How CoQ10 Pumps Up Your Mitochondria for Greater Energy
CoQ10, or Co-enzyme Q10, works like magic on your mitochondria. Mitochondria are the structures in your cells that manufacture energy at the cellular level. Virtually every cell in the body has its own energy-producing mitochondria designed to meet the needs of each individual cell.
Most cells contain between 500 and 2,000 mitochondria; the highest concentrations of mitochondria exist in the busiest cells of the body, including the brain, heart, kidneys, and additional hardworking organs.
Energy production at the cellular level begins when the body turns the food we eat into nutrients (glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids) that the mitochondria can use to produce energy.
Within the cells, the mitochondria -- through a multi-step process scientists refer to as the Krebs cycle -- manufacture
adenosine troposphere (ATP. ATP is literally the body's source of energy. ATP is the fuel cells burn to perform their tasks.
To make energy, the mitochondria use plenty of CoQ10, which helps in the chemical reactions required for energy production. This is essential to keep the powerhouses of the cells - the mitochondria -- working efficiently. In effect, the CoQ10 provides a virtual Fountain of Youth for the cells.
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Most human cells contain between 500 and 2,000 mitochondria which are the cell's power house.
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When cells run out of CoQ10, the mitochondria simply cannot produce enough energy to meet the body's demands. When the body is well stocked with CoQ10, it can operate efficiently.
Mitochondria Needs CoQ10 To Run Efficiently
When stockpiles of CoQ10 run low, the mitochondria are less efficient and they may produce adenosine diphosphate (ADP), which is a less potent fuel. Over time, running your body on cheap fuel will take its toll, damaging the mitochondria and contributing to a growing sense of fatigue.
When our bodies are young, our mitochondria work tirelessly to produce the abundant energy associated with youth. Over the years, however, our mitochondria age and show signs of wear and tear, just as the rest of the body does. The mitochondria can grow hard and less efficient at producing ATP.
When the mitochondria break down, they produce less energy. If this happens long enough, you experience chronic fatigue. This makes the heart weak and inefficient. This systemic energy crisis can compromise the immune system as a whole, leaving our bodies more vulnerable to attack from bacteria, viruses, and additional pathogens.
In addition to giving you a boost in energy, CoQ10 is also vital to a healthy heart. Studies have discovered that it actually lowers blood pressure.
Heal Your Heart with CoQ10
Some of the most impressive studies on CQ10 researched the role of the supplement in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. In a landmark study, Dr. Folkers and his colleagues found CoQ10 deficiency in a majority of people with heart disease. When researchers measured the levels of CoQ10 in heart tissue biopsies, they found low levels of CoQ10 in 50 to 75 percent of patients with various types of heart disease.
The next round of studies looked at whether taking supplemental CoQ10 could help prevent or reverse heart disease. Since the 1970s, more than 50 studies demonstrated the effectiveness of CoQ10 in the treatment of people with heart disease. Dr. Folkers and Dr. Peter Langsjoen, a cardiologist in Tyler, Texas, conducted a remarkable study between 1985 and 1993.
The supplement CoQ10 has been found to help lower blood pressure.
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They observed 424 people who received CoQ10 and conventional medicine treatments for heart disease. Doctors then assessed patient progress according to the New York Heart Association functional scale.
The heart disease ratings range from I (the least serious) to IV (the most serious). After taking CoQ10, 58% of the patients improved one category, 28% moved up two categories, and 1.2 % moved up three categories! In addition, 43% of the patients cut back or eliminated their cardiac medication.
CoQ10 Also Helps Lower Blood Pressure
CoQ10 also helps lower blood pressure. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study in the Journal of Human Hypertension followed two groups of people with hypertension. One group took CoQ10 for eight weeks while the other group took a placebo. The CoQ10 group showed a significant reduction in blood pressure. Molecular Aspects of Medicine reported another fascinating study about patients taking CoQ10 and prescription drugs for high blood pressure.
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Researchers found that more than half of all patients on blood pressure drugs were able to stop using their medications when they began taking supplemental CoQ10. In a University of Texas study, people with high blood pressure took oral CoQ10. Within one month, they experienced marked improvements in blood pressure. Overall, 51% of subjects were able to discontinue their blood pressure medication.
View Dr. Sears' Book
About Dr. Al Sears
Dr. Al Sears is an authority on longevity and heart health. Since the release of his latest book, The Doctor's Heart Cure , he has been interviewed on over two dozen nationally syndicated radio programs with an audience of millions.
Dr. Sears has published over 325 articles and 3 books in the fields of alternative medicine, anti-aging and nutritional supplementation
Dr. Sears currently owns and operates an integrative medicine and anti-aging clinic in Wellington, Florida with over 15,000 patients. Over the course of his career, he has developed his own approach to heart health, longevity and anti-aging medicine - combining the best of modern medical science with natural holistic techniques and treatments.
He is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, a diplomat of the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine and is Board Certified in Anti-Aging Medicine. He is an avid researcher and enthusiastic lecturer in this exciting new field of medicine.
Visit the Author's website at:
www.alsearsmd.com
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