood pressure!
What about you? Have you ever felt those muscle aches from blood pressure medication?
Update June 1, 2020:
While checking some of my links to sources, I found that some recent studies were completed or in process showing that not all experts agree that CoQ 10 helps exercise-induced pain, altho this shows the opposite. If you don't want to read the exact details of the study, scanning down to the results and conclusion paragraphs shows the positive effects of CoQ 10.
Regarding statin-induced muscle pain, there were also mixed opinions, including the Mayo Clinic, but the Mayo Clinic says to try it and see if it helps.Why do you Need CoQ 10?
So what exactly is CoQ 10? It is a co-enzyme/antioxidant that your body already produces. Co-enzymes help the enzymes in your body do their jobs, such as digesting food as well as other body processes. The cells in your body, especially the heart, liver, pancreas, and kidneys, use the CoQ 10 to produce energy within the cells.
- People who have diseases such as Parkinson's Disease and heart disease, as well as some other diseases have been shown to have a deficiency of the CoQ 10 co-enzyme in their body.
- If you smoke, you have another reason to take this supplement. Besides the fact that smoking can increase blood pressure, it also decreases the amount of CoQ 10 in your body.
- Another study by the National Institute of Health shows that it can even be helpful with muscle recovery during and after exercise! Stating a need for further studies, one statement was, "Increased muscle CoQ10 concentration could explain the increased time to exhaustion observed in the current study."
Some Food Sources of CoQ 10
You can get some CoQ 10 by eating foods such as meat, seafood, eggs, and other foods. Here's a quick list listing amounts so you can stock up on those foods:
Mackerel 4.3 mg
Herring 2.3 mg
Rainbow trout 0.9 mg
Pork 2.43 mg
Beef (3 oz) 2.6 mg
Chicken (3 oz) 1.4 mg
Egg 0.1 mg
Roasted peanuts 0.8 mg
Sesame seeds 0.7 mg
Pistachios 0.6 mg
Soybean oil (1 tbsp) 1.3 mg
Canola oil (1 tbsp) 1.0 mg
Dosage
CoQ 10 should only be given to adults 19 years old and older. Considering that the normal dosage ranges from 30 mg to 200 mg when you look at the amount of CoQ 10 in foods, it's easy to see that taking a supplement would probably be beneficial.
Lower Risk of Heart Attack or Stroke in the Morning
In Doctor Oz's November 14, 2014 TV show, he mentioned that taking 200 mg before bedtime could prevent rapid high blood pressure in the morning between 3 am and 10 am when many heart attacks and strokes occur.
Of course, especially if you are on any medication, ALWAYS check with your doctor to make sure CoQ 10 works alongside it.
Reasons to Check With Your Doctor First
As good as this supplement is, you know there have got to be some cons….or at least you should know the reasons why you need to be careful using it.
Anytime you are dealing with something as important as your health and especially if you are taking medication, you should always check with your doctor.
Here are a few reasons why:
· If you are taking medication, you should know that this co-enzyme can actually increase the effectiveness of your blood pressure medicine.
· Also, blood thinning drugs such as warfarin may not work as well while taking CoQ 10 because the supplement has the same effect as vitamin K, which helps your blood to clot. In normal situations, that would be great, but not with blood thinners. Basically, CoQ 10 may work against your medicine.
· Because CoQ 10 can lower blood sugar, if you are diabetic, you need to be very careful of taking this supplement or even avoid it altogether.
However, the University of Maryland Medical Center seems to have information that says CoQ 10 could help people with diabetes and high blood pressure. Another reason to check with your doctor!
Side Effects of CoQ 10
A few people may get side effects from CoQ 10. These can be:
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Allergic skin rashes
However, if you do get any of these side effects, one remedy is to simply split the dosage and take a lesser amount 3 or 4 times a day.
There You Have It!
When you are searching for ways to lower your blood pressure, sometimes you can stumble across something that can help you in more ways than one.
Hopefully, today's blog will give you the info you need so you can live a long, healthy life!
P.S. If you received any value from this post, be sure to share on Facebook with the icons up on the right side and comment below if you would like to share any experiences you've had with CoQ 10.
P.S. If you received any value from this post, be sure to share on Facebook with the icons up on the right side and comment below if you would like to share any experiences you've had with CoQ 10.
Additional References:
Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-coenzyme-q10/art-20362602. Seen on November 6, 2021.
 |
| Pork is a great choice for getting a good amount of CoQ 10, especially the pork heart. |