Longevity science

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) cuts mortality by half in patients with heart failure, researchers from Denmark reported at the annual meeting of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology, which took place in Lisbon, Portugal this year.

Professor Svend Aage Mortensen and team explained that Coq10 is the first medication to improve heart failure mortality in over ten years and should be included in standard treatment. CoQ10 is an essential enzyme that occurs naturally in the body. It works as an electron carrier in the mitochondria, the energy-producing powerhouse of cells, to produce energy. CoQ10 is also a potent antioxidant.

There is a large population that take 'statin drugs' to lower cholesterol.

These drugs are very effective, but can result in muscle pain and fatigue. Why? The drugs deplete the body's natural reserves of CoEnzyme Q10, which is involved in energy production at the cellular level.

Fortunately, supplementing with the enzyme can help restore the blood levels and counterract the side effects. But few doctors mention this when they prescribe the drugs.

Data from randomized trials support the ability of co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to improve heart function in people with congestive heart failure (CHF), say scientists from Tulane University in New Orleans.

The authors caution that the results are based on a small number of clinical trials, and that the benefit may be greatest for less severe cases of heart failure.