Cardiovascular diseases like a stroke or heart attack are two of the main contributors to death in early adulthood across the globe. A heart attack is the number one killer in the United States. Cardiovascular diseases are due to multiple factors that culminate in inadequate blood supply to organs and failure of the heart to pump effectively among a host of other effects. Prevention is undoubtedly the best cure and cardiovascular health requires multiple approaches – in diet, lifestyle and medical care.
With advances in medical science, a better understanding of the biochemical processes that contribute to cardiovascular diseases has opened the avenue for more definitive preventative measures. Maintaining a healthy body weight, reducing the intake of saturated fats, exercising regularly and frequent medical checkups are indispensible measures in maintaining cardiovascular health. These measures are broadly known as modifiable risk factors because it can be changed, unlike with genetics. Micronutrients are also known to play an integral role and may in fact be as important as other preventative measures.
One such micronutrient is coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which has become somewhat synonymous with maintaining cardiovascular health. Numerous studies have shown that Ubiquinol (the reduced form of CoQ10) can help the heart and blood vessels in a number of ways. Ubiquinol has been shown to increase the heart’s ejection fraction which is a measurement of the heart’s strength.
Ubiquinol Is a Form of CoQ10
Ubiquinol (http://ubiquinol.org/supplement-info) is the reduced form of CoQ10. It is a potent antioxidant that is more readily absorbed into the system. Traditional supplements deliver CoQ10 in its oxidized form known as ubiquinone. While this is still the same important nutrient, ubiquinol is the preferred form of CoQ10 for a number of reasons. Apart from being produced within the body, CoQ10 is also sourced from various foods, particularly animal products.
Around the age of 30, the natural CoQ10 levels decrease and continue to diminish with advancing age. Interestingly, cardiovascular conditions become more common after the age of 30. Diet, lifestyle and genetics are the major contributing factors. But up until recently, CoQ10 was largely ignored for its role in cardiovascular health.
Benefits of Ubiquinol
The exact mechanism by which ubiquinol protects the cardiovascular system is not fully understood. Various studies have shown an improvement in heart health with ubiquinol supplementation and a lower incidence of side effects from drugs used to treat cardiovascular diseases. As an antioxidant, ubiquinol protects the cells against free radical damage, a part of oxidative stress. Free radicals are constantly being produced in the body and have to be neutralized to limit it deleterious effects.
The heart has the highest amount of Ubiquinol. A decrease in ubiquinol levels means that heart muscle cells have less energy to function optimally. Similarly free radical damage may be responsible for the initial injury to the inner linings of arteries. Subsequently fatty plaques form in the arterial walls thereby leading to narrowing – a condition known as atherosclerosis. Since a heart attack and stroke, the major cardiovascular conditions, primarily develop due to atherosclerosis of respective arteries, preventing fatty plaque formation is an important step in maintaining cardiovascular health.
The heart and blood vessels do not exist in isolation in the body. Diseases of other organs and through indirect mechanisms may also impact the cardiovascular system. However, by ensuring the strength and integrity of the heart and blood vessels, these organs should be able to cope to with any stress – be it direct or indirect.
Other Effects of Ubiqionol
Widespread research encompassed in a host of different studies has verified the clinical relevance of CoQ10. With ubiquinol now being available, it is the preferred form for supplementation in the effort to support heart health.
- Ubiquinol is an important component of energy production. In its presence, the powerhouse of the cells known as mitochondria is able to produce energy more efficiently. This in turn can translate into improved energy levels, a major factor that differentiates people who are sedentary from those who are active. Consequently, people who are feeling more energetic are more likely to exercise – an important component in maintaining cardiovascular health.
- Lower levels of ubiquinol have been recorded in people with high blood cholesterol (http://ubiquinol.org/managing-cholesterol). While the correlation between low ubiquinol and high cholesterol levels have not been ascertained, ubiquinol is known to reduce some of the side effects associated with cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins.
- Invasive heart procedures like coronary bypass surgery and heart transplantation are lifesaving procedures. However, free radical damage to the heart may be heightened after these procedures. Antioxidants has been linked with improved outcome following surgery by reducing free radical damage to the heart, improving cardiac function and minimizing the chances of irregular heart beat (arrhythmia).
- Some studies suggest that ubiquinol may improve cardiovascular health. It is by no means a treatment for heart failure but interestingly, the levels of ubiquinol in people with congestive heart failure has been seen to be lower than normal.
Learn more about cardiovascular health and how to purchase Ubiquinol at Ubiquinol.org
I am surprised at how many people do not take their heart health seriously. The heart is a central piece to why you’re even alive so one should pay attention to heart health.
Amy, thank you for your comment. You are so right!
It is amazing to think of all the benefits that come from eating right and exercising!
Mary, most definitely!
My grandmother had a stroke back in 1999 and she soon died after that. I highly advocate paying attention to your heart and do everything the doctor tells you that you need to do!
Jacob, we are definitely sorry to hear about your grandmother. Paying attention to your heart health, from an early age, is crucial.
Is Ubiquinol a new thing? Where can I find more information?
You can find more about it here: http://ubiquinol.org/supplement-info Feel free to browse the website and you will find even more specific information. Let us know if you have any further questions.
“Ubiquinol is an important component of energy production.” – I could always use more energy! Sign me up!
Beati, most definitely. You can utilize this form to ask our experts more specific questions: http://ubiquinol.org/ask-the-experts
What timing for me to stumble upon this article – I’m about the start a new exercise regime with the P90x program. I bet with that paired with Ubiquinol would work great together! 🙂
We wish you the best of luck. Let us know if we can be of any assistance with questions or concerns you might have!
Well now, sounds like I need to get started in doing something to get myself up off the couch. Heart problems run i the family…
John,
Feel free to go on Ubiquinol dot org to find more information and hearth health. or try http://www.naturalhealthyconcepts.com/ubiquinol-benefits.html
Is there a brochure somewhere I can download? I’d like to know more before making a purchase.
Randi,
You can find more information here: http://www.naturalhealthyconcepts.com/ubiquinol-benefits.html or here ubiquinol dot org/supplement-info
Also, feel free to utilize the Ask an Expert on the website as well. Let us know if you have any further questions.
My father had quad-bypass surgery done. It definitely saved his life but was quite expensive and left him in pain for a while. Would you want to do the right thing of eating right and exercising or have to deal with such a dramatic procedure?
Diane,
We are happy to hear your father is well. We wish him all the best!
I have nothing but good things to say about antioxidants, and for more than just heart health. It also helps with your eye health. I eat a lot of strawberries for my antioxidant intake and as a result, my contacts prescription has stayed the same for many years.
Maren,
We are glad to hear strawberries have such a positive effect on your body! All the best!
Thanks, I’m going to show this to my father and hopefully this will help wake him up to the reality of his health needs.
Joshua,
Thank you for your comment. Let us know if you need further information.
Your article claims that ubiquinol has been shown to increase ejection fractions in CHF
patients. That’s true, but the study involved only 7 CHF patients. In short, it was a very
tiny study and of short duration. It’s also possible that the study may have been
financed by Kaneka Corporation, which would heavily bias and perhaps falsify the
results of this study. The study, strangely enough, doesn’t appear to have been
followed up by a much larger, more reliable study–even though there has been plenty
of time to do so. That’s curious enough in and of itself. No other group of
scientists seem to have ever followed Langsjoen’s research. You just have to ask why
that is–epecially since the patients in this one and only study supposed went from
stage 4 heart failure to stage 2. This would require a huge increase in the ejection
fractions of the original patients–a seemingly impossible medical achievement.
Is this a Stanley and Pons style of science, or is it actually real with true results? Until
a larger, better study comes along, you might as well put this tiny study in Ripley’s
Believe It or Not.
Thank you for your comments regarding studies of supplemental Ubiquinol in patients with advanced congestive heart failure (CHF). The 2008 Langsjoen study was a necessarily small population in an exploratory pilot study conducted to determine if Ubiquinol would exhibit a positive health benefit in patients with NYHA class IV CHF. This pilot study was published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal in 2008 and followed up with an expanded study conducted by the same cardiovascular medical group involving well over 100 CHF patients. The expanded study resulted in the same positive benefits exhibited by Ubiquinol reported in the initial pilot study. The results of this expanded Ubiquinol study was presented at the 2010 International Coenzyme Q10 Association conference in Brussels.
Ubiquinol was only first available commercially six years ago. Since that introduction scientific evaluation of Ubiquinol in major universities and medical centers continues to grow at an increased rate each year. Many of these studies are providing exciting new information on metabolic mechanisms as well as increased health benefits exhibited by Ubiquinol.
Great information over again. I am looking forward for more
updates;)