Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is one of the most important nutrients I've ever discovered for promoting heart health. I can't imagine practicing cardiology without it. But what many of you may not know is that CoQ10's benefits go well beyond heart health and can help to treat a wide variety of conditions. My son Dr. Drew Sinatra, a naturopathic doctor, has used CoQ10 extensively in his practice, so I asked him to write today's blog and share the many ways CoQ10 can benefit your health—Dr. Stephen Sinatra.
As many of you know, my dad Dr. Stephen Sinatra is one of the true pioneers of CoQ10—prescribing it to his heart patients long before most people knew about it. Following in his footsteps, I’ve used CoQ10 with most, if not all, of my cardiovascular patients—including those with hypertension, heart failure, and cardiomyopathy, with excellent results.
But while many people know about CoQ10 for heart health, few patients and doctors know about all of the other benefits of CoQ10. I have successfully used CoQ10 for patients with migraines, infertility, chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia—and it has improved symptoms for the majority of those patients.
Why Does CoQ10 Help So Many Conditions?
Unlike some nutrients that have a single “mechanism of action” helping just one aspect of your health, CoQ10 is extremely versatile. First off, CoQ10 is an energy catalyst. It sparks the production of energy in each of your cells—including your heart, which is one of the largest energy consumers in your body.
That’s why for patients with fatigue, if all other causes have been ruled out—such as anemia, thyroid disease, or sleep disorders—CoQ10 is a safe and effective supplement to take to improve energy levels.
Beyond energy production, CoQ10 is also a powerful antioxidant and mild anti-inflammatory. Plus, some studies have suggested CoQ10 may even be immune stimulating. All of these mechanisms of action enable CoQ10 to benefit a wide range of health conditions.
CoQ10 Helps Everything from Fibromyalgia to Gum Disease
Studies have shown that CoQ10 can help with a wide variety of health concerns. But before you begin taking CoQ10 for any of these health needs, talk to your doctor first. It’s always important to coordinate closely with your physician, and to rule out any underlying conditions. Plus, CoQ10 is not a standalone cure for any health concern—and needs to be used with other adjunct therapies as prescribed by your doctor.
1. Fatigue and Depression: Because CoQ10 sparks energy production in every cell in your body it’s been shown to be an effective way to fight both fatigue and depression. In a study published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience scientists conducted a double blind randomized clinical trial on multiple sclerosis patients with depression and fatigue. What they found is that patients who received 500 mg of CoQ0 daily experienced improvements in both fatigue and depression, as compared to the placebo group.Plus, in a study looking at blood plasma levels of CoQ10 and depression, researchers found that depressed patients had lower levels of CoQ10 when compared with the control group, which is why CoQ10 supplementation is so important. Recommended dosage: 200 mg of CoQ10 daily in divided doses.
2. Fibromyalgia: CoQ10 helps fibromyalgia patients in two ways, by sparking energy production and possibly by reducing free radical stress. In a study published in Antioxidants and Redox Signaling Journal, patients taking 300 mg of CoQ10 daily for 40 days experienced reduced pain, fatigue, morning tiredness, and joint tenderness. Recommended dosage: CoQ10 (90-180 mg daily), taken along with D-ribose 5 grams (2-3 times daily), L-carnitine (1-2 grams daily in divided doses), and magnesium 400 mg (1-2 times daily) to support mitochondrial function.
3. Infertility: In a study published in the Journal of Urology, men with unexplained infertility were given 200 mg of CoQ10 for 26 weeks versus a placebo. The CoQ10 group experienced improvements in sperm motility, sperm count, and the size and shape of the sperm which suggested that CoQ10 may be helpful for men with unexplained infertility. In a patient with sperm related fertility issues, I prescribed this regimen, along with the botanical medicine Tribulus (500 mg daily), and after three months lab tests revealed a significant improvement in all sperm parameters including count, motility, and the size and shape of his sperm. Plus, he reported an improvement in his fatigue. Recommended dosage: 200 mg of CoQ10 daily in divided doses, taken along with L-Carnitine (1,000 mg daily), and D-Ribose (5 g twice daily).
4. Parkinson’s Disease: In a study on the effects of CoQ10 in early stages of Parkinson’s disease, participants were assigned to one of four groups: those taking 300 mg of CoQ10 daily, 600 mg of CoQ10 daily, 1,200 mg of CoQ10 daily, or a placebo. Those taking CoQ10 had better symptom improvement than those taking the placebo—and the greater the CoQ10 dosage, the greater the benefits. This study suggests that CoQ10 may help to delay the progressive deterioration of function in patients with Parkinson’s. Recommended dosage: Discuss with your doctor.
5. Migraine Prevention: In an open label trial, patients with a history of migraines were given 150 mg a day of CoQ10 for 3 months. Those taking CoQ10 experienced 55% fewer migraines after 3 months of use, versus the placebo group. Recommended dosage: 150 mg daily, taken with magnesium 400 mg (1-2 times daily).
6. Gum Disease: It’s believed that in gum disease, periodontal pathogens (bacteria) can cause reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction—which in plain English means there’s an overgrowth of bacteria that can damage gum tissue. CoQ10 helps to reduce the effects of those ROS bacteria—protecting your gums from cell breakdown. Recommended dosage: 100 mg daily, or applied topically in moderate to severe cases.
Now it’s your turn: Have you experienced the benefits of CoQ10 for any of these health conditions?
You May Also Be Interested In
- Medications that Deplete CoQ10 & The CoQ10 Dosage You Need
- Heart Health Supplements Can Benefit Other Conditions
References
- Sanoobar M et al. Nutr Neurosci 2015; 18(4): 169-176.
- Maes M et al. Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2009;30(4):462-9.
- Cordero MD et al. Antioxid Redox Signal 2013;19(12):1356-61.
- Safarinejad MR et al. J Urol 2012;188(2):526-31.
- Shults CW et al. Arch Neurol 2002;59(10):1541-50.
- Rozen TD et al. Cephalalgia 2002;22(2):137-41.
- Hanioka T et al. Mol Aspects Med 1994;15 Suppl:s241-8.
