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:
CoQ10, Endurance and “Energy”

It is clear that all muscles – heart, legs, arms, chest – benefit from ample supplies of CoQ10. The efficiency of muscular work, the amount of energy expended during work and the ability to harness that energy in productive and enjoyable activities all depend on the presence of adequate amounts of CoQ10. As shown by studies such as those published in the European Heart Journal⁴ and the Archives of Neurology⁵, increasing the supply of CoQ10 that is available to all muscles is invaluable in supporting their efforts to work harder, faster and longer. CoQ10 supports both aspects of activity – intensity and duration. By increasing the maximum work intensity that can be achieved, CoQ10 may help routine daily life seem to be easier and require less effort. By increasing the length of time that activities can be enjoyed, ensuring adequate CoQ10 levels can help postpone feelings of tiredness.

Although CoQ10 will not give you “energy” – that requires a healthy diet – CoQ10 will help you use your energy more effectively – making you feel more energetic, active and healthy.

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
CoQ10 as a Buffer against Toxic Cellular Acidity

References:
4. Lalani SR, Vladutiu GD, Plunkett K, Lotze TE, Adesina AM, Scaglia F. Isolated mitochondrial myopathy associated with muscle coenzyme Q10 deficiency. Arch Neurol 2005;62:317-320.
5. Di Lisa F, Menabo R, Canton M, Barile M, Bernardi P. Opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore causes depletion of mitochondrial and cytosolic NAD+ and is a causative event in the death of myocytes in postischemic reperfusion of the heart. J Biol Chem 2001;276:2571-2575.

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, Heart Muscle Energetics and Cardiac Contraction

A systematic review published recently determined that supplementation with CoQ10 enhanced the strength of cardiac contractions in men and women by an average of one-third.³ This relatively enormous increase in cardiac power delivered substantially more oxygenated blood throughout the body. These conclusions mirrored the findings of a study that were published in the European Heart Journal after that analysis was complete. This human clinical trial confirmed the beneficial effects of CoQ10 supplementation on human heart muscle while also showing that these benefits were accompanied by a large increase in exercise capacity – proof that the increase in cardiac power was beneficial to the entire body. ⁴

Clearly, CoQ10 is a powerful ally in maintaining efficient cardiac mechanics and function.

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
CoQ10 Deficiency and “Cellular Exhaustion”

References:
3. Belardinelli R, Mucaj A, Lacalaprice F, Solenghi M, Seddaiu G, Principi F, Tiano L, Littarru GP. Coenzyme Q10 and exercise training in chronic heart failure. Eur Heart J 2006; Aug 1.
4. Lalani SR, Vladutiu GD, Plunkett K, Lotze TE, Adesina AM, Scaglia F. Isolated mitochondrial myopathy associated with muscle coenzyme Q10 deficiency. Arch Neurol 2005;62:317-320.

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 – Pivotal Player in Cellular Energy Production

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a ubiquitous compound (hence the proper name, ubiquinone) that occurs in every cell in the body. The main function of CoQ10 is to maintain a rapid rate of conversion of oxygen (O₂) to water (H₂O) in the mitochondria of a cell. In the process, the free electrons produced during the chemical conversion of sugars and fats into chemical energy are captured and transferred (along with protons; H⁺) to oxygen molecules. The energy released in reducing oxygen (O₂) to water (H₂O) is harnessed to produce ATP, the carrier of chemical energy from the mitochondria to the rest of the cell.

CoQ10 is absolutely required in order for the free electrons to reach the oxygen within a cell. In fact, CoQ10 is the lynchpin in the entire “electron transport chain,” linking the molecules that shuttle the free electrons through the cell to the special proteins (“cytochromes”) that deliver the electrons directly to O₂ molecules.

Because CoQ10 plays such a central role in hooking up electrons and oxygen, the amount of CoQ10 available determines the rate of energy production by a cell – even if there are plenty of oxygen and electrons “in waiting.” Humans can synthesize CoQ10 endogenously and therefore it is not considered a vitamin. However, research shows that CoQ10 levels decline with age and with the use of certain medications. Hence, supplementation of CoQ10 is needed to replenish levels. CoQ10 availability in the cells’ mitochondria is a major determinant of energy production and, therefore, the speed and power of contraction in heart muscle cells (“cardiomyocytes”) and, in fact, in all muscles.¹

Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
CoQ10, Heart Muscle Energetics and Cardiac Contraction

References:
1. Lenaz G, Parenti Castelli G, Fato, D’Aurelio M, Bovina C, Formiggini G, Marchetti M, Estornell E, Rauchova H. Coenzyme Q deficiency in mitochondria: Kinetic saturation versus physical saturation. Mol Aspects Med 1997;18 (Suppl.):S25-S31.