What You Must Know About Coenzyme Q-10

            Most people, especially those with a heart condition of some kind have heard of Co Q-10 and know a few basic things about it…for example: it’s a powerful antioxidant that not only neutralizes harmful free radicals, it also recharges, or recycles other antioxidants like vitamin E and vitamin C which are probably two of the most popular and well known of the antioxidants.  Free radicals are molecules that are missing one of their electrons and try to rob healthy molecules of their electrons which creates even more free radicals.  An antioxidant is a molecule with an extra electron which it donated to the free radical, thereby neutralizing it.  Keep in mind that the antioxidant, like Co Q10 or vitamin E, not only neutralizes a single free radical, it also prevents the creation of possibly millions of other free radicals.

            Let’s now bring our attention back to Co Q10.  Nearly everyone who has heard of this nutrient knows that it is a powerful antioxidant, but not everyone may know just how vital it is in energy production.  This is one of the reasons why Co Q10 is so beneficial to the functioning of the cardiac muscle.  The heart requires a great deal of energy to function properly and, since coenzyme Q 10 plays an important role in energy production, it is therefore a necessary nutrient for the heart.  Coenzyme q10 accomplishes this by repairing some of the damage done to the mitochondria by free radicals.  The mitochondria are present in all cells and are responsible for energy production.

            Here is another of the lesser known facts of co q-10…it is produced in the liver and it is sometimes referred to as ubiquinone or ubiquinol because it is ubiquitous-it is found throughout the entire body with the highest concentrations in the organs and tissues which have the most mitochondria, like the cardiac muscle.  A good dietary source of co q10 is liver, no surprises there since it is produced in the liver.  I don’t recommend consuming liver because, think about what the liver does…one of its primary functions is to process toxins in the blood.  If you’re going to eat liver, please be sure it is the highest quality you can get, from an organically fed animal.

For more information on the nutrient content of different foods, be sure to claim your free copy of my top 10 healthiest foods report today!

References:

Packer L., Ph..D., & Colman C. (1999). The antioxidant miracle. New York: John Wiley & Sons