What Does CoQ10 Do for Your Body?

Coenzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10, is a compound found throughout the body and plays an essential role in the production of ATP, a main energy source. As you age, your body naturally decreases the manufacture of coenzyme Q10. Research suggests that coenzyme Q1O can provide several health benefits.

Reduces High Blood Pressure

Coenzyme Q10 might have positive effects on high blood pressure, according to a study conducted by lead author R.B. Singh and colleagues from the N.K.P. Salve Institute of Medical Science in India. Hypertensive patients taking blood pressure medication were randomly assigned to receive coenzyme Q10 or B vitamin complex for eight weeks. At the end of the study, published in the March 1999 issue of the “Journal of Human Hypertension,” researchers observed that the coenzyme Q10 group experience reductions in blood pressure compared to the B vitamin complex group.

Boosts Endurance

Scientists from Baylor University investigated the impact of coenzyme Q10 on exercise performance in trained and untrained individuals. Subjects received coenzyme Q10 or a placebo containing dextrose twice a day for 14 days while undergoing aerobic training. In the report, published in the March 2008 issue of the “Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition,” lead investigator Matthew Cooke and colleagues discovered that the coenzyme Q10 group experienced improvements in endurance by increasing their time to exhaustion compared to the placebo group.

Decreases Myopathic Symptoms

Giuseppe Caso led a team of researchers from Stony Brook University who investigated the effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on muscle pain associated with statin treatment. At the end of the May 2007 issue of the “American Journal of Cardiology,” scientists discovered that subjects taking coenzyme Q10 for 30 days experienced decreases in myopathic symptoms, such as muscle pain, compared to those receiving a placebo.

Grapefruit Juice Enhances CoQ10 Absorption

Scientists from Hokkaido University in Japan examined the impact of grapefruit juice on the absorption of coenzyme Q10. Lead author Ken Iseki and colleagues reported in the January 2010 issue of “Food Chemistry,” that grapefruit juice improves the absorption of coenzyme Q10 by almost 50 percent in the body. If you are taking any medications, consult your health care provider since grapefruit products can interact with certain medications.