CoQ10's Role in Diabetics' Heart Health
Supplements of coenzyme Q10 may increase the vascular health of diabetics who are taking statin medications, according to a new study.
It is well known that statin drugs, such as Lipitor, Crestor, Levacor, Zocor and Pravachol, deplete the body's natural stores of CoQ10. As the popularity of these cholesterol-lowering medications has grown, supplementation of CoQ10 has increasingly been recommended.
Researchers who were looking at the effect of CoQ10 supplementation on patients taking statins found that in addition to restoring the balance of CoQ10, supplementation may also improve endothelial dysfunction in statin-treated type 2 diabetic patients. (Endothelial dysfunction impairs the blood vessels' ability to dilate.) After 12 weeks of supplementation with CoQ10, improvement in the blood flow was observed.
The findings were published in the journal Diabetes Care. Researchers stated, "Impaired [blood flow in the arm] is a consistent predictor of adverse cardiovascular events. Our absolute improvement in [blood flow in the arm] of 1 per cent with CoQ10 supplementation may potentially translate to a 10-25 per cent reduction in residual cardiovascular risk in these patients." Further studies will be done to look at these effects.
Coenzyme Q10 is a nutrient essential to energy production in heart and muscle tissue. It is included in the Super Antioxidants Complex in our Basic Nutrient Support and in our Cardiovascular Support, along with other specialized nutrients that help maintain health blood flow.
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