COQ10 counteracts statin side-effects

tablets on spoonCholesterol-lowering statins not only inhibit cholesterol, but also an important compound called coenzyme Q10, which is responsible for generating energy in the “powerhouses” (mitochondria) of cells, especially muscle cells. This is is what causes muscle pain and impaired glucose tolerance in some patients, according to the study.

When muscle cells are not able to produce enough energy to function properly, problems like pain and lowered exercise tolerance may occur. In fact, as much as 75 per cent of athletes who take statins may have aching muscles, obviously because they put more strain on their muscle mass.

Taking supplements of coenzyme Q10 together with the statin drugs can counteract the risk of these side effects, as was shown in a study from 2007. American scientists assigned pain-afflicted statin users to either a daily 100 mg supplement of coenzyme Q10 or identical “dummy” pills (placebo) for a one-month period. Those patients who got the coenzyme Q10 supplement with their medicine had a 40 per cent reduction in muscle pain and felt far less limited by their side effects than those in the control group who got the placebo.

Source: Simvastatin Effects on Skeletal Muscle Relation to Decreased Mitochondrial Function and Glucose Tolerance Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Vol. 61, No. 1, 2013

What is coenzyme Q10?

All cells require the presence of the vitamin-like nutrient coenzyme Q10 in order to produce the energy that keeps them alive and functioning. Coenzyme Q10 is provided by certain foods but also gets produced in the liver, just like cholesterol.  COQ10 is found in:

  • sardines
  • sesame seeds
  • soya oil
  • mackerel
  • peanuts
  • pork
  • spinach
  • walnuts

Statins effectively block the cholesterol synthesis but in doing so, they also block the liver’s synthesis of coenzyme Q10, as both cholesterol and coenzyme Q10 originate from the same biochemical process – something known as the mevalonate pathway. Statins are virtually like a “roadblock” that is put down right before the point where the pathway splits in different directions, one leading to cholesterol, the other to coenzyme Q10.

The only way to compensate for this sudden reduction is to take a supplement of coenzyme Q10. The substance is available without prescription and is widely used for other purposes such as:

– Improving cardiac output (increased contraction force)
– Increasing male fertility
– Preventing gum disease
– Increasing endurance (among athletes)
Pharma Nord Bio Quinone Q10, 30mg x 60 capsules, £15.95, or 30 capsules, £8.95

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