Page 19 - IMCJ April 2020

hormone replacement therapy (HRT), tricyclic produce energy when it is circulating in the lymph or
antidepressants, adrenergic stimulants, thiazide diuretics, blood. This conversion takes place so that reduced
antipsychotics, statins, most chemotherapy drugs, ubiquinol form of CoQ can provide antioxidant
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beta-blockers and oral hypoglycemics: both sulfonylureas protection as it is being circulated throughout the body.
and biguanides. For decades, physicians have prescribed statin drugs
Thus, it is easy to see why many people are coenzyme Q in the belief that elevated LDL-cholesterol is a major risk
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deficient due to poor nutrient intake from poor diets and factor for cardiovascular disease. This is unfortunate
the fact that many people may be taking one or more because LDL-cholesterol is not a “bad” molecule. However,
drugs that deplete coenzyme Q . when LDL-cholesterol becomes oxidized, it becomes a
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The Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook is “damaged” molecule that is capable of causing vascular
out-of-print. However, I have created a Quick Reference endothelial injury which contributes to atherosclerosis
Guide to Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletions. As part of and cardiovascular disease. 9
my commitment to help people improve their health, I am A 1997 study by cardiologist Svend Aage Mortensen
offering this Quick Reference Guide FREE to everyone. made the following important statement. Dr. Mortensen
Use the link below to get your free copy of the Quick announced that CoQ is an antioxidant that is “packaged
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Reference Guide to Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletions into the LDL & VLDL fractions of cholesterol.” This means
and feel free to distribute this offer to your patients, family that LDL cholesterol is the “carrier” that transports
and friends. LINK: naturalpharmacist.net/dind Let’s coenzyme Q around the body. It also means that when
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Make Good Health Go Viral…!!! TM CoQ is being transported on the LDL cholesterol
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molecule, its antioxidant properties enable it to protect
Coenzyme Q Exists in Two Forms LDL cholesterol against oxidative damage. This explains
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Ubiquinone is the oxidized form, which has a why CoQ helps prevent the formation of oxidized LDL
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molecular weight of 864. Ubiquinol, which is the reduced cholesterol, which is one important way that CoQ
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form, has two more hydrogen molecules in its structure, reduces cardiovascular disease risks. 10
giving it a molecular weight of 866. Ubiquinone and
ubiquinol are a redox pair (oxidation-reduction) that can CoQ Studies
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be rapidly converted from one form to the other in cells, In this section I will present some selected studies that
lymph or blood depending on the demand for their show coenzyme Q ’s therapeutic benefits in various
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various functions. medical conditions.
CoQ ’s Antioxidant Functions CoQ & Cardiovascular Disease
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The reduced form of CoQ , ubiquinol, is a powerful Over the past 40 years, the results of many clinical
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lipid-soluble antioxidant that provides critical antioxidant trials confirm that coenzyme Q supplementation is
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protection in the lymph and blood throughout the body. useful in the prevention and treatment of many aspects of
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Ubiquinol is the only known fat-soluble antioxidant that cardiovascular disease such as congestive heart failure,
human cells can synthesize. In its reduced form, ubiquinol hypertension, ischemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias. 11
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coenzyme Q plays a major role in preventing oxidation
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in both the lipids that make up much of the structure of The 2014 Q-Symbio Study
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cellular membranes in cells throughout the body and also Chronic heart failure patients (average age: 63 years)
in lipoprotein lipids present in circulation. Coenzyme Q administered 3 × 100 mg of ubiquinone coenzyme Q or
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can also recycle or regenerate other antioxidants such as matching placebo daily for two years along with patient’s
vitamin E and vitamin C. 8 conventional heart failure medicine.
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RESULT: significantly improved symptoms and
Cellular Energy Production survival in the coenzyme Q group. Sub-group analysis of
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The oxidized form of CoQ , ubiquinone, is required just the European study participants showed significantly
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for energy production in the mitochondria of all cells improved ejection fraction in the coenzyme Q treatment
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except the red blood cells. Specifically, CoQ is required group. 13
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in several steps of the electron transport chain in
mitochondrial inner membranes, which is where cellular The 2013 KiSel-10 Study
energy, known as ATP, is produced. This is the work that Community living senior citizens (average age: 78
earned Peter Mitchell his 1978 Nobel Prize. years) administered 2 × 100 mg of ubiquinone CoQ in
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combination with 200 mcg of selenium or matching
Bi-directional Conversion of Ubiquinone to Ubiquinol placebo daily for four years.
When ubiquinone is taken orally, it is converted to RESULT: significantly reduced risk of death from
ubiquinol during absorption and remains in its reduced heart disease and improved heart function in the active
form in the lymph and in blood. CoQ is not needed to treatment group.
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Pelton—Coenzyme Q 10 Integrative Medicine • Vol. 19, No. 2 • April 2020 17