CoQ10 for Heart Surgery, CHF, Hypertension and People Taking Statins

What Heart Patients Should Know: The Basics of CoQ10

Coenzyme Q10, also called CoQ10, is a dietary supplement that you can take in pill form. This chemical compound naturally exists in your body's cells. Specifically, it is found in the powerhouse or engine of the cell called the mitochondria. CoQ10 is demonstrated to improve heart failure and is a natural antioxidant. Antioxidants counteract the action of free radicals that cause cell damage. In the mitochondria of your cells, CoQ10 helps the body make energy in the form of ATP. ATP is the currency of your body's cells. It uses ATP to make energy from the fats and carbohydrates in the food you eat and to synthesize proteins.

Which Foods Have CoQ10?

CoQ10 naturally exists in healthy monounsaturated oils like canola and soybean oil. Protein foods like nuts, seeds, eggs, and fish such as trout and herring also naturally contain CoQ10. Fatty fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, tuna and mackerel are good sources of CoQ10 as well. Whole grains and berries are abundant in CoQ10 in addition to organ meats like liver. However, heart patients should limit organ meats in their diet and should choose other lean proteins instead. 


How Coenzyme Q10 Benefits CHF Patients

Congestive heart failure, or CHF, is a result of the heart muscle cells losing their ability to contract and properly pump and circulate blood. CHF may result from damage to cardiac muscle cells during a heart attack or from a gradual overload of the heart. Reasons that CHF patients might benefit from CoQ10 are decreased chest pain, decreased heart palpitations and increased energy. CHF patients in the early stages of disease stand to benefit the most from taking CoQ10 supplements. They may be able to regain regular heart functioning if supplementation is early and of adequate dosage.

Why Patients Taking Statins Need CoQ10 Supplements

Atherosclerosis is the hardening of the arteries due to plaque accumulation. CoQ10 is an antioxidant that reverses this effect in blood vessels. Further, people taking statins, the drug type commonly prescribed for high cholesterol, may have lower than normal amounts of CoQ10 in their body. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends that people taking statins simultaneously supplement their CoQ10 intake to prevent this adverse effect of the drug. It is believed that statins lower natural levels of CoQ10 because its levels depend on fat compounds in the blood like LDL, which statins work to reduce.

High Blood Pressure

Every individual may not respond to CoQ10 in the same way when it comes to reducing hypertension. For those whose blood pressure responds to supplementation, CoQ10 may help to improve this dangerous medical condition that is known as the "silent killer". The beneficial effects of supplementation may not be seen for one to three months, however. Specifically, CoQ10 may lower systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) by up to 17mm/Hg and diastolic (the bottom number) by up to 10mm/Hg.

Benefits of CoQ10 Before Heart Surgery

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, patients that will undergo heart surgery of many types, including transplants and coronary bypass, may benefit from taking CoQ10 before their procedure. Supplementation may improve short- and long-term outcomes after surgery. Heart patients that take CoQ10 before surgery may have a lower chance of abnormal heart beats in the recovery room immediately after surgery. Long-term benefits include improved strength of the cardiac muscle and reduced effects of free radical damage.

How Much CoQ10 Should Adults With Heart Disease Take?

Eating a balanced diet of fatty fish, whole grains, fruits and vegetables should provide enough CoQ10 for most adults. However, people with certain medical conditions may benefit from CoQ10 supplements that are available in soft capsules, tablets, hard shell capsules and an oral spray. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends 30 to 200 milligrams of CoQ10 per day for adults. Since CoQ10 is a fat soluble substance, absorption is improved when the supplement is taken with meals that contain fat. For optimal absorption, take a soft gel capsule before bed or in the evening after a dinner that contains fat. 

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