Since the 1960???s there have been numerous controlled clinical trials concerning the relationship between congestive heart failure and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). As its name implies CoQ10 is a coenzyme that is necessary for the proper functioning of other substances, one of the most important of which is ATP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP is necessary for the production of cellular energy. By proxy CoQ10 is likewise essential for this process.
Clinical trials have attempted to study the relationship between CoQ10 and many chronic diseases including, but not limited to, heart disease, cancer and AIDS. But heart disease has gained the most attention; congestive heart failure being one of the primary subjects. Because heart muscle cells require so much energy to function and CoQ10 is at the core of the cellular energy process it makes sense to suspect that congestive heart failure might be linked to CoQ10 deficiency. With that theory in mind many studies like the ones that follow have been conducted. These trials have been presented in this essay in thumbnail format.
One early Japanese trial (1972) involved 197 patients with varying levels of severity of cardiac failure. The study reported significant improvement of cardiac function supplementing with 30 mg per day of CoQ10. Another Japanese study demonstrated similar results with 38 patients also supplementing with 30 mg. In 1985 a U.S. clinical study prescribed daily supplementation with 100 mg of the coenzyme for treatment periods of three months for patients with low ejection fraction measurements. The ejection fraction is the measure of the heart???s ability to pump blood. A low ejection fraction is a classic symptom of congestive heart failure. Again, significant improvements in heart function were reported. Other clinical trials followed prescribing the same level of supplementation with similar results.
Studies in the early 1990s showed improvement for patients suffering from ischemic cardiomyopathy (a low oxygen state usually due to obstruction) with supplemental levels of 200 mg per day. Supplementing with 100 mg per day demonstrated improvement for patients suffering from idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart syndrome of unknown cause.
One of the largest trials of the 1990s involves 641 patients randomly divided into two groups. The first group received a placebo. The other group received CoQ10 supplements. During the one-year follow-up period 118 patients in the placebo group were hospitalized for heart failure compared to 73 in the group that received the supplements.
All of the preceding trials were relatively short-term studies. The level of improvement among patients varied depending on how long they had been suffering from some aspect of congestive heart failure. Through the years it has become increasing clear that the greatest improvements were shown in patients that had suffered from their condition the least amount of time.
In other words, the longer a person had been suffering from the disease before he or she received CoQ10 treatments the less improvement was demonstrated. People who had received treatments early in the development of the disease showed the most dramatic improvement often returning to normal heart function. Long-term sufferers received less relief and were less likely to return to full heart function. Whatever the reasons for this disparity in health improvement, it demonstrates the importance of receiving treatment as early as possible.
But what about long-term studies? Do they show the same marked improvement with similar treatment? In the short-term trials it was apparent that even high level supplementing with CoQ10 seemed to produce no ill effects. In order to determine if this is only true for short durations a number of long-term studies were conducted.
In 1990 observations were published concerning 126 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Unlike previously noted studies this one followed the patients??? progress for six years. Long-term benefits from CoQ10 supplementing were noticed with no harmful side effects. Similar observations were made in a trial involving 2,664 patients treated with CoQ10 at levels up to 150 mg per day.
A 1994 study involving 424 patients with a variety of myocardial (refers to the heart's muscle mass) diseases. Among these conditions were the following: Valvular heart disease (pertaining to dysfunction of heart valves), hypertension, diastolic dysfunction (failure of the heart to properly refill itself with blood), dilated cardiomyopathy (group of disorders where the heart muscle is weakened and enlarged and cannot pump effectively) and ischemic cardiomyopathy (low oxygen state usually due to obstruction of the arterial blood supply).
Patients were treated with an average of 240 mg of CoQ10 daily during their treatment period. They were then followed-up for up to eight years with an average follow-up period of 18 months. Overall results demonstrated measurable cardiac improvements in one month with maximum improvements at about six months. With continued CoQ10 treatment the improvement in most patients was sustained. However, discontinuing the treatment usually resulted in a decline of cardiac function with eventual return to pre-treatment conditions.
As always in the medical community many more studies will need to be conducted to determine the future of CoQ10 treatment. However, the research to date seems to support CoQ10 as a viable treatment for many diseases that are caused or exacerbated by inadequate production of cellular energy.
Greg holds degrees in science, divinity and philosophy and is currently an I.T. developer.
http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/coq10.html
whole house cleaning Deerfield ..Diet Supplement ? when are they used?Why diet supplement is... Read More
When looking for health care supplements Texas residents can enjoy... Read More
1. What supplements do you take?A multivitamin, Glucosamine-MSM-Chondroitin, Odorless Garlic,... Read More
I know protein is good for me, but do I... Read More
Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is responsible for numerous deaths in... Read More
Looking for quality nutritional supplements can seem quite overwhelming at... Read More
There are a host of choices for supplementing your Ironman... Read More
The Superbug MRSA which is becoming more common in Hospitals,... Read More
Bodybuilding supplements generally fall under the classification of dietary supplements,... Read More
The mankind has never stopped searching for the scerets of... Read More
Carboloading of a different variety.Saturday in Tucson before the 1982... Read More
Ever wondered whether amino acid supplements really work? We reveal... Read More
Extensive research studies show that taking vitamin and mineral supplements... Read More
Those who start eating lemons at first symptoms of the... Read More
If I read 1 good valid murder mystery book, would... Read More
Considering that the Health and Wellness industry is currently a... Read More
Vitamins are organic compounds that the human body cannot produce... Read More
Herbal nutrition supplements are everywhere these days. So should you... Read More
You Need Probiotics For Better Digestion and Overall HealthInside your... Read More
Simply stated, the Greek word glyco refers to "sweet." Hence,... Read More
At the moment we are in the grip of an... Read More
Vitamin B6 plays a facilitating role in the immune system... Read More
Nutritional vitamin fiber supplements come in a variety of types,... Read More
Made from cow's milk, whey protein is a pure, all-natural,... Read More
The real benefits of Vitamin E may surprise you. First... Read More
home cleaning services Des Plaines ..Does this describe you: You walk into the living room... Read More
Nutritional supplements can play a key role in the health... Read More
I began a quest to examine over 25 "leading products"... Read More
Did you know that when we breath oxygen, it interacts... Read More
The food is the raw material for the body. Minerals... Read More
HGH is an exciting new phenomenon, which aspires to help... Read More
A naturally occurring compound, L-Glutathione (Tathion,) has demonstrated that it... Read More
Our system uses a free-form gas called Nitric Oxide as... Read More
There is no doubt that Omega 3's can not only... Read More
If you suffer from arthritis pain, chances are you've heard... Read More
Do you ever find yourself asking any or all of... Read More
Did you know that there are free radical biochemical "terrorists"... Read More
Fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of fatty... Read More
Vitamins and Minerals Can Improve SleepTaking proper vitamins and minerals... Read More
As I have become more involved in using functional nutritional... Read More
Creatine ? The most researched performance enhancing nutritional supplementDoes creatine... Read More
In a perfect world, your children would eat a balanced... Read More
A ranch house, a zip lock bag and some ordinary... Read More
Herbal nutrition supplements are everywhere these days. So should you... Read More
Liquid vitaminsHardly does a day pass without the liquid vitamins... Read More
Since the release of a book called" beat chronic fatigue... Read More
Vitamins are organic compounds that the human body cannot produce... Read More
Fiber supplements can be tremendously beneficial for IBS sufferers. Although... Read More
Taking vitamin and mineral supplements is perhaps one of the... Read More
I recently heard of an older couple that eats salmon... Read More
Nutritional Supplements |