In my country, people’s understanding of coenzyme Q10 is a bit extreme. Some people know nothing about it, others think it can do anything. In fact, the reason for this misunderstanding is that consumers do not know enough about coenzyme Q10. What is Coenzyme Q10? what’s the effect? Is it medicine or food?
What is CoQ10
Coenzyme Q10 (English Co Q10) was identified as a chemical structure in 1958 and is a quinone compound, also known as ubiquinone. Coenzyme Q10 naturally exists in the human body, and the total content of the human body is about 500-1500 mg, mainly distributed in the heart, liver, kidney and other organs.
The human body can synthesize CoQ10, but the synthesis process is complex and affected by factors such as genes, age, nutrition and drugs. When a person is born, the content of coenzyme Q10 in the body is not high, and the content reaches a peak around the age of 20, and the synthesis ability gradually declines after the age of 25. Later, with the increase of age, the content of coenzyme Q10 in various tissues and organs gradually decreased. 77-year-olds have more than 50% less coenzyme Q10 in the heart muscle than 20-year-olds.
The body can also consume CoQ10 through meals. In animal food, the content of viscera (heart, liver, kidney) is higher, followed by sardines, saury, beef, pork, etc. also contain coenzyme Q10. Certain plant foods, such as soybeans, peanuts, sesame seeds, heart nuts and cauliflower, broccoli, oranges and strawberries, also contain small amounts of coenzyme Q10. It is estimated that the daily dietary intake of coenzyme Q10 is 2 to 5 mg, and the intake is very small.
Since the discovery of coenzyme Q10, scholars from all over the world have reported many studies on its physiological functions and applications, including its role in aerobic metabolism, anti-oxidation, lowering blood lipids and improving immunity. strength, anti-tumor effect, etc. Many roles are still being researched and explored.
Adjuvant therapy
We know that 95% of the energy needed by the human body comes from the aerobic metabolism of cells. Studies have shown that coenzyme Q10 is a promoter and activator of cellular aerobic respiration and energy metabolism. When coenzyme Q10 is deficient, the heart, an organ with high energy demands, is most affected. When the coenzyme Q10 content in the human body is lower than 60% of normal people, it can cause palpitation, chest tightness, and fatigue; when it is lower than 40%, it can lead to myocardial ischemia and coronary heart disease; when it is lower than 25%, the heart will stop beating, and even cause sudden death. Therefore, when coenzyme Q10 is used as an adjuvant therapy, it is mainly used to protect the myocardium. The general dosage is 90 mg per day, and the maximum daily dosage can reach 200-500 mg. Patients need to use it under the guidance of a doctor.
CoQ10 is currently mainly used for the adjuvant treatment of heart disease, involving two aspects:
1
Heart failure
2
Viral myocarditis
Domestic research reports that the observation of cardiac function indexes in 82 pediatric patients with viral myocarditis and the observation of myocardial enzymatic indexes in 98 adolescent patients with viral myocarditis all show that supplementation of coenzyme Q10 is beneficial to Myocardium has a protective effect. In the first “Chinese Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Fulminant Myocarditis in Adults” published in 2017, coenzyme Q10 was recommended as an adjuvant therapy to improve cardiac function.
Antioxidant and strong immunity
my country approved CoQ10 for use in health food in 2006. According to the “Coenzyme Q10 Catalogue of Health Food Raw Materials” implemented by the State Administration for Market Regulation on March 1, 2021, Coenzyme Q10, as a health food, is allowed to claim two functions of antioxidant and immunity enhancement. The recommended dosage is daily 30-50 mg, suitable for adults, not suitable for children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and people with allergies.
Coenzyme Q10 can enhance the body’s non-specific immune response and can also enhance the specific immune response. When people are in a sub-health state, appropriate supplementation of coenzyme Q10 can improve immunity and have health care effects. Coenzyme Q10 has two structures of reduced and oxidized forms. Most of the coenzyme Q10 in the human body exists in the reduced form, so it has an antioxidant effect and is considered to be a lipid antioxidant and a free radical scavenger. The antioxidant effect of coenzyme Q10 is similar to that of vitamin E, and it is more effective in preventing low-density lipoprotein oxidation than carotene and lycopene. Athletes, sports experts or ordinary adults may generate a large number of free radicals in their myocardial cells after exercise or fatigue, causing different degrees of myocardial damage. These people supplemented with coenzyme Q10 can scavenge free radicals, protect the heart, relieve fatigue, and enhance the vitality of the body.
In short, my country’s coenzyme Q10 has two types of products: medicine and health food. Drugs need to obtain the approval number of “National Medicine Zhunzi”. They are used as adjuvant therapy. The dosage is large and needs to be used under the guidance of a doctor. Coenzyme Q10 as a health food is an oral dosage form, and the dosage is small. Please note that the product must be marked with the approval number of “National Food Health”.
Text: Li Huiyan, Chief Physician of Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Source: “Public Health Magazine” Editor: Luan Zhaolin
Review: Wu Weihong
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