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CoQ10 for a Healthier Heart

When you hear the term “antioxidant” what comes to mind? If you’re like most people, you probably think of those common but all-important alphabet vitamins like A, C, and E. But there’s another antioxidant that’s vital for cellular health—one that’s so important your body makes its very own supply.

Coenzyme Q10, more commonly known as CoQ10, is a fat-soluble, energy-producing micronutrient that’s found in nearly all of your tissues, with some of the greatest concentrations found in your heart.1 And that matters because this hard-working organ needs lots of energy to function at its best.

CoQ10 Loves Your Heart

Research suggests that CoQ10 acts like a valentine for your heart. It improves heart function, reduces the risk of heart disease, and helps manage conditions like congestive heart failure by warding off oxidative stress and supporting energy production within heart cells.2 

This multi-talented molecule neutralizes harmful free radicals by contributing an electron to damaged molecules that are missing one (normal molecules have two electrons).3 This, in turn, helps to prevent oxidative damage and inflammation—two factors that contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.4

This powerful antioxidant also helps to generate energy inside your mitochondria (structures inside your cells that act like little energy factories) by making another antioxidant called adenosine triphosphosphate (ATP). ATP is the primary energy source for the heart. In fact, some experts have even dubbed CoQ10 “the body’s spark plug.” The production of ATP directly impacts the heart’s ability to effectively pump blood and maintain adequate cardiac output. If ATP levels drop, so does your heart’s ability to contract properly. That can lead to reduced cardiac output and ultimately contribute to heart failure.5

Lagging Levels

 Although CoQ10 is vital to a healthy cardiovascular system, the body’s production of this critical molecule naturally falls as we age. And that can increase oxidative stress in those over age 60.6   Another common reason for low levels is the use of statin drugs. This happens because these cholesterol-lowering medications decrease LDL cholesterol levels, which is the main transporter of CoQ10 in the blood.7  Whether you’re taking a statin or are simply growing older, low levels can have a significant impact on your cardiovascular system. Indeed, three out of four patients with heart diseases have subpar CoQ10. 2  Fortunately, supplementing with CoQ10 can help restore your levels.

What the Science Says

 How effective are CoQ10 supplements for cardiovascular health?  Multiple studies show that supplementation can help those with congestive heart failure, especially when paired with conventional treatment. In an Italian study of more than 2,600 people with heart failure, adding a daily dose of CoQ10 to their standard treatment significantly improved symptoms like swelling and heart palpitations.8 And a review of 14 randomized clinical trials involving 2,149 heart failure patients also found that those taking CoQ10 had less chance of dying prematurely. They also had a higher tolerance for exercise compared to the participants taking a placebo.9 That’s a big deal since regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to support a healthy heart.

CoQ10 has also been found to promote healthier blood pressure, due largely to its antioxidant activity. It’s so effective that one randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs found that supplementing with CoQ10 for three months effectively reduced systolic blood pressure.10 Australian researchers noted even better results after reviewing 12 clinical trials of people with hypertension. In their analysis, they found that supplementing with CoQ10 lowered systolic blood pressure by as much as 17 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by up to 10 mm Hg without any significant side effects.11

Better Together

As good as CoQ10 is on its own, it’s even better when taken with Aged Garlic Extract (AGE). This dynamic duo has been shown to reduce inflammation, improve vascular elasticity and endothelial function, and help prevent the progression of coronary atherosclerosis. In one groundbreaking study conducted at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, researchers looked at a group of 65 firefighters who were at an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Firefighters, who work in a highly stressful environment, have triple the risk of having a heart attack or other adverse cardiovascular event compared to the general population.

All of the firefighters underwent testing to determine their risk by measuring pulse-wave velocity (which evaluates the elasticity of arteries) and digital thermal monitoring (which measures endothelial function). The researchers also took an earlier study into account that measured each firefighters’ plaque buildup and the amount of calcium deposits in their coronary arteries, as well as systemic inflammation—all factors that can increase the risk of heart attack.

Once their risk factors were determined, the firefighters were randomly assigned to either a daily supplement containing AGE and CoQ10 or a placebo. After one year, the researchers found that, compared to the placebo, the AGE/CoQ10 combo improved both vascular elasticity and endothelial function. That, in turn, helped lower the odds of future plaque buildup and reduced the firefighter’s risk of a future heart attack or stroke.12,13

Fortunately, you don’t need to have a high-pressure job like firefighting to benefit from AGE and CoQ10. If you’re at an increased risk of atherosclerosis, heart failure, or high blood pressure—or if you’re taking a statin drug—supplementing with these two powerhouse nutrients can help your entire cardiovascular system keep the beat for a lifetime.

References

  1. Coenzyme Q10 (PDQ®)—Health Professional National Cancer Institute. 2024. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/coenzyme-q10-pdq
  2. Zozina VI, Covantev S, Goroshko OA, et al. Coenzyme Q10 in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases: Current State of the Problem. Current Cardiology Reviews. 2018;14(3):164-74.
  3. Hajiluian G, Heshmati J, Jafari Karegar S, et al. Diabetes, age, and duration of supplementation subgroup analysis for the effect of coenzyme Q10 on oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Complementary Medicine Research. 2021;28(6):557-70.
  4. Casagrande D, Waib PH, Jordão Jr. AA. Mechanisms of action and efforts of the administration of Coenzyme Q10 on metabolic syndrome. Journal of Nutrition & Intermediary Metabolism. 2018;13:26-32.
  5. Doenst T, Nguyen TD, Abel ED. Cardiac metabolism in heart failure: implications beyond ATP production. Circulation Research. 2013;113(6):709-24.
  6. Barcelos IP, Haas RH. CoQ10 and aging. Biology (Basel). 2019;8(2):28.
  7. Littarru GP,Langsjoen P. Coenzyme Q10 and statins: biochemical and clinical implications. 2007;7 Suppl:S168-74.
  8. Baggio E, Gandini R, Plancher AC, et al. Italian multicenter study on the safety and efficacy of coenzyme Q10 as adjunctive therapy in heart failure. CoQ10 Drug Surveillance Investigators. Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 1994;15 Suppl:s287-94.
  9. Lei L, Liu Y. Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in patients with cardiac failure: a meta-analysis of clinical trials.BMC Cardiovascular Disorders. 2017;17:
  10. Burke BE, Neuenschwander R, Olson RD. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 in isolated systolic hypertension. Southern Medical Journal. 2001;94(11):1112-7.
  11. Rosenfeldt FL, Haas SJ, Krum H, et al. Coenzyme Q10 in the treatment of hypertension: a meta-analysis of the clinical trials. Journal of Human Hypertension. 2007;21(4):297-306.
  12. Larijani VN, Ahmadi N, Zeb I, et al. Beneficial effects of aged garlic extract and coenzyme Q10 on vascular elasticity and endothelial function: the FAITH randomized clinical trial. Nutrition. 2013;29(1):71-5.
  13. Zeb I, Ahmadi N, Nasir K, et al. Aged garlic extract and coenzyme Q10 have favorable effect on inflammatory markers and coronary atherosclerosis progression: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research. 2012;3(3):185-90.

This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.