CoQ10 Improves Pumping of the Heart. Can it Alleviate Heart Failure?
Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes
|Someone is beating for you 24*7 tirelessly just to keep all your organs alive - It's time to return the favor to your heart with the proper nutrition!
They say it's the heart that is responsible for making you fall in love with someone. It's the heart that urges you to indulge in guilty pleasures. But we say that these statements are utter nonsense because your heart has only one task at hand: pumping blood properly all over the body to keep each organ running optimally for optimal body functions.
And for the love part, it's your hormones; please do not blame your heart. We say it's sometimes your wrong choice of partner, but not always (Pardon the pun), but jokes aside, your wrong food, unhealthy lifestyle choices, and lack of nutrition eventually put you under stress and lack of sleep, which puts pressure on your heart to work harder, making it less efficient. Increased amounts of these stressors can be a risk for a condition known as heart failure.
Hence, we urge you to show some empathy toward your heart, too —the one that works tirelessly for you 24/7. But this path of empathy can sometimes be complex, so we're here to make your endeavor for a healthy heart easy.
So, how can you show empathy to your heart? The answer is not as complex as it seems: exercise for your heart muscles, reducing salt and sugar intake, and getting proper vitamins and minerals, or opting for natural ingredients like CoQ10, also known as ubiquinone.
Stay tuned as we begin to explore how CoQ10 can play a role in heart failure.
It's first dig deep into how heart failure happens:
What is Heart Failure & How Does it Happen?
Heart failure is a clinical condition that defines the inability of the heart to pump enough blood, or a point at which the heart cannot supply enough blood or oxygen to meet the body’s demands.
There are mainly 2 types of Heart failure:
-
Systolic heart failure: When the ventricles (lower chambers/part of the heart) cannot pump blood hard enough during systole (contraction of the heart muscles).
-
Diastolic heart failure: It occurs when not enough blood fills the lower chambers of the heart during diastole (relaxation of the heart muscles).
What is the real problem with these two conditions? In both these conditions, blood backs up into the lungs, causing congestion or fluid buildup, which is why it is also known as congestive heart failure (CHF).
With the progression of Heart failure, one can experience shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in the legs and abdomen, difficulty exercising, difficulty in performing daily tasks, and fluid buildup in the lungs. All this can hamper your quality of life.
This brings us to the question: What causes Heart failure? The 8 contributing factors are:
-
Obesity
-
Sleep Apnea
-
Unhealthy lifestyle
-
High blood pressure
-
Cardiomyopathy (weakened heart muscles)
-
Irregular heartbeats
-
blockage of arteries
How to Address Heart Failure?
The good thing is that there are always multiple solutions, and you need to tap into the disciplined framework to keep Heart failure at bay:
6 Ways to Never Miss the Train of a Healthy Heart:
-
The golden rule is to stay away from saturated fat, trans fat, excessive sugar, and salt.
-
It is a no-brainer to stop smoking or dare not start. Also, stay miles away from secondhand smoke. Passive smoking is even worse.
-
If you have another existing heart condition, stay committed to your treatment plan.
-
Make an effort to lose that lingering extra unhealthy weight, especially around the waistline.
-
Eat in heart-healthy ways, such as following a rainbow diet with colorful fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein sources.
-
Consult a doctor and include natural ingredients like CoQ10 that may contribute to a healthy heart.
For the coming segment, we will explore CoQ10 to alleviate Heart failure. We will explore whether this is just another marketing gimmick or a real addition to a healthy heart. We will present different clinical studies on CoQ10 for Heart failure, so you can decide if it's right for you.
|
The 16 interesting facts about CoQ10:
|
Note: Concomitant use of warfarin and CoQ10 requires blood tests to evaluate clotting time (prothrombin time, PT/INR). They should be monitored frequently, particularly in the first 2 weeks.
CoQ10 & Heart. What’s the Correlation? Do Clinical Studies Support It?
Coenzyme Q-10 or CoQ-10 or Ubiquinone is a naturally occurring quinone (a naturally occurring molecule that acts like a tiny chemical messenger, helping with important processes like cell respiration)
We know you have a lot of questions must be going through your mind, so let us break them down for you.
How does CoQ10 help in heart health?
It can show beneficial effects in the following 8 ways:
-
Helps protect your arteries: CoQ10 may support healthy blood flow by protecting blood vessels from damage caused by oxidation, a harmful process linked to plaque buildup in arteries.
-
Supports heart function: It may help the heart work more efficiently, especially in individuals who require additional support for heart health.
-
It may help maintain healthy blood pressure levels: Some studies suggest it could play a role in keeping blood pressure within a normal range.
-
It may improve how your heart pumps blood: It might support heart performance by helping it pump blood more effectively.
-
Supports blood vessel health: CoQ10 may help the inner lining of blood vessels function more effectively, which is important for maintaining healthy circulation.
-
May support balanced blood sugar levels: It might help the body respond better to insulin, which is key for keeping blood sugar in check.
-
Helps your cells produce energy: CoQ10 plays a role in how cells make energy, especially in the heart, which needs a lot of energy to function well.
-
May reduce oxidative stress: CoQ10 and its analogues (similar compounds) help reduce damage caused by oxidative stress, which is linked to aging and certain health concerns.
Note: All the studies mentioned above are still on a small scale, and more large-scale studies are needed to determine the long-term safety of CoQ10 Supplementation for heart failure. Do not take it as an alternative to your prescribed therapy. Follow the advice of your designated healthcare personnel.
Key Takeaway
The heart is one of the most essential organs, as it supplies each body part with proper blood and oxygen. Do not let your unhealthy habits ruin this earnest and energetic organ. Because it is hardworking, nature has bestowed it with the maximum CoQ10 level. Know what's best for your heart so you can keep yourself free from the risk of a heart condition.
A natural ingredient like CoQ10 can help your heart by restoring the health of the blood vessels, reducing high blood pressure, and reducing the accumulation of nasty fat buildup. All your heart wants a little empathy from your side and the proper nutrition while it silently works for you.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement or wellness routine.
References:
1. Coenzyme Q10 (no date). https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/book/export/html/352.
2. Silva, S.V.E. et al. (2022) 'Antioxidant effect of coenzyme Q10 in the prevention of oxidative stress in Arsenic-Treated CHO-K1 cells and possible participation of zinc as a Pro-Oxidant agent,' Nutrients, 14(16), p. 3265. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14163265.
3. Rabanal-Ruiz, Y., Llanos-González, E. and Alcain, F.J. (2021) 'The use of coenzyme Q10 in cardiovascular diseases,' Antioxidants, 10(5), p. 755. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10050755.
