Purity Products Blog

This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.

Today’s topic:
Ubiquinone or Ubiquinol?

A new form of CoQ10 has come on the market in recent years. This form is the reduced form of CoQ10 known as ubiquinol. Most CoQ10 on the market is in the oxidized ubiquinone form. While this form is adequate for most individuals for dietary supplement purposes, it may not be effective for some. When ubiquinone CoQ10 is taken in by the body, it is converted to the reduced form, ubiquinol. However, as we age our bodies lose the ability to convert rapidly between the two forms. Since ubiquinol is the reduced form, it more readily is able to scavenge free radicals and may be more effective in people over 40 or 45 years of age. Another benefit of using the ubiquinol form is that the dosage needed can be reduced since ubiquinol is already the active form of CoQ10.

Until recently, the stability of ubiquinol in capsule form was questionable and this made it difficult to manufacture an effective form of this nutrient. However, technological advancements have allowed for the manufacture of stable ubiquinol for supplemental purposes. The choice is yours. Both forms are effective and the original ubiquinone form of CoQ10 (the majority of CoQ10 on the market) is the one with the best science at this point. Most studies have used the original ubiquinone form. However, for some people, the reduced form, ubiquinol, may be more beneficial.

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Vitamins and Minerals – Helping Hands of Health

This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.

Today’s topic:
CoQ10 Softgels Better than Tablets

Dietary supplements are available that deliver CoQ10 in several different ways. The most common means are via tablets, hardshell powder-filled capsules or soft-shelled capsules that enclose CoQ10 in a suspension of oil. Human research has shown that CoQ10 is absorbed most efficiently and rapidly when consumed suspended within a soft-shelled capsule. Since CoQ10 is a fat-soluble nutrient, taking it in an oil matrix or with a meal containing fat is highly beneficial. Thus, when considering supplemental forms of CoQ10 “softgels” are an excellent choice.

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
CoQ10 – Ubiquinone or Ubiquinol?

This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.

Today’s topic:
CoQ10 – CoQ10 and Cholesterol

The effectiveness of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor drugs, the so-called “statins,” in lowering serum cholesterol concentration cannot be denied. However, CoQ10 production and cholesterol synthesis share the same biochemical pathway. As could be predicted from these pathways in the liver effectively blocking cholesterol production can also lead to blocking CoQ10 production. Numerous studies have proven this to be the case.^14,15

The results of this drug-induced mild CoQ10 deficiency is not without harm – it is associated with damage to hard-working muscles. These potentially detrimental effects have been reported in several journals.^16,17 In terms of the side effects of statin therapy, published studies have found fundamental derangements in muscle cell metabolism with exposure to statins.¹⁸ Several recent reports indicate that these drugs impact the nerves that communicate with muscles in addition to affecting the mitochondria of all muscles, including the heart muscle.^19,20 Depleted levels of CoQ10 could play a major role in these side effects of statin drugs.

The good news – dietary supplementation with CoQ10 may help overcome the potential interference of statin drugs with CoQ10 metabolism.²¹ And CoQ10 is very safe – amounts of up to 3000 mg daily are considered safe.²²

Thus, if you choose to use cholesterol-lowering medication to protect your heart and circulatory system, don’t be counterproductive. Really protect yourself – supplement with CoQ10 to replenish what you lose with the use of statin drugs. Add this vital nutrient to your Healthy Heart program.

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
CoQ10 Softgels Better than Tablets

References:
14. Rundek T, Naini A, Sacco R, Coates K, DiMauro S. Atorvastatin decreases the coenzyme Q10 level in the blood of patients at risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Arch Neurol 2004;61:889-892.
15. Thompson PD, Clarkson P, Karas RH. Statin-associated myopathy. JAMA 2003;289:1681-1690.
16. Tomlinson SS, Mangione KK. Potential adverse effects of statins on muscle. Phys Ther 2005;85:459-465.
17. Baker SK. Molecular clues into the pathogenesis of statin-mediated muscle toxicity. Muscle Nerve 2005;31:572-580.
18. Paiva H, Thelen KM, Van Coster R, Smet J, De Paepe B, Mattila KM, Laakso J, Lehtimaki T, von Bergmann K, Lutjohann D, Laaksonen R. High-dose statins and skeletal muscle metabolism in humans: A randomized, controlled trial. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2005;78:60-68.
19. Baker SK, Tarnopolsky MA. Statin-associated neuromyotoxicity. Drugs Today 2005;41:267-293.
20. Nawarskas JJ. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and coenzyme Q10. Cardiol Rev 2005;13:76-79.
21. Ferrante KL, Shefner J, Zhang H, Betensky R, O’Brien M, Yu H, Fantasia M, Taft J, Beal MF, Traynor B, Newhall K, Donofrio P, Caress J, Ashburn C, Freiberg B, O’Neill C, Paladenech C, Walker T, Pestronk A, Abrams B, Florence J, Renna R, Schierbecker J, Malkus B, Cudkowicz M. Tolerance of high-dose (3,000 mg/day) coenzyme Q10 in ALS. Neurology 2005;65:1834-1836.
22. Chopra RK, Goldman R, Sinatra ST, Bhagavan HN. Relative bioavailability of coenzyme Q10 formulations in human subjects. Intern J Vit Nutr Res 1998;68:109-113.