Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10 for short, is an enzyme produced by your body. It helps convert food into energy.
Every single cell in your body has CoQ10 — think of it as a starter or ignition to your body's engine. It helps in vital body functions like energy production and regulating blood pressure.
5 Things CoQ10 Does For You
1. Releases Energy
CoQ10 is crucial for your cells to generate energy.
Mitochondria, the tiny organelle in our cells, use nutrients like fat for fuel. CoQ10 helps convert nutrients to fuel.
2. Powerful Antioxidant
It's a powerful antioxidant and defends cells from damage.
For this reason, it's also an anti-aging nutrient. CoQ10 supports the antioxidant function of vitamins E and C.
3. Supports Brain Function
The antioxidant nature of CoQ10 helps protect nerve cells in the brain. It helps lower the risk of brain diseases.
CoQ10 is crucial for preventing cell fatigue and boosting brain function. Your CoQ10 levels drop as you age, causing a decline in cognitive abilities.
A 2010 study showed low CoQ10 levels in the spinal fluid of Parkinson's patients. Researchers confirmed progressive oxidative damage in the mitochondria due to low CoQ10. (1)
4. Good for the Heart
CoQ10 is right for your heart in many ways. It helps lower inflammation, one of the risk factors for heart disease.
This key enzyme supports the health of blood vessels and maintains healthy blood pressure. It promotes blood circulation and strengthens the heart muscle.
5. Manges Blood Sugar
Supplementing with CoQ10 helps improve insulin action in healthy people. CoQ10 also helps in reduce your A1c levels. That's the measure of a person's average blood glucose levels over a period of two to three months.
High A1c indicates if you have diabetes and your blood sugar isn't under control.
A 2018 preliminary study found that restoring CoQ10 levels helps reduce prediabetes. (2)
Prediabetes and insulin resistance lead to a higher risk of diabetes and heart problems. The study found that CoQ10 supplementation helps lower oxidation and inflammation and thereby insulin resistance.
If CoQ10 is so vital to your body then why it isn't a “vitamin”? Because we can make some CoQ10 in the body with the help of a few nutrient-dense foods.
How does your body make CoQ10?
To keep a good supply of CoQ10, your body needs several vitamins and trace elements. Tyrosine, a non-essential amino acid is crucial in CoQ10 production. Tyrosine comes from animal and plant sources.
Here are some foods that boost your CoQ10:
- Grass-fed meats
- Chicken (free-range)
- Fish, like Herring, Rainbow Trout, Sardines, and Mackerel
- Whole grains (germs), beans, and nuts
- Fruits, like strawberries and oranges
- Eggs & dairy products
Increasing your dietary intake of CoQ10 may help you:
- Fight off chronic fatigue
- Stabilize blood sugar
- Prevent prediabetes
- Lower the risk of diabetes & heart problems
CoQ10 is a fat-soluble antioxidant, so it's best absorbed when taken along with healthy fat. Simply by adding some of these nutrient-dense foods into your diet, you can improve your levels of CoQ10 and improve your health!
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Yours in health and happiness,
Danette
P.S. Please share this article and help spread the word about CoQ10. I'd also love for you to comment below! Do you take CoQ10 supplements?
