Coenzyme Q10: Everything You Need to Know

Coenzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10, is a natural compound produced by the body that helps in generating energy in one’s cells.

Though its production tends to decrease as a person ages, studies have shown that the CoQ10 comes with a host of health benefits and below are some of them:

Help in heart failure treatment

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of death not only in the United States but across the globe, for that matter.

Though there are treatments available for such conditions, some of these treatments have a number of negative side effects like dizziness, blurred vision, and low blood pressure among others.

Studies have found that CoQ10 treatment has helped improve symptoms among hundreds of test subjects, thus reducing the risk of losing their lives because of their existing heart problems.

Help reduce headaches

CoQ10 is also known for helping soothe or reduce headaches.  

One study showed that more than a thousand people with low CoQ10 levels experienced fewer instances of severe headaches after receiving CoQ10 treatment.

Perhaps more importantly, CoQ10 has not only been found to be an effective way to treat migraines but that it may also help prevent them which is big considering the pain migraines can bring.

Help with fertility

It is a fact that female fertility decreases as a woman grows older.  As a woman ages, the number and quality of eggs she can produce also experiences a decline.

CoQ10 plays a role in this process because like a woman’s eggs, its production also slows down as a person ages.  This occurrence makes the body less effective in doing its job of protecting the eggs from oxidative damage.

Oxidative damage also affects the male sperm in the same way which can result in poor quality sperm and reduced sperm count.

Studies have shown that taking CoQ10 supplements can help improve if not reverse these negative effects not only for women but for men as well.

Help protect the lungs 

Being an organ that is most connected to oxygen makes the lungs vulnerable to oxidative damage.  

Such damage can result in lung-related diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, as well as asthma.

Studies have shown that people suffering from the said conditions were also found to have lower levels of COQ10.  

Related studies have also shown that CoQ10 supplements can help reduce inflammation on people suffering from asthma, thus, allowing them not to depend on steroid medications which can have long-term effects on the kidneys.

Food sources

While CoQ10 is available in supplement form, it’s still possible to consume them in their natural form through many food sources.

CoQ10 can be found in fishes like herring, mackerel, and trout.  Vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower are also known to contain CoQ10 as well as fruits like oranges and strawberries.

Final Thoughts

Based on the health benefits it has to offer, there’s no doubt that CoQ10 has a lot to bring to the table making it an essential chemical everyone needs to have a steady supply of.

Though the production of such chemical decreases as a person grows older, the good news is that you can still avail of CoQ10 through several food sources and CoQ10 supplements.