Coenzyme Q10 as a Nutrient - Essay Example

CoQ10 is beneficial for the enhancement of the health of the heart and circulation and is thus absolutely essential in human life. The body produces CoQ10, with the production declining with age from age 40 such that by age 60, Higdon notes that the body produces only about 10% of the CoQ10 that was produced at age 30. It is additionally consumed in the diet.

Organically, CoQ10 occurs in poultry and fatty fish including salmon, tuna, sardines, herring and halibut. It also occurs in red meat, mostly in organs like kidneys, heart and liver. Whole grains such as soy, wheat and rye contain some CoQ10 as well. Other sources include dairy products and cooking oils like soybean and canola (Pravst, Zmitek and Zmitek 270). There exists no research indicating the effect of storage of these food sources, be they through freezing or otherwise, on the content of CoQ10. However, Higdon notes that cooking CoQ10 food sources by frying reduces the CoQ10 content by between 14% and 32%.

There has been no official agency that has released guidelines on the consumption of CoQ10, not even the Institute of Medicine. As such, Higdon acknowledges the lack of information on Recommended Dietary Allowance for the nutrient. This could be attributed to the difficulty in estimating the amount of CoQ10 intake as the body produces the same nutrient.

From the general population, there have been no reported deficiency symptoms. Thus, according to Higdon, together with a varied diet, normal biosynthesis provides sufficient amounts of CoQ10 for the body. Nonetheless, Sardesai (104) documents primary CoQ10 deficiency as an uncommon autosomal recessive disorder resulting from genetic defects in the biosynthesis of CoQ10. The subsequent low CoQ10 levels compromise muscular and neuronal functions severely. For this reason, patients have been introduced to oral CoQ10 supplements which have been shown to improve muscular and neurological symptoms in some of the patients suffering from CoQ10 deficiency. It has also been indicated that the amount of CoQ10 reduces with age, though it has not been confirmed whether this amounts to deficiency. Decreased levels of plasma have been recorded for people with cancer, diabetes and congestive heart failure.

The functional decline accompanying aging has been attributed to reactive oxygen species, ROS, generated by mitochondria which have an oxidative damaging effect on cell structures, thus causing aging. In mitochondrial membranes, CoQ10 functions as an antioxidant, thus reducing aging. This explains the inverse relationship between the amounts of CoQ10 in the body with age. Another preventive action of CoQ10 is its action against cardiovascular diseases. When oxidative modification of LDL (low-density lipoproteins) occurs in the walls of the arteries, it represents the early sign of the development of atherosclerosis. Reduced CoQ10 inhibits LDL oxidation in vitro, thus inhibiting the progression or even development of atherosclerosis.

Other than disease prevention action, CoQ10 also has a treatment effect. The supplementation of CoQ10 has caused metabolic and clinical improvement in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies patients. Those with rare genetic CoQ10 biosynthesis defects have achieved remarkable improvement with CoQ10 supplementation. Studies cited by Higdon indicate that persons with breast, pancreas, and lung cancer could have levels of plasma CoQ10 than their healthy counterparts. Thus, the studies support the possible therapeutic effect of CoQ10 on such cancers. CoQ10 has been used to treat cardiovascular diseases. Supplements of the nutrient have curbed myocardial infarction which results from congestive heart failure due to atherosclerotic plaque accumulating in the coronary arteries. Additionally, chest pain, referred to as angina pectoris, could result from myocardial ischemia.

CoQ10 supplements have been noted to improve one’s tolerance to exercise and delay or reduce electrocardiographic changes that have an association with myocardial ischemia. The nutrient also treats hypertension and vascular endothelial function. Finally, Sardesai (102) observes that CoQ10 could be used for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease, Friedreich’s ataxia and Huntington’s disease. Parkinson’s disease treatment has been made possible by the antioxidant effect of CoQ10. It decreases brain lactate levels among patients with Huntington’s disease. CoQ10’s action against Friedreich’s ataxia follows its improvement of energy metabolism in skeletal and cardiac muscle. Read More