CoQ 10
Coenzyme Q10 is a fat-soluble antioxidant that is found in virtually all cell membranes, hence its alternative name "ubiquinone." The antioxidant activity of vitamin E requires the CoQ10 to be available, to which vitamin E will pass on the unpaired electron (free radical) that it has scavenged. CoQ10 also acts as an anti-oxidant independently, protecting against DNA damage and other forms of oxidative damage caused by the consumption of excess polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Coenzyme Q10 is also an essential component of the mitochondria (the "power-house" of the cell), playing a critical role in the formation of ATP, the body's fundamental energy unit, from carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism.
Coenzyme Q10 is also destroyed by heat, so meat should not be overcooked to obtain maximum CoQ10 benefit. Boiling has been found to have negligible effect on the survival of CoQ10, while frying substantially reduces CoQ10, from 14 to 32 percent.4
Coenzyme Q10 is also an essential component of the mitochondria (the "power-house" of the cell), playing a critical role in the formation of ATP, the body's fundamental energy unit, from carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism.
- Deficiencies in CoQ10 are very common in patients with heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or low HDL cholesterol.
- CoQ10 levels are often low in those avoiding red meat and extremely low in vegans.
Coenzyme Q10 is also destroyed by heat, so meat should not be overcooked to obtain maximum CoQ10 benefit. Boiling has been found to have negligible effect on the survival of CoQ10, while frying substantially reduces CoQ10, from 14 to 32 percent.4